Abstract
Results from an extensive allozymic survey of the genetic (clonal) structure of Russian/Siberian populations in the arctic Daphnia pulex complex yielded high clonal diversity/richness estimates, at both the intrapopulational and intraregional levels. Highest levels of clonal diversity were detected in the heart of the Beringian glacial refuge, with lower levels detected in glaciated regions (western Russia). mtDNA haplotype diversity (based on RFLPs) showed similar spatial trends, with the highest levels of haplotype diversity again being found in Beringia. Several haplotypes were extremely widespread (in the order of thousands of kilometres across the breadth of Eurasia), and evidence for presumed mutationally derived haplotypes was plentiful. Spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed a significant clinal pattern in the degree of genetic similarity among mtDNA haplotypes. In addition, similarity of clonal arrays (based on allozymes) showed a significant inverse association with geographical distance; i.e. similarity of clonal arrays between populations increased with decreasing geographical distance between populations. Sporadic sexual reproduction (based on Hardy–Weinberg expectations) was detected in Beringia, and has undoubtedly played a role in fuelling the production of novel genotypes. Our results suggest that vast expanses of northern Eurasia have been colonized by a small number of geographically widespread haplotypes, with more regionally restricted haplotypes constituting the remaining lineages. We discuss our results within the general framework of biogeographical colonization events of the Arctic by members of the D. pulex complex, and place these data into the broader picture of the importance of Beringia as a glacial refuge for many taxa during the Pleistocene.
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
References
Abbott, R J, Chapman, H M, Crawford, R M M, and Forbes, D G. 1995. Molecular diversity and derivations of populations of Silene acaulis and Saxifraga oppositifolia from the high arctic and more southerly latitudes. Mol Ecol, 4, 199–207.
Alerstam, T, Gudmundsson, G A, and Larsson, B. 1995. Migration patterns and flight routes of tundra birds. In: Grönlund, E. and Melander, O. (eds) Swedish-Russian Tundra Ecology-Expedition-94: A Cruise Report, pp. 252–263. Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, Stockholm.
Avise, J C. 1994. Molecular Markers, Natural History, and Evolution. Chapman and Hall, New York.
Beaton, M J, and Hebert, P D N. 1988. Geographical parthenogenesis and polyploidy in Daphnia pulex. Am Nat, 132, 837–845.
Bernatchez, L, and Dodson, J J. 1994. Phylogenetic relationships among palearctic and nearctic whitefish (Coregonus sp.) populations as revealed by mitochondrial DNA variation. Can J Fish Aquat Sci, 51, 240–251.
Bertorelle, G, and Barbujani, G. 1995. Analysis of DNA diversity by spatial autocorrelation. Genetics, 140, 811–819.
Chapin, F S, III, and Körner, C. 1994. Arctic and alpine biodiversity: patterns, causes, and ecosystem consequences. Trends Ecol Evol, 9, 45–47.
Dufresne, F, and Hebert, P D N. 1994. Hybridization and the origins of polyploidy. Proc R Soc, B, 258, 141–146.
Dufresne, F, and Hebert, P D N. 1995. Polyploidy and clonal diversity in an arctic cladoceran. Heredity, 75, 45–53.
Felsenstein, J. 1993. PHYLIP (Phytogeny Inference Package), version 3.5c. Department of Genetics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Haney, J F, and Buchanan, C. 1987. Distribution and biogeography of Daphnia in the arctic. Mem 1st Ital Idrobiol, 45, 77–105.
Hebert, P D N. 1995. The Daphnia of North America: An Illustrated Fauna. CD-ROM. Distributed by the author. Department of Zoology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Hebert, P D N, and Beaton, M J. 1989. Methodologies for Allozyme Analysis Using Cellulose Acetate Electrophoresis A Practical Handbook. Helena Laboratories, Beaumont, TX.
Hebert, P D N, Ward, R D, and Weider, L J. 1988. Clonal-diversity patterns and breeding-system variation in Daphnia pulex, an asexual-sexual complex. Evolution, 42, 147–159.
Hobæk, A. 1995. Ecological genetics of the Daphnia pulex complex - an arctic, circumpolar survey. In: Grönlund, E. and Melander, O. (eds) Swedish-Russian Tundra Ecology-Expedition-94: A Cruise Report, pp. 216–224. Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, Stockholm.
Hopkins, D M, Matthews, J V, Jr., Schweger, C E, and Young, S B. (eds). 1982. Paleoecology of Beringia. Academic Press, New York.
McElroy, D, Moran, P, Bermingham, E, and Kornfield, I. 1991. REAP - The Restriction Enzyme Analysis Package, version 4.0. University of Maine, Orono, ME.
Nei, M, and Tajima, F. 1983. Maximum likelihood estimation of the number of nucleotide substitutions from restriction site data. Genetics, 105, 207–217.
Parker, E D, Jr., 1979. Ecological implications of clonal diversity in parthenogenetic morphospecies. Am Zool, 19, 753–762.
Pielou, E C. 1979. Biogeography. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Pielou, E C. 1984. The Interpretation of Ecological Data: A Primer on Classification and Ordination. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Rohlf, F J. 1990. NTSYS-pc Numerical Taxonomy and Multivariate Analysis System, version 1.6. Exeter Software, Setauket, NY.
Sage, R D, and Wolff, J O. 1986. Pleistocene glaciations, fluctuating ranges, and low genetic variability in a large mammal (Ovis dalli). Evolution, 40, 1092–1095.
Tash, J C. 1971. The Zooplankton of fresh and brackish waters of the Cape Thompson area, northern Alaska. Hydrobiologia, 38, 93–121.
Van Raay, T J, and Crease, T J. 1995. Mitochondrial DNA diversity in an apomictic Daphnia complex from the Canadian high arctic. Mol Ecol, 4, 149–161.
Vartanyan, S L, Garutt, V E, and Sher, A V. 1993. Holocene dwarf mammoths from Wrangel Island in the Siberian arctic. Nature, 362, 337–340.
Weider, L J, and Hobæk, A. 1994. Molecular biogeography of clonal lineages in a high-arctic apomictic Daphnia complex. Mol Ecol, 3, 497–506.
Weider, L J, Beaton, M J, and Hebert, P D N. 1987. Clonal diversity in high-arctic populations of Daphnia pulex, a polyploid apomictic complex. Evolution, 41, 1335–1346.
Weider, L J, Hobæk, A, Crease, T J, and Stibor, H. 1996. Molecular characterization of clonal population structure and biogeography of arctic apomictic Daphnia from Greenland and Iceland. Mol Ecol, 5, 107–118.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Weider, L., Hobæk, A. Postglacial dispersal, glacial refugia, and clonal structure in Russian/Siberian populations of the arctic Daphnia pulex complex. Heredity 78, 363–372 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1997.59
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1997.59
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Factors affecting regional diversity and distribution of freshwater microcrustaceans (Cladocera, Copepoda) at high latitudes
Polar Biology (2017)
-
Molecular Ecology of Rotifers: From Population Differentiation to Speciation
Hydrobiologia (2005)
-
Incongruent phylogeographies in spite of similar morphology, ecology, and distribution:Phippsia algida andP. concinna (Poaceae) in the North Atlantic region
Plant Systematics and Evolution (2000)