Population differentiation in mediterranean plants: insights into colonization history and the evolution and conservation of endemic species
Colonization and isolation are critical events in the evolutionary dynamics of plant populations. In this paper I review how spatial population structure of genetic markers provides insights into the evolutionary significance of episodes of colonization and isolation in the Mediterranean flora. I use as themes to structure my review the following topics: spatial structure induced by historical associations among populations of widespread species; population differentiation in relation to the evolution of closely related species with disjunct distributions; the potential effect of founder events during colonization on character evolution; and the conservation implications of spatial population structure. My review illustrates that the Mediterranean flora is full of examples that provide key insights into such evolutionary and conservation issues.
Thompson
JD
Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, C.N.R.S., 1919 Route de Mende, 34293 Montpellier cedex 5, France.