Abstract
jabbrv-ltwa-all.ldf
jabbrv-ltwa-en.ldf
Adaptation to different environments in geographically separated
populations is key for allopatric speciation. Most research has focused
on the effects of geographical isolation and abiotic factors, but
disjunct populations frequently co-occur with different pools species,
favouring divergent adaptation and speciation. We show the importance of
plant neighbourhood, compared to geographic and environmental factors,
in the allopatric speciation across the Iberian Peninsula of two closely
related plants, Carex elata and Carex reuteriana. Using regularized
generalized linear models, we identified the key variables explaining
distribution patterns. We also examined the relationships between
inter-population genetic distances, using genomic data
(genotyping-by-sequencing), and biotic, abiotic and geographic factors
to understand the drivers of lineage splitting. Plant neighbourhood
emerged as a stronger predictor of allopatric distributions than abiotic
or geographic factors. Additionally, inter-population genetic distances
were significantly associated with all the factors studied, albeit with
varying degrees of influence. Notably, plant neighbourhood had the
largest effect in C. elata, which showed the greatest population
differentiation. These findings suggest that the biotic and
microenvironmental factors influencing divergent plant neighbourhoods
have significantly contributed to the differentiation of these taxa,
providing new insights into the evolutionary processes shaping the
origin and distribution of species.