单叶蔓荆人工扩繁技术及生理特性的研究

单叶蔓荆是我国重要药用植物之一,也是沿海沙质海岸的主要藤本灌木树种。通过对沙质海岸单叶蔓荆群落扦插、断蔓等人工扩繁苗木的研究,探讨了单叶蔓荆群落扦插、断蔓苗的生长规律;并对盆栽单叶蔓荆群落扦插苗的光合、呼吸、蒸腾速率与土壤含水量的变化情况进行了研究,用Logistic方程拟合相关系数在0．98以上,而且显著相关,表明用Logistic方程可以很好地描述单叶蔓荆群落扦插苗的光合、呼吸、蒸腾速率与土壤含水量的变化的关系。     

都市园林植物云南樱花的表型多样性研究

云南樱花(Prunus yunnannensis)为蔷薇科(Rosaceae)多年生落叶乔木,是中国西南地区特有的重要园林观赏植物,其在昆明园林绿化中具有较高的应用价值。以昆明地区的云南樱花为研究对象,研究了6个栽培居群120个单株的16个表型性状的多样性,分析了16个表型性状的相关性和广义遗传力,并对6个栽培居群进行了聚类分析,旨在探明其在资源应用过程中的表型变异程度及变异规律,为今后优良性状选育与种质推广提供科学依据。结果表明:云南樱花在居群间及居群内均存在丰富的表型多样性,除雌蕊长以外,其它15个表型性状在各居群之间均存在显著性差异,其中各性状的平均变异幅度为7.73%~94.04%,在居群内的变异幅度为20.74%~28.22%,各性状居群内的变异明显小于居群间,16个表型性状的广义遗传力介于0.54~0.97之间,其中叶长的广义遗传力最大,而雌蕊长的广义遗传力最小。对云南樱花16个形态指标的相关性分析表明,大部分形态指标之间均存在显著的相关性。利用居群间欧氏距离进行的UPGMA聚类分析结果表明,云南樱花6个栽培居群可以聚为2类。     

海滨沙地单叶蔓荆匍匐茎对沙埋适应的生长对策

单叶蔓荆(Vitex trifolia var.simplicifoli)是一种耐盐、耐旱固沙地被植物。依据海滨沙地自然沙埋特点对单叶蔓荆匍匐茎进行了不同厚度(半埋和全埋)和不同长度交叉沙埋处理,研究探讨了单叶蔓荆沙埋适应生长对策,为其开发利用、科学管理和海滨环境修复提供指导。结果表明,正常情况下,单叶蔓荆匍匐茎基部和中部生长缓慢,顶部生长快。轻度(沙埋匍匐茎基部)和中度(沙埋匍匐茎基部和中部)半埋和全埋使匍匐茎顶部生长加速,茎长增长量较对照高出1.5到3.1倍;但重度(沙埋整个匍匐茎)半埋和全埋使匍匐茎顶部净增长量减少12%和13%。在20d沙埋中,对照整个匍匐茎各段均无不定根长出,但不同程度半埋和全埋沙埋处理下沙下匍匐茎上均长出不定根,重度半埋使不定根生长受抑;同时匍匐茎上各段茎生物量上升,枝叶生物量下降,且随着沙埋程度的增加而增减幅度提高,在重度半埋和全埋达到最大。在轻度和中度半埋和全埋下,匍匐茎上未沙埋部位枝条生长加速。研究表明,在自然环境中,单叶蔓荆匍匐茎顶端是一个对环境变化反应敏感的部位,并与沙埋后单叶蔓荆茎延伸生长和植株能否生存密切相关。当匍匐茎顶部没被沙埋时,沙埋促进沙埋部位匍匐茎和枝叶中物质转移,加速匍匐茎顶部快速生长和物质积累以弥补沙埋带来的损伤维持物质和能量的代谢平衡。沙埋后,单叶蔓荆以茎顶端快速生长、形成不定根、枝条生长维持茎水分平衡和能量和物质代谢平衡,以快速生长摆脱沙埋影响的生长方式为其对沙埋环境的重要适应对策。因此,在海岸沙地单叶蔓荆种群管理和维护中,在强风移沙引起的重度沙埋后,及时剥离匍匐茎顶部沙子对维护单叶蔓荆种群的延续生存和扩散均有重要作用。     

云南含笑天然居群的表型多样性分析

为揭示云南含笑天然居群表型变异程度和变异规律,以云南昆明地区天然分布的云南含笑为研究对象,调查了6个居群180个单株的14个表型性状,采用巢式方差分析、变异系数、相关分析、Shannon-Weaver多样性指数分析和聚类分析等方法,分析了居群间和居群内表型多样性.结果表明:(1)云南含笑表型性状在居群间和居群内存在极其丰富的多样性,14个表型性状平均表型分化系数(24.38％)小于居群内变异(75.62％),居群内变异是表型变异的主要来源;14个表型性状的变异系数(CV)在16.20％～60.11％之间,表明云南含笑居群内表型性状离散程度较高.(2)对云南含笑各居群的Shannon-Weaver指数分析表明,云南含笑各居群具有丰富的多样性,总体表型多样性指数为1.772.(3)利用居群间欧氏距离进行的UPGMA聚类分析结果表明,云南含笑6个天然居群可以聚为3类,而且表型性状并没有严格依地理距离而聚类.     

浙江扇脉杓兰野生居群的表型性状变异及其与地理-土壤养分因子的相关性

为揭示扇脉杓兰(Cypripedium japonicum Thunb.)表型性状的变异规律,以浙江临安6个野生居群(老殿、宝剑石、红蛇洞、清凉峰、大明山和里横塘)为研究对象,分析了叶片、萼片、子房及唇瓣等18个表型性状的变异幅度,并讨论了表型性状变异与地理-土壤养分因子间的相关性以及居群间和居群内的表型多样性.结果显示:6个居群18个表型性状(地径、下叶长、下叶宽、下叶长/宽比、上叶长、上叶宽、上叶长/宽比、中萼片长、中萼片宽、苞片长、苞片宽、子房长、花梗直径、花梗长、唇瓣长、唇瓣宽、植株展度和株高)测量值的F值为1.240 ～ 18.666,除花梗直径和株高外,其他16个性状均有极显著差异.各性状的变异系数为5.937％ ～ 26.349％,其中,唇瓣长的平均变异系数最小(6.119％)、苞片宽的平均变异系数最大(24.124％);居群间各性状的变异系数为8.139％～ 13.663％,平均变异系数为11.143％,其中,里横塘居群的平均变异系数最大、宝剑石居群的最小.各性状的多样性指数平均为1.977,其中地径的多样性指数最大(2.045)、苞片宽的最小(1.663).通过UPGMA聚类分析,可将6个居群划分为3组:清凉峰、大明山、老殿和宝剑石居群为1组;红蛇洞和里横塘居群分别各自成组,其中清凉峰和大明山居群的遗传距离最近.各表型性状间存在显著或极显著的相关关系;但仅地径与速效钾含量显著正相关(r=0.854),子房长、唇瓣长和宽与土壤全磷含量显著正相关(r值分别为0.916、0.854和0.914),植株展度与土壤pH显著正相关(r=0.810),其余性状与地理因子(包括经度、纬度和海拔)及土壤养分因子均无显著相关性.研究结果表明:扇脉杓兰野生居群表型性状存在丰富的变异和多样性,且与生境土壤中速效钾及全磷含量及土壤pH有关.     

云南滇龙胆居群表型多样性及其与环境关系研究

为揭示滇龙胆天然居群表型变异程度和变异规律,以云南省5个区域天然分布的20个野生居群400个单株20个表型性状指标为调查研究对象,并用变异系数、Shannon-Weiner多样性指数和巢式方差分析对滇龙胆居群间和居群内的表型变异进行分析,用相关性分析对滇龙胆表型性状与地理气象因子间的变异格局进行分析,用类平均聚类法对20个滇龙胆居群进行分类.结果表明:5个区域的滇龙胆以楚雄地区变异最大,变异系数为39.8%,变异最小的是昆明地区,为31.4%;不同居群的20个表型性状变异程度差异明显,变异系数在14.4%～91.8%之间,平均为40.4%,20个居群的平均变异为26.8%～37.0%;滇龙胆地理居群的表型分化较高,20个性状居群间的分化系数平均为73.14%,变化范围为36.03%～91.94%,居群间变异高于居群内;滇龙胆20个表型性状的总的多样性指数平均为2.547,5个不同分布区域多样性指数存在差异,最大为楚雄(1.271 4),最小为玉溪(1.266 7);表型性状变异受经度和降雨量影响较大,与纬度、海拔和温度相关性不显著;通过UPGMA聚类,滇龙胆被分成3个组,性状的表型特征并没有依地理距离而聚类....     

单叶蔓荆根际土壤真菌多样性

对江西鄱阳湖区5个不同地区单叶蔓荆(Vitex trifolia)的根际土壤真菌种类和多样性进行了研究。从100份单叶蔓荆植物根际土壤样品中分离获得128株真菌,隶属于无性型菌和接合菌,共15个属,其中青霉属(Penicillium)为单叶蔓荆根际土壤真菌的优势属,占总菌株数的14.06%,其次为单端孢属(Trichothecium),占总菌株数的11.72%,葡萄孢属(Botrytis)、卷头霉属(Helicocephalum)、茎点霉属(Phoma)、根霉属(Rhizopus)占总菌株数的7.81%,可见单叶蔓荆根际真菌具有较丰富的多样性。研究还发现不同地区单叶蔓荆根际土壤真菌的种群组成和结构存在一定的差异,各属真菌在不同地区的单叶蔓荆根际土壤中所占的优势度也不同。     

太白杜鹃天然居群的表型多样性

为揭示太白杜鹃(Rhododendron purdomii)天然居群的表型变异程度、变异规律,以秦岭山区的7个天然居群为研究对象,对其花序和叶片的10个数量性状和8个质量性状进行方差分析、相关分析与聚类分析,探讨居群间与居群内表型多样性的变异特点。结果显示:(1)在太白杜鹃的质量性状中,花色与花瓣内斑在居群间与居群内均存在丰富变异,花朵香味、花序形状、花冠形状、花梗颜色、叶片形状和株型等仅在居群间存在明显变异,在居群内则趋于一致性;其数量性状在居群间与居群内也存在广泛变异,10个数量性状在居群间和居群内平均值差异全部达显著水平;在7个居群内数量性状的变异系数为0～55.3%,其中花梗长、花丝长、花瓣宽与叶柄长变异较大,花朵数变异较小。(2)相关性分析表明,太白杜鹃花瓣长和花瓣宽分别与经度存在极显著与显著负相关关系,叶片长、叶片宽和叶片长宽比与海拔均存在显著负相关关系,而其它性状与地理因子的关系密切。(3)聚类分析显示,太白杜鹃的7个天然居群可以初步分为两大类,但性状的表型特征并没有依地理距离而聚类。研究表明,太白杜鹃天然居群的表型性状在居群内与居群间均存在丰富的变异,而且其与居群特点、分布生境等关系密切。     

单叶蔓荆(唇形科)的横生胚珠和葱型胚囊

利用常规石蜡制片技术研究了单叶蔓荆胚珠和胚囊的发育以丰富牡荆亚科的胚胎学资料。单叶蔓荆的胚珠横生、单珠被、薄珠心、具珠被绒毡层、珠孔狭长。胚囊发育类型为葱型,可能由蓼型胚囊演变而来。葱型胚囊在牡荆亚科及整个唇形科属首次报道。     

鄱阳湖沙山单叶蔓荆不同器官碳、氮、磷化学计量特征

在鄱阳湖湖滨沙山沿沙化梯度测定了单叶蔓荆(Vitex rotundifolia)花、叶、枝条、匍匐茎、细根的碳(C)、氮(N)、磷(P)含量,以阐明单叶蔓荆各器官C、N、P含量及化学计量比的分配格局,探讨养分元素及其化学计量之间的关联及对沙化程度的响应。结果表明:(1)单叶蔓荆各器官C、N、P含量变化范围分别为386.28–449.47 mg·g~(–1)、11.40–25.37 mg·g~(–1)、0.89–1.54 mg·g~(–1)。各器官中以花的N、P含量最高。(2)沙化程度仅对C、N含量及C:P影响显著,而器官是影响单叶蔓荆C、N、P含量及化学计量比的主导因子;单叶蔓荆基于质量的N、P含量之间的关系在不同沙化程度区未发生策略位移现象,N:P化学计量比具有保守性特征,没有随沙化程度与器官的改变而发生显著变化。(3)单叶蔓荆各器官的相关性主要集中在地上部分,其中枝条与匍匐茎之间的关系最为密切,二者之间的C、N、P含量及C:N、C:P化学计量比均表现为显著性相关。     

天然红松种群形态特征地理变异的研究

在我国红松天然分布区内,根据纬度和海拔的差异,选取了凉水、小北湖和长白山３个地区具有典型代表性下的天然红松林,进行了形态结构的观测分析。分单株采样,测量了一级枝针叶的长度,球果长度、宽度、每球果含种子数目,种子的重量,树皮的形态。结果表明：红松平均针叶长度在我国分布区风呈现中间长、南北短的趋势。种群内针叶的变异幅度凉山地区最大（０．１４８６）,长白山地我最小（０．１０５６）;种群间针叶长度变异较大     

Population genetic structure of the medicinal plant Vitex rotundifolia in China: implications for its use and conservation

Vitexrotundifolia L.is an important plant species used in traditional Chinese medicine.For its efficient use and conservation,genetic diversity and clonal variation of V.rotundifolia populations in China were investigated using inter-simple sequence repeat markers.Fourteen natural populations were included to estimate genetic diversity,and a large population with 135 individuals was used to analyze clonal variation and fine-scale spatial genetic structure.The overall genetic diversity (GD) of V.rotundifolia populations in China was moderate (GD=0.190),with about 40% within-population variation.Across all populations surveyed,the average within-population diversity was moderate (P = 22.6%; GD = 0.086).A relatively high genetic differentiation (Gst=0.587)among populations was detected based on the analysis of molecular variance data.Such characteristics of V.rotundifolia are likely attributed to its sexual/asexual reproduction and limited gene flow.The genotypic diversity (D=0.992) was greater than the average values of a clonal plant,indicating its significant reproduction through seedlings.Spatial autocorrelation analysis showed a clear within-population structure with gene clusters of approximately 20 m.Genetic diversity patterns of V.rotundifolia in China provide a useful guide for its efficient use and conservation by selecting particular populations displaying greater variation that may contain required medicinal compounds,and by sampling individuals in a population at >20 m spatial intervals to avoid collecting individuals with identical or similar genotypes.     

DIFFERENTIATION AMONG NINE POPULATIONS OF PHLOX. I. ELECTROPHORETIC AND QUANTITATIVE VARIATION

The organization of genetic variation in Phlox drummondii was investigated using both allozyme electrophoresis and quantitative genetics. Variation at five polymorphic enzyme loci was characterized in nine populations, and variation in 16 morphological and life-history characters was examined using an analysis of full- and half-sibs in seven populations. Significant levels of genetic variation were found at enzyme loci and for metric characters. Significant heritabilities were observed for 15 of the 16 characters examined. Genetic differences among populations were revealed both by Nei's genetic distance and by phenotypic differences, summarized by discriminant analysis. Partitioning variance in allozyme frequencies among hierarchical levels of genetic organization indicated that 94% of this variance lay within populations, 4% between populations within varieties, and 2% between varieties. Partitioning phenotypic variance for metric characters indicated that 73% lay within populations, 24% lay between populations within varieties, and 3% lay between varieties. Thus, both electrophoretic and metric characters indicated that despite extensive genetic differentiation among populations, most of the evolutionary potential of the species lies within populations.     

A re-consideration of the taxonomic status of Nebria lacustris Casey (Coleoptera,Carabidae, Nebriini) based on multiple datasets – a single species or a species complex?

This study gathered evidence from principal component analysis (PCA) of morphometric data and molecular analyses of nucleotide sequence data for four nuclear genes (28S, TpI, CAD1, and Wg) and two mitochondrial genes (COI and 16S), using parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian methods. This evidence was combined with morphological and chorological data to re-evaluate the taxonomic status of Nebria lacustris Casey sensu lato. PCA demonstrated that both body size and one conspicuous aspect of pronotal shape vary simultaneously with elevation, latitude, and longitude and served to distinguish populations from the southern Appalachian highlands, south of the French Broad, from all other populations. Molecular analyses revealed surprisingly low overall genetic diversity within Nebria lacustris sensu lato, with only 0.39% of 4605 bp varied in the concatenated dataset. Evaluation of patterns observed in morphological and genetic variation and distribution led to the following taxonomic conclusions: (1) Nebria lacustris Casey and Nebria bellorum Kavanaugh should be considered distinct species, which is a NEW STATUS for Nebria bellorum. (2) No other distinct taxonomic subunits could be distinguished with the evidence at hand, but samples from northeastern Iowa, in part of the region known as the "Driftless Zone", have unique genetic markers for two genes that hint at descent from a local population surviving at least the last glacial advance. (3) No morphometric or molecular evidence supports taxonomic distinction between lowland populations on the shores of Lake Champlain and upland populations in the adjacent Green Mountains of Vermont, despite evident size and pronotal shape differences between many of their members.     

基于形态特征和mtDNA COI序列的北美五倍子蚜分类和系统发育地位研究

五倍子蚜共6属12种, 除北美分布1属1种外, 其余分布东亚。本研究采用数值分类和分子系统发育分析方法对北美五倍子蚜Melaphis rhois的形态特点和分类地位进行研究, 以倍蚜6属8种179个有翅孤雌蚜为研究对象, 对其头部、胸部、腹部的直接测量特征48个、量度间比例特征31个及转化为数值的描述特征29个共108个特征进行分析。基于欧氏距离的聚类结果显示, 北美倍蚜M. rhois与倍蚜属关系较近, 五倍子蚜8个种共形成3个大的聚类簇, 北美倍蚜M. rhois与倍蚜属的倍蛋蚜Schlechtendalia peitan和角倍蚜S. chinensis聚为一支; 铁倍蚜属的肚倍蚜蛋铁亚种Kaburagia rhusicola ovogallis和肚倍蚜枣铁亚种K. rhusicola ensigallis与小铁枣蚜属的红小铁枣蚜Meitanaphis elongallis、圆角倍蚜属的倍花蚜Nurudea shiraii和红倍花蚜N. yanoiella与铁倍花蚜属的铁倍花蚜Floraphis meitanensis分别聚为一支。另外, 测定五倍子蚜8个种共16个样本的mtDNA COI基因序列（约1.2 kb）, 最大简约法(maximum parsimony, MP)和最大似然法(maximum likelihood, ML)分子系统发育分析结果均显示北美倍蚜M. rhois与倍蚜属的关系密切, 和形态数据得到的结果一致; 但倍蚜8个种之间的聚类总体上与形态学研究结果不太一致, 铁倍花蚜属的铁倍花蚜和小铁枣蚜属的红小铁枣蚜、铁倍蚜属的肚倍蚜枣铁亚种和肚倍蚜蛋铁亚种与圆角倍蚜属的倍花蚜和红倍花蚜分别聚为一支, 彼此之间的关系尚需深入研究。     

Divergence thresholds and divergent biodiversity estimates: can metabarcoding reliably describe zooplankton communities?

DNA metabarcoding is a promising method for describing communities and estimating biodiversity. This approach uses high‐throughput sequencing of targeted markers to identify species in a complex sample. By convention, sequences are clustered at a predefined sequence divergence threshold (often 3%) into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that serve as a proxy for species. However, variable levels of interspecific marker variation across taxonomic groups make clustering sequences from a phylogenetically diverse dataset into OTUs at a uniform threshold problematic. In this study, we use mock zooplankton communities to evaluate the accuracy of species richness estimates when following conventional protocols to cluster hypervariable sequences of the V4 region of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (18S) into OTUs. By including individually tagged single specimens and “populations” of various species in our communities, we examine the impact of intra‐ and interspecific diversity on OTU clustering. Communities consisting of single individuals per species generated a correspondence of 59–84% between OTU number and species richness at a 3% divergence threshold. However, when multiple individuals per species were included, the correspondence between OTU number and species richness dropped to 31–63%. Our results suggest that intraspecific variation in this marker can often exceed 3%, such that a single species does not always correspond to one OTU. We advocate the need to apply group‐specific divergence thresholds when analyzing complex and taxonomically diverse communities, but also encourage the development of additional filtering steps that allow identification of artifactual rRNA gene sequences or pseudogenes that may generate spurious OTUs.     

Phenotypic plasticity of Vaccinium meridionale (Ericaceae) in wild populations of mountain forests in Colombia

Vaccinium meridionale is a promising crop for the Andean region of South America and is currently available only in the wild. Spontaneous populations of this plant are found across the Colombian mountains, but very few published records on this plant morphology are available. A zonification study of V. meridionale was conducted in four principal areas of a low mountain forest of Colombia (Provinces of Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Santander and Nari?o) in 2007. A total of 20 populations and 100 plants of V. meridionale were individually characterized and surveyed, using a list of 26 characters of morphological variables (9 quantitative and 17 qualitative characters). Our results indicated that natural populations of V. meridionale might be found in the tropical forest under a highly heterogeneous climate and microclimate conditions, at different mountain regions between 2 357 and 3 168masl. The shrubs of V. meridionale exhibited a high level of intra-population variation in several quantitative (plant height, stem diameter) and qualitative (growth habit, ramification density, presence of anthocyanins in stems) morphological characters, suggesting an environmentally induced phenotypic plasticity. Plant height, stem diameter and foliar density were the most variable morphological traits, with coefficients of variation higher than 50%. However, several quantitative characters of its reproductive potential, such as berry dimensions, rachis length and number of flowers per inflorescence, resulted with low plasticity with coefficients of variation lower than 30.2%, indicating that these characters were genetically determined. The highest correlation coefficients (p < 0.05) resulted to be between fruit length and fruit width (0.90), leaf length and leaf width (0.78), plant height and stem diameter (0.60), and inflorescence length and flowers number per inflorescence (0.57). The results suggest that an important genetic resource exists for this species in the wild. Low variation in fruit size, which constitutes a target trait for plant breeders, could be useful for selection of cultivars of V. meridionale. The results of this study could also be applied in conservation programs aimed to protect these diverse populations in the mountain forests of Colombia.     

Population structure, genetic variation and morphological diversity in indigenous sheep of Ethiopia

We investigated genetic and morphological diversity and population structure of 14 traditional sheep populations originating from four ecological zones in Ethiopia (sub-alpine, wet highland, sub-humid lowland and arid lowland). All animals (n = 672) were genotyped for 17 microsatellite markers and scored for 12 morphological characters. The sheep were initially classified as fat-tailed (11 populations), thin-tailed (one population) and fat-rumped sheep (two populations). These classifications are thought to correspond to three consecutive introduction events of sheep from the Near-East into East Africa. For the 14 populations, allelic richness ranged from 5.87 to 7.51 and expected heterozygosity (H(E)) from 0.66 to 0.75. Genetic differentiations (F(ST) values) between all pairs of populations, except between sub-alpine populations, were significantly different from zero (P < 0.001). Cluster analysis of morphological characters and a dendrogram constructed from genetic distances were broadly consistent with the classification into fat-tailed, thin-tailed and fat-rumped sheep. Bayesian cluster analysis using microsatellite markers indicated that there has been further genetic differentiation after the initial introduction of sheep into Ethiopia. Investigation of factors associated with genetic variation showed that an isolation-by-distance model, independently of other factors, explained most of the observed genetic variation. We also obtained a strong indication of adaptive divergence in morphological characters, patterns of morphological variation being highly associated with ecology even when the effect of neutral genetic divergence (F(ST)) was parcelled out in partial Mantel tests. Using a combination of F(ST) values, Bayesian clustering analysis and morphological divergence, we propose a classification of Ethiopian sheep into six breed groups and nine breeds.     

箭叶淫羊藿居群形态及遗传多样性比较研究

箭叶淫羊藿（Epimedium sagittatum）是淫羊藿属中分布最广、形态变异最大、分类学最难处理的一个物种,不同箭叶淫羊藿居群其形态、活性成分等差异较大,质量极其不稳定。本实验选择湖北罗田等12个不同的箭叶淫羊藿地理居群,在武汉植物园进行同园栽培,分析其主要形态数量性状及遗传多样性。结果发现箭叶淫羊藿不同居群在形态上表现出各自明显的差异。基于AFLP数据进行的遗传多样性分析显示,各居群聚类关系与地理分布密切相关,柳州居群（LZ）、西南居群（CL、HH、ZY）、华东华中居群（YT、WN、NF、HS、QZ、SG、LY、LT）依次分出。而形态分层聚类分析显示各居群形态变异复杂,只有部分与遗传多样性有一定的相关性。本研究结果对箭叶淫羊藿分类研究及资源筛选具有重要指导作用。     

Morphological and molecular variation in tiger beetles of the Cicindela hybrida complex: is an ‘integrative taxonomy’ possible?

Current taxon assignments at the species level are frequently discordant with DNA-based analyses. Recent studies on tiger beetles in the Cicindela hybrida complex identified discordance between mtDNA patterns and the entities currently defined by the taxonomic literature. To test the accuracy of morphologically delimited groups, five named taxa (species) from 24 representative sampling sites across Europe were scored for 41 external morphological characters. Three of the named taxa were 'diagnosable', that is, defined by between one and three characters unique to each group. Newly sequenced ITS1 and existing mitochondrial cox1 markers established 20 and 22 different haplotypes, respectively, but only cox1 produced (four) diagnosable units. Phylogenetic analysis and statistical parsimony networks showed poor congruence of character variation with the taxonomic entities (and each other). Variation in morphological characters was therefore tested directly for association with DNA-based nesting groups at various hierarchical levels using permutational contingency analysis. Significant statistical associations of 11 (of 13 variable) morphological characters were observed with nesting groups from ITS1 and mitochondrial DNA markers, predominantly at the 4-step level. The analysis demonstrates the need for formal tests of congruence with morphological variation at the level of individual characters, a step that is omitted from recent studies of 'integrative taxonomy'. In addition, statistical correlation of particular morphological characters with DNA-based nesting groups can identify the lowest hierarchical level at which various character sets show congruence, as a means to define evolutionarily separated entities supported by diverse data sources.