Of peaks and valleys: testing the roles of orogeny and habitat heterogeneity in driving allopatry in mid‐elevation frogs (Aromobatidae: <i>Rheobates</i>) of the northern Andes

Muñoz-Ortiz, Astrid; Velásquez-Álvarez, Álvaro Andrés; Guarnizo, Carlos E.; Crawford, Andrew J.

doi:10.1111/jbi.12409

Cited by 39 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Cryptic diversity is an essential component of diagnosing biodiversity, and it is difficult to detect, especially under ongoing global climate change and habitat loss (Balint et al., ; Bickford et al., ). Empirical studies have identified evolutionary patterns of cryptic diversity similar to our study in other biodiversity hotspots (Bell et al., ; Carnaval, Hickerson, Haddad, Rodrigues, & Moritz, ; Demos, Peterhans, Agwanda, & Hickerson, ; Hedin, Carlson, & Coyle, ; Muñoz‐Ortiz, Velásquez‐Álvarez, Guarnizo, & Crawford, ; Wachter et al., ). However, previous studies did not consider the role of niche conservatism in impacting cryptic speciation.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Climate niche conservatism and complex topography illuminate the cryptic diversification of Asian shrew‐like moles

Wan

Jin

et al. 2018

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim The drivers of extraordinary species diversity and endemism in biodiversity hotspots remain elusive. To identify such drivers, it is necessary to understand the origin of allopatric cryptic diversity that formed as an important part of the biodiversity in low‐latitude montane areas. Here, we test hypotheses regarding the patterns and processes that underlie the diversity of Asian shrew‐like moles (Uropsilus, Uropsilinae, Talpidae), which exhibit strikingly high cryptic diversity. Specifically, we test the hypotheses that niche conservatism and complex topography explain the largely cryptic diversification of these small montane mammals. Location The mountains of Southwest China (MSC), which are a biodiversity hotspot, and adjacent areas. Materials and methods A total of 186 specimens that include all seven species of Uropsilus were collected from key geographical areas of the MSC. One mitochondrial and six nuclear genes were sequenced for phylogenetic and phylogeographical analyses. We reconstructed the phylogeny and delimited species boundaries within Uropsilus using multiple methods. We also tested the hypothesis of phylogenetic niche conservatism and examined the effect of topography on genetic divergence. Furthermore, we implemented a hierarchical examination of spatial‐temporal dynamics in our study system. Results Phylogenetic and species delimitation analyses discovered vastly more cryptic diversity than had been identified in morphology‐based taxonomy. Significant niche similarity between sibling phylogroups was detected and the genetic structure of Uropsilus accorded well with the topography of the MSC. Relatively stable biogeographical diffusion and demography, as well as in situ persistence during the last glacial cycle, were detected. Main conclusions Our analysis indicates that much genetic diversification has occurred without evident niche divergence; hence topographical diversity has provided strongly geographical isolation and ecological gradients which reinforce niche conservatism for sedentary organisms. Cryptic species, as the consequence of a lack of variability in the traits, is attributed to stabilizing selection by the optimal ecological and/or climatic envelopes over evolutionary time‐scales. Our findings indicate that global biodiversity in certain areas could be underestimated. Analyses of other biological systems can determine the universality of niche conservatism in the MSC.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

Climate niche conservatism and complex topography illuminate the cryptic diversification of Asian shrew‐like moles

Wan

Jin

et al. 2018

Journal of Biogeography

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“…The three cordilleras are separated by dry and deep basins; the Cauca basin separates the West and Central cordilleras, and the Magdalena basin separates the Central and East cordilleras. Montane forests are also interrupted at high elevations (> 3000 m), where the slopes of each cordillera are separated by ridgelines often above 4000 m. If the complex topography of the Colombian Andes defines metapopulations in resident species of birds and other organisms (Guti errez-Pinto et al, 2012;Muñoz-Ortiz et al, 2014), the same may apply to migratory species. Indeed, a number of studies have shown the differential use of Caribbean islands and Central America by populations of migratory birds (Rubenstein et al, 2002;Norris et al, 2006), and so, it follows that the Andes could act as 'islands in the sky' for migratory montane specialists.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Topography of the Andes Mountains shapes the wintering distribution of a migratory bird

González-Prieto

Bayly

Colorado

et al. 2016

Diversity and Distributions

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Aim In birds, patterns of migratory connectivity are influenced by landscape structure experienced throughout the annual cycle. Assessing how landscape patterns drive the movements and distributions of migratory species is important for understanding the evolution of migration and determining conservation priorities. We determined migratory connectivity in the Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis), a declining Neotropical migratory bird, and evaluated the degree to which the Andean mountains influence winter population distribution in this montane forest specialist. Location Seven study regions across the Western, Central, and Eastern Andes of Colombia. Methods We inferred breeding and natal origins of Canada Warblers overwintering in Colombia by analysing stable hydrogen isotope values (δ2H) in feathers and assigning wintering populations to breeding origins using an established feather δ2H isoscape for North America. Results We found strong evidence for parallel migration between breeding and wintering sites, giving rise to moderately strong migratory connectivity between breeding and wintering regions. The model best explaining population distribution in the Colombian Andes implied that populations were most similar within basins or valleys. Such segregation is notable, given that basins are separated by less than 300 km on the wintering grounds, while breeding populations may be separated by more than 3000 km from east to west. Main conclusions Our results suggest that the high spine of each Andean cordillera acts to shape the winter distribution of individuals from different breeding populations. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that the topography of the Andean mountains can act to shape the winter distribution of populations of a migratory bird. The strength of migratory connectivity found in Canada Warblers may inhibit evolutionary responses to environmental change, and the more rapid population declines recorded in some eastern breeding populations may be related to habitat loss and local environmental conditions in the Eastern Andes, where individuals from these populations were more likely to overwinter.

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“…The asynchrony in timing of divergence makes this explanation less likely, however. Alternatively, polyphyly could be created by multiple crossings of the EC following an initial vicariant separation, as found in, for example, the bird Mionectes (Miller et al, 2008) and the frog, Rheobates (Muñoz-Ortiz et al, 2015), suggesting that the EC-MA is an ineffective barrier for half of tetrapod lineages studied here. Such a model of recent dispersal across a fully formed Andes could explain the heterogeneity in divergence times among lineages, the overall young ages relative to the old age of the EC-MA as synthesized here, and the young divergence times among homeotherms relative to poikilotherms (Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Synthesis of geological and comparative phylogeographic data point to climate, not mountain uplift, as driver of divergence across the Eastern Andean Cordillera

Rodríguez-Muñoz

Montes

Crawford

2020

Preprint

Self Cite

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AimTo evaluate the potential role of the orogeny of the Eastern Cordillera (EC) of the Colombian Andes and the Mérida Andes (MA) of Venezuela as drivers of vicariance between populations of 37 tetrapod lineages co-distributed on both flanks, through geological reconstruction and comparative phylogeographic analyses.LocationNorthwestern South AmericaMethodsWe first reviewed and synthesized published geological data on the timing of uplift for the EC-MA. We then combined newly generated mitochondrial DNA sequence data with published datasets to create a comparative phylogeographic dataset for 37 independent tetrapod lineages. We reconstructed time-calibrated molecular phylogenies for each lineage under Bayesian inference to estimate divergence times between lineages located East and West of the Andes. We performed a comparative phylogeographic analysis of all lineages within each class of tetrapod using hierarchical approximate Bayesian computation (hABC) to test for synchronous vicariance across the EC-MA. To evaluate the potential role of life history in explaining variation in divergence times among lineages, we evaluated 13 general linear models (GLM) containing up to six variables each (maximum elevation, range size, body length, thermoregulation, type of dispersal, and taxonomic class).ResultsOur synthesis of geological evidence suggested that the EC-MA reached significant heights by 38–33 million years ago (Ma) along most of its length, and we reject the oft-cited date of 2–5 Ma. Based on mtDNA divergence from 37 lineages, however, the median estimated divergence time across the EC-MA was 3.26 Ma (SE = 2.84) in amphibians, 2.58 Ma (SE = 1.81) in birds, 2.99 Ma (SE = 4.68) in reptiles and 1.43 Ma (SE = 1.23) in mammals. Using Bayes Factors, the hypothesis for a single temporal divergence interval containing synchronous divergence events was supported for mammals and but not supported for amphibians, non-avian reptiles, or birds. Among the six life-history variables tested, only thermoregulation successfully explained variation in divergence times (minimum AICc, R2 0.10), with homeotherms showing more recent divergence relative to poikilotherms.Main conclusionsOur results reject the hypothesis of the rise Andean Cordillera as driver of vicariance of lowland population because divergence dates are too recent and too asynchronous. We discuss alternative explanations, including dispersal through mountain passes, and suggest that changes in the climatic conditions during the Pliocene and Pleistocene interacted with tetrapod physiology, promoting older divergences in amphibians and reptiles relative to mammals and birds on an already established orogen.

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Of peaks and valleys: testing the roles of orogeny and habitat heterogeneity in driving allopatry in mid‐elevation frogs (Aromobatidae: Rheobates) of the northern Andes

Cited by 39 publications

References 62 publications

Climate niche conservatism and complex topography illuminate the cryptic diversification of Asian shrew‐like moles

Climate niche conservatism and complex topography illuminate the cryptic diversification of Asian shrew‐like moles

Topography of the Andes Mountains shapes the wintering distribution of a migratory bird

Synthesis of geological and comparative phylogeographic data point to climate, not mountain uplift, as driver of divergence across the Eastern Andean Cordillera

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