title: Transverse Alpine Speciation Driven by Glaciation.
abstract: The allopatric model of biological speciation involves fracturing of a pre-existing species distribution and subsequent genetic divergence in isolation. Accumulating global evidence from the Pyrénées, Andes, Himalaya, and the Southern Alps in New Zealand shows the Pleistocene to be associated with the generation of new alpine lineages. By synthesising a large number of genetic analyses and incorporating tectonic, climatic, and population-genetic models, we show here how glaciation is the likely driver of speciation transverse to the Southern Alps. New calibrations for rates of molecular evolution and tectonic uplift both suggest a ∼2 million-year (Ma) time frame. Although glaciation is often seen as destructive for biodiversity, here we demonstrate its creativity, and suggest a general model for speciation on temperate mountain systems worldwide.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand. Electronic address: g.wallis@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Graham P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Wallis
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.affiliation: GNS Science, PO Box 30368, Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Phaedra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Upton
authors.affiliation: Department of Geology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Craw
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D005843:Geography; D010802:Phylogeny