Mixed support for an alignment between phenotypic plasticity and genetic differentiation in damselfly wing shape

The relationship between genetic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity can provide information on whether plasticity generally facilitates or hinders adaptation to environmental change. Here, we studied wing shape variation in a damselfly (Lestes sponsa) across a latitudinal gradient in Europe that differed in time constraints mediated by photoperiod and temperature. We reared damselflies from northern and southern populations in the laboratory using a reciprocal transplant experiment that simulated time-constrained (i.e. northern) and unconstrained (southern) photoperiods and temperatures. After emergence, adult wing shape was analysed using geometric morphometrics. Wings from individuals in the northern and southern populations differed significantly in shape when animals were reared in their respective native environment. Comparing wing shape across environments, we found evidence for phenotypic plasticity in wing shape, and this response differed across populations (i.e. G × E interactions). This interaction was driven by a stronger plastic response by individuals from the northern population and differences in the direction of plastic wing shape changes among populations. The alignment between genetic and plastic responses depended on the specific combination of population and rearing environment. For example, there was an alignment between plasticity and genetic differentiation under time-constrained, but not under non-time-constrained conditions for forewings. We thus find mixed support for the hypothesis that environmental plasticity and genetic population differentiation are aligned. Furthermore, although our laboratory treatments mimicked the natural climatic conditions at northern and southern latitudes, the effects of population differences on wing shape were two to four times stronger than plastic effects. We discuss our results in terms of time constraints and the possibility that natural and sexual selection is acting differently on fore- and hindwings.     

Latitudinal divergence in a widespread amphibian: Contrasting patterns of neutral and adaptive genomic variation

Stochastic effects from demographic processes and selection are expected to shape the distribution of genetic variation in spatially heterogeneous environments. As the amount of genetic variation is central for long‐term persistence of populations, understanding how these processes affect variation over large‐scale geographical gradients is pivotal. We investigated the distribution of neutral and putatively adaptive genetic variation, and reconstructed demographic history in the moor frog (Rana arvalis) using 136 individuals from 15 populations along a 1,700‐km latitudinal gradient from northern Germany to northern Sweden. Using double digest restriction‐site associated DNA sequencing we obtained 27,590 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and identified differentiation outliers and SNPs associated with growing season length. The populations grouped into a southern and a northern cluster, representing two phylogeographical lineages from different post‐glacial colonization routes. Hybrid index estimation and demographic model selection showed strong support for a southern and northern lineage and evidence of gene flow between regions located on each side of a contact zone. However, patterns of past gene flow over the contact zone differed between neutral and putatively adaptive SNPs. While neutral nucleotide diversity was higher along the southern than the northern part of the gradient, nucleotide diversity in differentiation outliers showed the opposite pattern, suggesting differences in the relative strength of selection and drift along the gradient. Variation associated with growing season length decreased with latitude along the southern part of the gradient, but not along the northern part where variation was lower, suggesting stronger climate‐mediated selection in the north. Outlier SNPs included loci involved in immunity and developmental processes.     

Genetic and morphological differentiation of the mangrove crab Perisesarma guttatum (Brachyura: Sesarmidae) along an East African latitudinal gradient

The genetic structure and morphometric differentiation of mangrove crab Perisesarma guttatum populations were examined among shelf connected locations along a latitudinal gradient on the East African coast. Over 2200 specimens were sampled from 23 mangrove sites for geometric morphometrics analysis. Population genetic analyses of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) DNA sequences were used to evaluate connectivity among populations. A total of 73 haplotypes were detected, and almost no haplotypes were found in common between two highly supported phylogeographic clades: southern Mozambique (Inhaca Island and Maputo Bay) and a northern clade that included north Mozambique, Tanzania and Kenya. These two clades were identified based on the species' populations pairwise genetic differentiation and geographical location. Φ_ST values were considerably high between the two clades, indicating the presence of significant population genetic structure between Kenya and South Mozambique. However, each clade was composed of genetically similar populations along the latitudinal gradient, and no significant population structure was found within each clade because the Φ_st values were not significant. The morphometric analysis corroborated the division into two clades (i.e. Inhaca Island/Maputo Bay and northern populations) and also detected less shape variation among populations that were few kilometres apart. The significant spatial genetic structuring between the southern and the northern populations of P. guttatum along the geographic gradient under study, combined with morphological differences, suggests that these populations may be considered as cryptic species. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 99 , 28–46.     

Geographic variation and dispersal history in Fennoscandian populations of two forest herbs

 Carex digitata and Melica nutans are forest understorey herbs with wide European distributions and their northern range margins in Fennoscandia. The species have closely similar habitat requirements, occur in small populations in old forest stands on base-rich to neutral soils and have restricted dispersal abilities at the present day. This study investigates the structure of allozyme variation (12 and 8 loci, respectively) in material of both species (38 and 37 populations, respectively) from throughout southern Sweden and southern Finland. Both species show a relatively low overall genetic diversity (H_T excluding monomorphic loci=0.17 and 0.18, respectively). The hierarchic structuring of allelic diversity in the species is similar, with a relatively high between-population component of diversity (G_ST=0.36 and 0.37, respectively). Neither of the species shows a clear intraspecific pattern of geographic differentiation. The lack of large-scale patterns of geographic differentiation is not consistent with a simple scenario of discrete and independent waves of immigration into Fennoscandia. However, particularly in M. nutans, a group of populations from a lowland belt across southwestern Finland and southern central Sweden is somewhat differentiated from populations to the north and south. A number of rare alleles in both species are widely, but patchily distributed in low frequencies. Hybridization may account for the scattered occurence of some of the rare alleles in Carex digitata, but cannot explain the distribution of rare alleles in Melica nutans. Received July 23, 2001 Accepted December 6, 2001     

利用近似贝氏计算推论台湾海峡沿岸秋茄种群的拓殖路线

由于地理关系,台湾海峡两岸的红树植物组成具有高度的相似性,都以耐寒性较强的秋茄为优势种。中国台湾(以下简称"台湾")与大陆仅一水之隔,因此台湾的秋茄种群来源最有可能来自东南沿海种群,然而台湾南、北红树植物种群的拓殖路线以及与大陆东南沿海种群的遗传关系的研究至今仍未见报道。通过SSR分子标记,利用近似贝氏计算(Approximate Bayesian Computation)推测海峡两岸4个分布区域秋茄的起源及其拓殖路线。结果表明4个区域的种群出现明显分化,大陆东南北部种群与其他种群间分化程度最高。通过推测台湾北部种群起源可追溯到29000—48400a前,早于末次冰期时间,且台湾北部种群遗传结构与大陆东南南部种群最相近,推测它们可能共同起源于南方祖先。大陆东南沿海南北种群的溯祖时间约为15.1万年至25.2a年前,约为更新世中期末,则意味东南沿海南、北种群的遗传分化可能受到更新世后期气候变化与海侵海退的影响而出现隔离,或东南沿海南、北种群可能来自不同的起源。而台湾南部种群与台湾北部种群的相似性,表明台湾南部种群是由北部种群拓殖而来,近似贝氏计算亦支持这个假说。因而,可以推测海峡两岸秋茄的拓殖路线是从大陆东南南方种群随黑潮迁移至台湾北部,再从北部拓殖到台湾南部。利用近似贝氏计算推论台湾海峡两岸红树林种群起源及拓殖路线,为未来我国东南沿海红树林植物的生物地理研究提供参考。     

Sources of Variation in Leaf Shape among Two Populations of Achillea Lanulosa

Achillea lanulosa has complex, highly dissected leaves that vary in shape and size along an altitudinal gradient. Plants from a high and an intermediate altitude population were clonally replicated and grown in a controlled environment at warm and cool conditions under bright light. There were genetic differences among populations and among individuals within populations in leaf size and shape. Heritabilities for leaf size and shape characters were moderate. Leaves of the lower altitude population were larger and differed from the higher altitude plants in both coarse and fine shape. Plastic response to temperature of the growth environment paralleled the genetic differentiation between low and high altitude populations. There was no apparent trade-off between genetic control over morphology and the capacity for directional plastic response to the environment. Differences in leaf dissection and size at contrasting altitudes in this species are the result of both genetic divergence among populations and of acclimative responses to local environments.     

Extremely low genetic diversity and extensive genetic admixture at the northern range margins of Bombax ceiba

Understanding the evolutionary processes in species at the margins of their range is of great significance, because marginal populations may harbor local adaptations and will initiate further expansion in response to changes in the environment. Here we examined genetic variation in two nuclear genes and one chloroplast intergenic spacer in 13 northern marginal populations and one geographically central population of Bombax ceiba, a tree distributed mainly in tropical regions. Our results revealed an extremely low level of genetic diversity in each population at the northern margin of its range and strong genetic differentiation between southern China and South Asia. Cultivated and natural populations showed no significant differences in genetic variability. Genetic admixture in a nuclear gene was detected in 10 of the 13 populations at the northern margin of their range. The founder effect, in which a small number of individuals colonize the northern margins of its range, may explain the extremely low genetic diversity. During the establishment of new populations, different source populations may mix and undergo further genetic drift and differentiation. This study indicates that patterns of genetic diversity in tropical species at the margin of their range may also be severely influenced by founder effects.     

Northern gene flow into southeastern East Asians inferred from genome-wide array genotyping

The population history of Southeast (SE) China remains poorly understood due to the sparse sampling of present-day populations and limited modeling with ancient genomic data. We report genome-wide genotyping data from 207 present-day Han Chinese and Hmong-Mien (HM)-speaking She people from Fujian and Taiwan Island, SE China. We coanalyzed 66 Early Neolithic to Iron Age ancient Fujian and Taiwan Island individuals obtained from previously published works to explore the genetic continuity and admixture based on patterns of genetic variations of the high-resolution time transect. We found the genetic differentiation between northern and southern East Asians was defined by a north–south East Asian genetic cline and our studied southern East Asians were clustered in the southern end of this cline. The southeastern coastal modern East Asians are genetically similar to other southern indigenous groups as well as geographically close to Neolithic-to-Iron Age populations, but they also shared excess alleles with post-Neolithic Yellow River ancients, which suggested a southward gene flow on the modern southern coastal gene pool. In addition, we identified one new HM genetic cline in East Asia with the coastal Fujian HM-speaking She localizing at the intersection between HM and Han clines. She people show stronger genetic affinity with southern East Asian indigenous populations, with the main ancestry deriving from groups related to southeastern ancient indigenous rice farmers. The southeastern Han Chinese could be modeled with the primary ancestry deriving from the group related to the Yellow River Basin millet farmers and the remaining from groups related to rice farmers, which was consistent with the northern China origin of modern southeastern Han Chinese and in line with the historically and archaeologically attested southward migrations of Han people and their ancestors. Our estimated north–south admixture time ranges based on the decay of the linkage disequilibrium spanned from the Bronze Age to historic periods, suggesting the recent large-scale population migrations and subsequent admixture participated in the formation of modern Han in SE Asia.     

神农架山体对濒危植物连香树遗传结构影响的研究

山体屏障能阻断植物连续的生境,干扰居群的基因交流,从而影响植物居群的遗传结构.本研究应用AFLP标记探讨神农架地区南北坡4条河岸带分布的连香树4个居群的遗传多样性水平,以及山体隔离对居群遗传结构和基因流的影响.结果显示连香树居群水平的Nei's基因多样性(h)和Shannon信息指数(/)分别为0.116和0.173,遗传多样性水平相对较高.在遗传结构方面,邻接树(NJ)和主坐标分析的结果清晰地将南北坡分开,从居群和个体上都分成两组.并且STRUCTURE的结果显示基因流在同坡向的居群间比不同坡向的居群间要大.这些表明神农架山体可能对连香树居群的基因交流产生了一定的限制作用.神农架南北坡居群间的分化程度较低(FST为0.075),推测与连香树自身有较强的种子散布和花粉传播能力有关.本研究结果表明,神农架山体及相关的生态因子可能对连香树居群的基因交流产生了限制作用.     

Sex-chromosome differentiation and ‘sex races’ in the common frog (Rana temporaria)

Sex-chromosome differentiation was recently shown to vary among common frog populations in Fennoscandia, suggesting a trend of increased differentiation with latitude. By rearing families from two contrasted populations (respectively, from northern and southern Sweden), we show this disparity to stem from differences in sex-determination mechanisms rather than in XY-recombination patterns. Offspring from the northern population display equal sex ratios at metamorphosis, with phenotypic sexes that correlate strongly with paternal LG₂ haplotypes (the sex chromosome); accordingly, Y haplotypes are markedly differentiated, with male-specific alleles and depressed diversity testifying to their smaller effective population size. In the southern population, by contrast, a majority of juveniles present ovaries at metamorphosis; only later in development do sex ratios return to equilibrium. Even at these later stages, phenotypic sexes correlate only mildly with paternal LG₂ haplotypes; accordingly, there are no recognizable Y haplotypes. These distinct patterns of gonadal development fit the concept of ‘sex races’ proposed in the 1930s, with our two populations assigned to the ‘differentiated’ and ‘semi-differentiated’ races, respectively. Our results support the suggestion that ‘sex races’ differ in the genetic versus epigenetic components of sex determination. Analysing populations from the ‘undifferentiated race’ with high-density genetic maps should help to further test this hypothesis.     

High genomic diversity in the bank vole at the northern apex of a range expansion: The role of multiple colonizations and end‐glacial refugia

The history of repeated northern glacial cycling and southern climatic stability has long dominated explanations for how genetic diversity is distributed within temperate species in Eurasia and North America. However, growing evidence indicates the importance of cryptic refugia for northern colonization dynamics. An important geographic region to assess this is Fennoscandia, where recolonization at the end of the last glaciation was restricted to specific routes and temporal windows. We used genomic data to analyse genetic diversity and colonization history of the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) throughout Europe (>800 samples) with Fennoscandia as the northern apex. We inferred that bank voles colonized Fennoscandia multiple times by two different routes; with three separate colonizations via a southern land‐bridge route deriving from a “Carpathian” glacial refugium and one via a north‐eastern route from an “Eastern” glacial refugium near the Ural Mountains. Clustering of genome‐wide SNPs revealed high diversity in Fennoscandia, with eight genomic clusters: three of Carpathian origin and five Eastern. Time estimates revealed that the first of the Carpathian colonizations occurred before the Younger Dryas (YD), meaning that the first colonists survived the YD in Fennoscandia. Results also indicated that introgression between bank and northern red‐backed voles (Myodes rutilus) took place in Fennoscandia just after end‐glacial colonization. Therefore, multiple colonizations from the same and different cryptic refugia, temporal and spatial separations and interspecific introgression have shaped bank vole genetic variability in Fennoscandia. Together, these processes drive high genetic diversity at the apex of the northern expansion in this emerging model species.     

Latitudinal population differentiation in two species of Solidago (Asteraceae) introduced into Europe

Solidago altissima and S. gigantea were introduced from North America to Europe ~250 yr ago and are now considered aggressive weeds in abandoned fields and conservation areas. We studied patterns of genetic differentiation in these two species along their present latitudinal range in Europe (44-61 degrees N). Two generations of clonally propagated ramets from randomly selected genets of 24 populations of each species were grown in a common-garden experiment at latitude 47 degrees N from 1991 to 1992. Both species showed significant variation among populations in morphological and life-history characters: at this southern location, plants from northern populations were smaller and flowered earlier than plants from southern populations. The gradient of clinal variation was more pronounced in the second year of cultivation than in the first and was steeper in S. altissima than in S. gigantea. Within-population variation among genotypes was significant tot most characters in the case of S. altissima. Phenological rate (reciprocal of days to flowering) and size at maturity showed a significant negative correlation among populations bot not among genotypes within populations, indicating that genetic trade-offs may occur at one but not another infraspecific level. We suggest that the pattern of among-population variation reflects rapid adaptive population differentiation after introduction of the species to Europe.     

Chloroplast DNA intraspecific phylogeography of plants from the Pacific Northwest of North America

Molecular studies of plants from the Pacific Northwest of North America suggest a recurrent pattern of genetic differentiation and geographic structuring. In each of five angiosperms and one fern species representing diverse life histories, cpDNA data indicate two clades of populations that are geographically structured. A northern group comprises populations from Alaska to central or southern Oregon, whereas populations from central Oregon southward to northern California form a southern group. In several of these species, a few populations having southern genotypes may have survived in glacial refugia further north in the Olympic Peninsula, Queen Charlotte Islands, and Prince of Wales Island. Allozyme data reveal a similar pattern of differentiation in several other plants from the Pacific Northwest. North-south partitioning of genotypes has also been reported for several animal species from this region. On a broader geographic scale, northsouth partitioning of genotypes has also been observed in other plants from western North America having a variety of geographic distributions. Some species also display a reduction of genetic variability in the northern portion of their range compared to the south. The data suggest strongly that past glaciation profoundly influenced the genetic architecture of the flora and fauna of the Pacific Northwest. Two alternative hypotheses are advanced to explain the geographic structuring of genotypes. First, past glaciation may have created discontinuities in the geographic distributions of plant species, with populations surviving in several well-isolated northern and southern refugia. Following glaciation, migration of genetically differentiated, once-isolated populations resulted in the formation of a continuous geographic distribution with a major genetic discontinuity. Alternatively, plants survived and subsequently migrated northward from a southern refugium, and a genotype became fixed in one or a few populations at the leading edge of recolonization. Subsequent long-distance dispersal from this leading edge resulted in a relatively uniform northern genotype that differs from the southern genotype(s). Whatever the underlying mechanism, Pleistocence glaciation may have molded the intraspecific genetic architecture of both plants and animals from the Pacific Northwest in a geographically similar manner. Future studies should seek to obtain a comprehensive phylogeography for regions that includes a diversity of both plants and animals.Dedicated to emer. Univ.-Prof. DrFriedrich Ehrendorfer on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Populations do not become less genetically diverse or more differentiated towards the northern limit of the geographical range in clonal Vaccinium stamineum (Ericaceae)

Geographically peripheral populations are expected to exhibit lower genetic diversity and higher differentiation than central populations because of their smaller size and greater spatial isolation. In plants, a shift from sexual to clonal asexual reproduction may further reduce diversity and increase differentiation. Here, these predictions were tested by assaying 36 inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) polymorphisms in 21 populations of the woody, clonal plant Vaccinium stamineum in eastern North America, from the range center to its northern limit where it has 'threatened' status. Populations decline in frequency, but not size or sexual reproductive output, across the range. Within-population diversity did not decline towards range margins. Modest genetic differentiation among populations increased slightly towards range margins and in small populations with high clonal propagation and low seed production, although none of these trends was significant. Low seed production and high clonal propagation were not associated with large-scale clonal spread. By combining demographic and genetic data, this study determined that increased population isolation, rather than reduced population size, can account for the weak increase in genetic differentiation at range margins.     

Genetic differentiation of the marbled white butterfly, Melanargia galathea, accounts for glacial distribution patterns and postglacial range expansion in southeastern Europe

Isolation of Mediterranean species in the southern European peninsulas during the cold glacial phases often resulted in differentiation of several genetic lineages confined to the respective peninsulas. However, whilst there is good genetic evidence for multiple refugia in Iberia, there are only limited data available for the Balkans. Therefore, we wish to examine the hypothesis of a strong genetic structuring within southeastern Europe for the existence of multiple Balkan differentiation centres and/or several leading edges. As a model we use the marbled white butterfly, Melanargia galathea. We studied 18 allozyme loci of 564 individuals from 16 populations distributed over a large part of southeastern Europe. The single populations showed moderately high genetic diversity and no northward decline of genetic diversity was detected. The overall genetic differentiation between populations was considerable (F(ST) 7.0%). Cluster analysis discriminated three genetic groups: (i) a western flank in the former Yugoslavia, parts of eastern Austria and Hungary; (ii) an eastern flank with populations from Bulgaria and Romania (south of the southern Carpathians and eastern Carpathians); and (iii) the eastern Carpathian Basin. Hierarchical variance analysis distributed 53% of the variance among populations between these three groups. One sample from the Greek-Bulgarian border clustered within the eastern flank, but showed some tendency towards the eastern Carpathian Basin populations. Two populations from Carinthia clustered together with the eastern Carpathian Basin ones and a population from Styria showed an intermediate genetic composition between the three groups. Most probably, the eastern and the western flank groups are due to postglacial range expansion from the northeastern and the northwestern edges of the glacial differentiation centre (so-called leading edges). The eastern Carpathian Basin group may have resulted from postglacial expansion from northern Greece through valley systems of the central Balkan peninsula, maybe even expanding westwards north of the Balkan mountains reaching some parts of eastern Austria (e.g. Carinthia). Therefore, the Balkanic refugium of M. galathea may or may not have been continuous along the coastal areas of the Mediterranean, but must have been strongly genetically structured.     

Glacial vicariance in Eurasia: mitochondrial DNA evidence from Scots pine for a complex heritage involving genetically distinct refugia at mid-northern latitudes and in Asia Minor

Background  

At the last glacial maximum, Fennoscandia was covered by an ice sheet while the tundra occupied most of the rest of northern Eurasia. More or less disjunct refugial populations of plants were dispersed in southern Europe, often trapped between mountain ranges and seas. Genetic and paleobotanical evidences indicate that these populations have contributed much to Holocene recolonization of more northern latitudes. Less supportive evidence has been found for the existence of glacial populations located closer to the ice margin. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is a nordic conifer with a wide natural range covering much of Eurasia. Fractures in its extant genetic structure might be indicative of glacial vicariance and how different refugia contributed to the current distribution at the continental level. The population structure of Scots pine was investigated on much of its Eurasian natural range using maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms.     

Historical and ecological divergence among populations of Monttea chilensis (Plantaginaceae), an endemic endangered shrub bordering the Atacama Desert,Chile

The coastal deserts of northern Chile show an important latitudinal gradient of aridity with more arid areas to the north of the Atacama Desert than to the south. Several plant species have disjunct distributions that correspond with the extremes of this latitudinal gradient. In this study, using genetic (chloroplast and nuclear DNA), morphological (vegetative and floral traits of various kinds) and climatic and topographic information, we explored ecological and historical events that have putatively shaped patterns of variation among Monttea chilensis populations—a species that shows this disjunct distribution. Through phylogeographic and phylogenetic analyses, two divergent lineages were identified located at the latitudinal extremes. The lineage located northern lineage (NG) of the Atacama Desert showed more genetic diversity and better-resolved phylogeographic structure than the southern lineage (SG). Considerable morphological variation across the geographical range corresponds with these genetic groups. We observed contrasting relationships between floral and vegetative traits: populations from the most arid region NG possessed larger flowers, but smaller vegetative values, and vice versa. Niche modelling and multivariate analyses, including environmental data, revealed different environmental requirements for each lineage. NG plants occur in regions with warmer and drier climatic conditions and at higher altitudes, while SG populations inhabit colder and more humid environments and lower altitudes. The evolutionary history of M. chilensis exhibits a phylogeographical footprint consistent with past fragmentation and allopatric differentiation, where the hyper-arid zone formed by the Atacama Desert clearly acted as an important gene flow barrier. This barrier has led to considerable differentiation in morphology and ecology, resulting in two ecotypes or geographical races, suggesting incipient speciation promoted by local adaptation and geographical isolation.     

Genetic and morphological differentiation in the clam Coelomactra antiquata (Bivalvia: Veneroida) along the coast of China

Coelomactra antiquata is a commercially exploited bivalve, and its populations have been severely declining in the coast of China during the last two decades. In order to provide guidelines for conservation strategies and management programs, four populations of C. antiquata, representing the most important populations in China, were analysed morphologically and genetically to reveal the genetic structure by using 7 polymorphic allozyme loci and 12 morphological variables. The mean allele richness ranged from 2.79 to 3.53, while the mean heterozygosity ranged from 0.326 to 0.519. All genetic distance metrics revealed high level of genetic differentiation between the three northern populations and one southern population. The marked genetic differentiation can be explained by the freshwater outflow of Yangtze River and upwelling of Zhejiang province. The morphological analyses were in accordance with the allozyme data, which also disclosed a high degree of differentiation between the northern and southern populations. The results obtained in this study indicate that the northern and southern populations in C. antiquata should be treated as separate units for conservation management.     

Genetic Structure and Demographic History Reveal Migration of the Diamondback Moth Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) from the Southern to Northern Regions of China

The diamondback moth Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) is one of the most destructive insect pests of cruciferous plants worldwide. Biological, ecological and genetic studies have indicated that this moth is migratory in many regions around the world. Although outbreaks of this pest occur annually in China and cause heavy damage, little is known concerning its migration. To better understand its migration pattern, we investigated the population genetic structure and demographic history of the diamondback moth by analyzing 27 geographical populations across China using four mitochondrial genes and nine microsatellite loci. The results showed that high haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity occurred in the diamondback moth populations, a finding that is typical for migratory species. No genetic differentiation among all populations and no correlation between genetic and geographical distance were found. However, pairwise analysis of the mitochondrial genes has indicated that populations from the southern region were more differentiated than those from the northern region. Gene flow analysis revealed that the effective number of migrants per generation into populations of the northern region is very high, whereas that into populations of the southern region is quite low. Neutrality testing, mismatch distribution and Bayesian Skyline Plot analyses based on mitochondrial genes all revealed that deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and sudden expansion of the effective population size were present in populations from the northern region but not in those from the southern region. In conclusion, all our analyses strongly demonstrated that the diamondback moth migrates within China from the southern to northern regions with rare effective migration in the reverse direction. Our research provides a successful example of using population genetic approaches to resolve the seasonal migration of insects.