Abstract Detail

Systematics Section/ASPT

Crowl, Andy [1], Wu, Hsin-Hui [1], Nhon, Linda [1], Mansion, Guilhem [2], Hand, Ralf [2], Cellinese, Nico [1].

The Role of Climatic and Geologic Events in Shaping the Evolutionary History of the Roucela Complex (Campanula, Campanulaceae) in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Roucela complex is a group of 12 rare, mostly narrow endemic Campanula species found primarily in the Aegean Archipelago. Little is known about the evolution of endemic Campanulaceae on these continental islands. This region has a complex climatic and geologic history with numerous sea-level changes and tectonic events causing connections and disconnections between islands and the mainland across time. Additionally, the Mid-Aegean Trench formed approximately 9 mya, separating the archipelago into the Eastern and Western Aegean. We use both plastid and nuclear loci and recovered a grade composed exclusively of taxa found east of the Mid-Aegean Trench and a clade that includes primarily taxa found west of the trench. Our results indicate that the Mid-Aegean Trench is historically significant in shaping the evolution of this group. Dating analyses found the Roucela clade to be much older than predicted by often made claims that speciation in the Mediterranean is largely recent and driven by the onset of the Mediterranean climate. The break-up of the Aegean landmass played a significant role in the diversification of the clades found in the eastern side of the trench, while the Messinian Salinity Crisis may have contributed to the divergence within the clade occurring in the western side of the trench. We will discuss in more detail individual species histories and some relatively recent migration events from the mainland to islands. We will also discuss results from niche-based models, which seem to corroborate our hypothesis of geologic events and dispersal barriers being responsible for current distributions and driving ancient diversification.

Broader Impacts:

1 - University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History, Dickinson Hall, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
2 - Freie Universtat, Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem , Berlin, Germany

Keywords:
Aegean Archipelago
biogeography
Campanulaceae
Low-copy nuclear loci
Mediterranean
Roucela complex.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 35
Location: Versailles Ballroom/Riverside Hilton
Date: Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
Time: 2:00 PM
Number: 35003
Abstract ID:599
Candidate for Awards:None