Fine‐scale genetic structure of the cloud forest tree Ocotea psychotrioides revealed by genome‐wide SNP data

PREMISE: Recent advances in genomic technologies now enable the reconstruction of evolutionary histories at fine spatial scales, illuminating the complex dynamics that shape biodiversity patterns in naturally discontinuous, archipelago-like ecosystems such as cloud forests. METHODS: We investigated the evolutionary history and phylogeography of Ocotea psychotrioides (Lauraceae), a narrowly endemic tree of eastern Mexico, using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) data comprising 8579 single nucleotide polymorphsims (SNPs) from 101 individuals sampled across 10 populations. RESULTS: Our analyses identified two major genetic lineages in Ocotea psychotrioides. Beyond this geographic structuring, we uncovered complex patterns of genetic diversity and connectivity across populations, highlighting the ecological and evolutionary heterogeneity of eastern Mexican cloud forests. Historical climatic fluctuations during the Pleistocene, coupled with topographic barriers, likely contributed to the observed genetic divergence. Notably, morphological variation aligned with genetic patterns, offer a robust framework for future studies on speciation, local adaptation, and the evolutionary consequences of climate-driven habitat shifts. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the utility of genomic approaches for uncovering fine-scale evolutionary patterns in cloud forest taxa, revealing lineage divergence, population connectivity, and historical biogeographic structure in complex montane systems.