Weak Genetic Differentiation among Populations of the Andean Ground Beetle Pelmatellus columbianus (Reiche, 1843) (Coleoptera: Carabidae)
2019
Muñoz-Tobar, Sofía I. | Biológicas, Escuela de Ciencias
Páramo is a fragmented alpine ecosystem above the tree line in the Tropical Andes that is characterized by high species endemism. The genetic diversity of beetle populations present in páramo is poorly understood. I evaluated the effects of potential geographical barriers, genetic structure, and diversification rates on the genetic diversity of Pelmatellus columbianus (Reiche), a widely distributed ground beetle species, and examined if populations show any signs of becoming more restricted to higher elevations due to climate warming. To understand the distribution of genetic variation in P. columbianus, one nuclear and one mitochondrial gene from 87 individuals from eight páramo sites in the Ecuadorian Andes were analyzed using phylogenetics, population genetics, and ecological niche modeling (past and present). These analyses show weak genetic differentiation among populations of P. columbianus that have a high level of genetic connectivity across sites, with dominant haplotypes recorded across the species range. Results suggest that the ability of this species to disperse has limited its genetic differentiation in specialized páramo environments, consistent with records that indicate that P. columbianus is not restricted to páramo, but its distribution extends into inter-Andean valleys.
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