Molecular variation inDrepanocladus aduncuss.l. does not support recognition of more than one species in Europe

Abstract

The taxonomically problematic Drepanocladus aduncus (Hedw.) Warnst. s.l. has either been treated as a single phenotypically variable species or as including a variable number of taxa at different levels. In this investigation, the molecular variation within the D. aduncus complex is studied based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the trnL (UAA) 5' exon-trnF (GAA) region, and tRNA-Gly. Relationships among more than 100 specimens are studied by means of neighbor joining (ITS; while potential hybridization was revealed), maximum parsimony (chloroplast markers), and haplotype network reconstruction (all markers). The complex exhibits considerable haplotype variation, but the variation is uncorrelated with recognized taxa. On the other hand, the studied material suggests that a geographic component is present in the variation, especially in Europe. The geographical distributions of some haplotypes suggest a possible relationship with the glacial history of Europe, although this needs to be further investigated based on a larger sample before any firm conclusions can be drawn. Two molecularly strongly deviating plants were revealed; these were collected in salt water streams at high elevations in South America.

Molecular differentiation within European Cratoneuron filicinum, and differences from Asiatic and American populations

“…A possible explanation of this pattern is that some populations of these haplotypes dispersed into more northern portions of Europe by a route from the east or south-east (cf., Dering and Lewandowski 2009;Hewitt 2000;Schmitt and Krauss 2004;Taberlet et al 1998). Post-glacial migration routes to Scandinavia from the east were also suggested for some populations of several widespread European mosses where northern haplotypes do not occur further south on the continent (Hedenäs 2008b(Hedenäs , 2009a(Hedenäs , 2010b. The similarity between the single tropical African specimen and W Eurasiatic ones agrees with the patterns found in other studied widespread mosses (Hedenäs 2008a(Hedenäs , 2010b(Hedenäs , 2012.…”

Glacial refugia and post-glacial colonization patterns in European bryophytes

“…had potential refugia along the Atlantic coast, in the Alps, southeastern Europe, east of the ice sheet, and Scandinavia (Hedenäs 2008b). Never- (Hedenäs 2008b). Never-.…”

Phylogeography and origin of EuropeanSanionia uncinata(Amblystegiaceae, Bryophyta)

“…Several widespread and morphologically coherent pleurocarpous moss species display substantial infraspecific variation, a significant proportion of which is phylogeographically meaningful (Hedderson & Nowell, 2006;Draper et al, 2007;Hedenäs & Eldenäs, 2007Hedenäs, 2008aHedenäs, , 2008bHedenäs, , 2009b. These studies provide evidence from a group of organisms, which phylogeographic patterns have so far not been as extensively studied as, for example, mammals and vascular plants, and therefore provide evidence that can corroborate or refute general phylogeographic hypotheses based on data from the latter groups.…”