Population genomic study reveals climate and habitat discontinuity structure genetic variation in crimson monkeyflower, highlighting unique conservation needs for spring specialists.
Key Points
Determine how landscape features, habitat discontinuity, and climatic gradients shape range-wide spatial genetic diversity and population structure in the desert spring-specialist Mimulus verbenaceus.
Generated genome-wide reduced representation sequencing data comprising 10,760 SNPs from 175 individuals across 17 populations in North American desert springs and riparian corridors.
Characterized population genetic structure and differentiation using ADMIXTURE and Principal Component Analysis.
Quantified the contributions of local and regional climatic variables to genetic variation using redundancy analysis.
Observed strong population differentiation at both broad regional and fine local scales, resembling patterns typically reported in spring-specialist fauna rather than upland or generalist riparian plants.
Identified spatial isolation and riparian connectivity as primary drivers of local genetic diversity, whereas regional genetic divergence was significantly shaped by temperature, relative humidity, and monsoon precipitation gradients.