Phytologia (April 4, 2016) 98(2)
146
Evidence of relictual introgression or incomplete lineage sorting in nrDNA of Juniperus excelsa
and J. polycarpos in Asia Minor
Robert P. Adams
Biology Department, Baylor University, Box 97388, Waco, TX 76798, Robert_Adams@baylor.edu
Metin Armagan
Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi B Blok Kampüs, Van, Turkey
Adam Boratynski*
Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa 5, 62-035, Kornik, Poland
Bouchra Douaihy
Department of Life and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Lebanese University, Tripoli, Lebanon
Magda Dou Dagher-Kharrat
Laboratoire Caractérisation Genomique des Plantes, Université Saint-Joseph, Campus Sciences et
Technologies, Mar Roukos, Mkalles, BP 1514, Riad el Solh, Beirut 1107 2050, Lebanon
Vahid Farzaliyev
Central Botanical Garden, Azerbaijan National Academy of Science,
Badamdar shosse 40, Baku, Azerbaijan, AZ 1073.
Salih Gucel
Environmental Research Institute, Near East University, North Nicosia, Cyprus
Tuğrul Mataraci
Eskidji Müz. AŞ., Sanayi Cad. Vadi Sokak No:2, Yenibosna-Bahçelievler, İstanbul, Turkey
Alexander N. Tashev
University of Forestry, Dept. of Dendrology, 10, Kliment Ochridsky Blvd., 1756 Sofia, Bulgaria
and
Andrea E. Schwarzbach
Department of Health and Biomedical Sciences, University of Texas - Rio Grande Valley,
Brownsville, TX 78520, USA.
ABSTRACT
DNA analysis of Juniperus excelsa from throughout its range revealed that J. polycarpos, instead
of J. excelsa occupies central and eastern Turkey. Based on nrDNA (ITS) data, it appears that relictual
hybridization has occurred in southeastern Turkey between J. polycarpos and J. turcomanica.
Surprisingly, evidence of incomplete lineage sorting or relictual hybridization between J. polycarpos and
J. seravschanica was found in central Turkey and northwest Iran.
Published on-line
www.phytologia.org Phytologia 98(2): 146-155 (April 4, 2016*). ISSN 030319430 *digitally correctedAdam Boratynski, and symbols added to Fig. 3, May, 10, 2016.
KEY WORDS: Juniperus excelsa, J. polycarpos var. polycarpos, J. polycarpos var. turcomanica, J.
seravschanica, DNA sequencing, nrDNA, petN-psbM, trnS-trnG, trnD-trnT, trnL-trnF.
Phytologia (April 4, 2016) 98(2)
147
Recently, Adams et al. (2016) examined J. excelsa and putative J. polycarpos from the eastern
Mediterreanea, eastward into Azerbaijan. A Bayesian consensus tree shows Juniperus seravschanica, J.
polycarpos, J. p. var. turcomanica, J. procera and J. excelsa in well-supported clades. J. excelsa
samples, newly collected from Bulgaria, Cyprus, and sw Turkey, are in a clade with other J. excelsa (Fig.
1). There is some minor variation among the J. excelsa samples, mostly notably in the Afqa, Lebanon
population as previously reported (Douaihy et al., 2011, 2013).
All of the J. polycarpos samples from Azerbaijan are closely related with J. polycarpos, Armenia
along with the El Njass, Lebanon (Adams 14161) sample (Fig. 1). Three other El Njass samples (Adams
14158, 14158, 14160) appear to be intermediate between J. polycarpos and J. p. var. turcomanica (Fig.
1).
Figure 1. Bayesian analysis based on nrDNA, petN-psbM, trnSG, trnDT and trnLF. Numbers at the
branch points are posterior probabilities.
Overlaying a minimum spanning network onto a distribution map gives one a perspective of the
geographic trends (Fig. 2). The newly sampled J. excelsa populations from Bulgaria, Cyprus and sw
148
Phytologia (April 4, 2016) 98(2)
Turkey were identical or nearly identical to J. excelsa of Eskisehir, Turkey (Fig. 2). Both the Cyprus and
southwestern Turkey populations of J. excelsa showed no differences (Fig. 2). The Bulgaria J. excelsa
differed by none or one difference from Eskisehir, Turkey (Fig. 2).
As previously reported (Adams et al., 2014), the Afqa, Lebanon J. excelsa population differs by 2
MEs from Eskisehir, Turkey, which in turn, differs by only 1 ME from the Lemos, Greece population
(Fig. 2). The other Lebanon populations that group with Afqa are probably J. excelsa.
However, the Wadi El Njass, Lebanon (2287 m) population, although near Afqa, grouped with J.
polycarpos and differs by 1 to 3 MEs from J. p. var. turcomanica, Turkmenistan and by 1 to 2 MEs from
J. polycarpos, Armenia (Fig. 2). The J. excelsa, Afqa population is only about 100 - 150 km from other
J. excelsa populations (Fig. 2), but the Wadi El Njass, J. polycarpos population is 700 to 1000 km from
the nearest J. polycarpos population, still, it differs by only 1 to 3 MEs.
Figure 2. Minimum spanning network mapped onto the distributions of J. excelsa and J. polycarpos.
Numbers next to lines are the number of MEs (Mutational Events = base substitutions plus indels).
Adams et al. (2016) concluded that J. excelsa, as sampled in their study, was a fairly uniform
species, except for the unusual situation in Lebanon, where J. excelsa and J. polycarpos (and likely J. p.
var. turcomanica) grow near each other and may be hybridizing. However, the genetic composition of
the eastern-most populations of J. excelsa in Turkey was unknown and deserved additional study.
Farjon (2005, 2010) treated J. polycarpos, J. p. var. seravschanica and J. p. var. turcomanica as
J. excelsa subsp. polycarpos. However, Adams et al. (2008), Adams and Schwarzbach (2012) and Adams
(2013, 2014), utilizing DNA sequence data, recognized J. excelsa, in addition to J. polycarpos, J. p. var.
Phytologia (April 4, 2016) 98(2)
149
turcomanica and J. seravschanica. Adams and Hojjati (2012) and Adams, Hojjati and Schwarzbach
(2014), using sequences from 4 gene regions, did not find J. excelsa in Iran, but did confirm J.
polycarpos, J. p. var. turcomanica and J. seravschanica in Iran. Putative J. excelsa from Qushchi, in
extreme northwest Iran, had none or only one SNP difference compared with J. polycarpos var.
polycarpos from Armenia and was concluded to be J. polycarpos (Adams and Hojjati, 2012). Adams et
al. (2014) found that putative J. excelsa in Azerbaijan was, in fact, J. polycarpos or in one case, a putative
hybrid (polycarpos x turcomanica).
The distribution of J. excelsa in eastern Turkey has proved difficult to determine by modern
methods of DNA sequencing, due to the lack of samples from these regions. Recently, materials were
obtained of J. excelsa from central and eastern Turkey. This afforded the opportunity to further examine
geographic variation of J. excelsa and J. polycarpos.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Plant material - J. excelsa:
Bulgaria, Central Rhodopes, above the town of Kritchim, Reserve “Izgorialoto Gune”, 42° 01' 22.0" N;
24° 28' 03.1" E, 356 m, Alex Tashev, 2012-1-JE -5-JE, 1 Sep 2012, Lab Acc. Adams 13720-13724,;
Crimea: Karadigski Zapovidnyk, between Kurortne and Koktebel, 44.914° N, 35.215° E, 220m, A.
Boratynski, Y. Didukh, K. Romashenko, A. Romo, A. Susanna, 2001, KOR 49898, Karadag near
Kolhoznoe, 44° 28' 06" N, 33° 49' 54" E, ca 530m; A. Boratynski, G. Iszkulo, A. Lewandowski, 2006,
KOR 45630; Cyprus: 34° 57' 45.82" N, 33° 59' 55.33" E, 1461m, Salih Gucel ns, 3 July 2015, Lab Acc.
Adams 14570-14574; Greece: Lemos, ca 40° 49' N, 21° 03' E, 1100m, Adams 5983-5985, 5987;
Lebanon: Afqa, 34° 04' 58.12"N, 35° 53' 08.52" E, 1306 m, Bouchra Douaihy 1-3, 4 Nov 2013, Lab
Acc. Adams 14155-14157; Turkey: Antalya-Manavgat, Köprülü Canyon National Park, 37° 20' N; 31°
16' E, 550 m, Tuğrul Mataraci 2015-18, 24 May 2015, Lab Acc Adams 14569; Isparta-Eğirdir, junction
of Kasımlar-Sütçüler road, 37° 28' N; 30° 59' E, 1180 m, Tugrul Mataraci, 2015-7, 24 May 2015, Lab
Acc. Adams 14596; ~40 km north of Eskişehir, with Oaks, 39 58.307’N; 30 41.045’ E, Turkey, 820m,
Adams 9433-9435; Sirnak, se Turkey on Turkey/Iraq border, 37° 34' 08" N, 43° 09' 45" E, 1754m, Metin
Armagan ns, Lab. Acc. Adams 14709-14712, Sirnak Turkey, on Turkey/Iraq border se Anatolia, Prov.,
near Beytussebap, GE ca 37° 37' 18"N, 42 52' 28" E, 1420m, Metin Armagan ns, Lab. Acc. Adams14715;
3 km from Unlupinar village towards Gumushane, 40° 14' 25.14" N; 39° 27' 19.17" E. ne Turkey, 1763m,
Ali Kandemir 10846, Lab Acc. Adams 14713; around Lake Ardicli, near Ergan Mountains, near Erzincan.
39° 37' 47.45" N; 39° 29' 54.3" E. ne Turkey, 1797m, Ali Kandemir 10850, Lab Acc. Adams 14714;
Material from specimens at the herbarium, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Van, Turkey: Adams 14750- 1986,
38° 28' 41.7" N, 43° 31' 20.6" E, 2800m; Adams 14751- 1989, 38° 08' 37.5" N, 42° 17' 15.2" E, 1550m;
Adams 14752, 1995, 38° 36' 20.2" N, 38° 47' 35.0" E, 1700m; Adams 14753- 1996, 38° 40' 6.6" N, 38°
44' 58.6" E, 1600m; Adams 14754- 2001, 38° 20' 30.7" N, 43° 37' 44.9" E, 2000m; Adams 14755- 2006,
39°13'8.08"N 43° 23' 4.11"E, 1965m; Adams 14756- 2014, 38°04'33.6"N 43° 25' 32.0"E, 2010m; Adams
14757- 2014, 39° 07' 47" N, 38° 47' 0.5" E, 1275m; Adams 14758- 2014, 39° 07' 50.6" N, 39° 07' 27.2"
E, 1720m; Adams 14759- 2014, 39° 19' 42.4" N, 39° 25' 41.3" E, 1860m; Adams 14760- 2014, 39° 21'
17.6" N, 39° 28' 28.8" E, 1890m;
J. polycarpos:
Armenia: Lake Sevan, 1900m, Adams 8761-8763; Azerbaijan, 40° 44' 41.05" N; 47° 35' 19.14" E, 177231m, Vahid Farzaliyev 1-10, Dec 2013, Lab Acc. Adams 14162-14171; Lebanon:, Wadi El Njass, 34°
20' 47.79"N, 36° 05' 45.54"E, 2287m, Bouchra Douaihy 4-7, 14 Nov 2013, Lab Acc. Adams 1415814161;
J. polycarpos var. turcomanica: Turkmenistan: Kopet Mtns., 38 25.12'N, 56 58.80'E, 1535 m, 22
May 1999, Adams 8758-8790;
J. procera: Ethiopia: on the road to Guder, ca. 40 km w of Addis Abba, ca. 9° 02'N, 38° 24' W, 2400 m,
Adams 6184-6188;
Phytologia (April 4, 2016) 98(2)
150
J. seravschanica: Pakistan: near Quetta, Baluchistan, A. Hafeez Buzdar ns, 6 Apr 1998, Lab Acc. Adams
8483-8485; Kazakhstan: west end of Talasskiy Ala-Tau Range, ca. 2 km S. of Dzhabagly, 420 24.53’N,
700 28.50’E, 1770m, 12 Sept 1997, Adams 8224-8226.
Voucher specimens deposited in the Herbarium, Baylor University (BAYLU).
One gram (fresh weight) of the foliage was placed in 20 g of activated silica gel and transported
to the lab, thence stored at -20o C until the DNA was extracted. DNA was extracted from juniper leaves
by use of a Qiagen mini-plant kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA) as per manufacturer's instructions.
Amplifications were performed in 30 µl reactions using 6 ng of genomic DNA, 1.5 units Epi-Centre FailSafe Taq polymerase, 15 µl 2x buffer E (petN, trnD-T, trnL-F, trnS-G) or K (nrDNA) (final
concentration: 50 mM KCl, 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.3), 200 µM each dNTP, plus Epi-Centre proprietary
enhancers with 1.5 - 3.5 mM MgCl2 according to the buffer used) 1.8 µM each primer. See Adams,
Bartel and Price (2009) for the ITS and petN-psbM primers utilized. The primers for trnD-trnT, trnL-trnF
and trnS-trnG regions have been previously reported (Adams and Kauffmann, 2010).
The PCR reaction was subjected to purification by agarose gel electrophoresis. In each case, the
band was excised and purified using a Qiagen QIAquick gel extraction kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA). The
gel purified DNA band with the appropriate sequencing primer was sent to McLab Inc. (San Francisco)
for sequencing. Sequences for both strands were edited and a consensus sequence was produced using
Chromas, version 2.31 (Technelysium Pty Ltd.) or Sequencher v. 5 (genecodes.com). Sequence datasets
were analyzed using Geneious v. R8 (Biomatters. Available from http://www.geneious.com/), the
MAFFT alignment program. Further analyses utilized the Bayesian analysis software Mr. Bayes v.3.1
(Ronquist and Huelsenbeck 2003). For phylogenetic analyses, appropriate nucleotide substitution models
were selected using Modeltest v3.7 (Posada and Crandall 1998) and Akaike's information criterion.
Minimum spanning networks were constructed from mutational events (ME) data using PCODNA
software (Adams et al., 2009; Adams, 1975; Veldman, 1967).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The classification of samples on the basis of ITS and petN (cp data) is given in Table 1. First it
should be noted that nrDNA does not distinguish J. excelsa (exc) from J. p. var. turcomanica (tur)
(compare 1st table entry, Greece A G C C C T A exc vs. Turkmenistan (last entry) A G C C C T A tur.).
Secondly, exc (or tur) is very distinct from pol in its nrDNA (exc: A G C C C T A vs. pol: C G T T T T C
T). Thirdly, exc.(or tur) is very distinct from ser (exc: A G C C C T A vs. ser: C G C T T T C T). And,
finally, nrDNA for pol has only one nucleotide different from ser (pol: C G T T T T C T vs ser: C G C T
T T C T). Several plants had nrDNA from one taxon, but cp DNA from another taxon: El Njass (3 E,P);
Metin e Turkey, 14757, (S,P); Azerbaijan 14171 (S,P); Elburz Mtn., Iran 12504 (S,P); Lushan, Iran 12798
(S,P); Hastjin, Iran 12795 (S,P); and Qushchi, Iran, 12798 (S,P). Other plants appeared to be hybrids by
nrDNA: El Njass, 14161, PxE; Metin e Turkey 14753, PxS; Metin e Turkey 14754, PxS; Metin e Turkey
14758, PxS; ne Turkey 14714, PxS; se Turkey/ Iraq border 14715, PxT(or E); se Turkey/ Iraq border
14709, PxT(or E); se Turkey/ Iraq border 14710, PxT(or E); and Azerbaijan, 14165, PxT(or E).
To visualize this variation, plants were mapped with their nrDNA and cp (petN) DNA coded (Fig.
3). It is sometimes difficult to determine whether a variation is due to incomplete lineage sorting or
hybridization (see discussion in Naciri and Linder, 2015). In the present study, the odd occurrence of J.
seravschanica nrDNA in central-eastern Turkey plants seems more likely incomplete lineage sorting than
hybridization, because no pure J. seravschanica grows sympatric with J. polycarpos in the area. Long
distance cross-pollination is possible but unlikely as the nearest known J. seravschanica is quite distant
(Fig. 4). In northwestern Iran one P,P and three S,P plants were found. This may be due to either
hybridization or incomplete lineage sorting. Additional samples are needed to better understand that
region.
Phytologia (April 4, 2016) 98(2)
151
Table 1. Classification of samples, on ITS and cp (petN) sequence data. exe = excelsa, pol = polycarpos, tur = turcomanica, ser =
seravschanica. PxE = hybrid pol x exc; PxS = hybrid pol x ser; PxT(E) = pol x tur (or exc, as ITS for exe = tur).
source
n Greece, 1010m
n Greece, 1010m
n Greece, 903m
Bulgaria, 365m
Bulgaria, 365m
Bulgaria, 365m
Cyprus, 1461m
Cyprus, 1461m
Cyprus, 1461m
Crimea, 220m
Crimea, 530m
sw Turkey, 550m
sw Turkey, 1461m
nw Turkey, Eskisehir, 820m
nw Turkey, Eskisehir, 820m
Afqa Leb M1, 1306m
Afqa Leb M2, 1306m
Afqa Leb M3, 1306m
El Njass Leb M4, 2287m
El Njass Leb M5, 2287m
El Njass Leb M5, 2287m
El Njass Leb M7, 2287m
Metin e Turkey, 2800m
Metin e Turkey, 1550m
Metin e Turkey, 1700m
Metin e Turkey, 1600m
Metin e Turkey, 2000m
Metin e Turkey, 1965m
Metin e Turkey, 2010m
Metin e Turkey, 1275m
Metin e Turkey, 1720m
Metin e Turkey, 1860m
Metin e Turkey, 1890m
ne Turkey , 1,753m
ne Turkey, 1,783m
se Turkey/ n Iraq, 1,420m
se Turkey/ n Iraq, 1,743m
se Turkey/ n Iraq, 1,743m
se Turkey/ n Iraq, 1,743m
se Turkey/ n Iraq, 1,743m
Azerbaijan, 200m
Azerbaijan, 200m
Azerbaijan, 200m
Azerbaijan, 200m
Azerbaijan, 200m
Azerbaijan, 200m
Azerbaijan, 200m
Azerbaijan, 200m
Azerbaijan, 200m
Azerbaijan, 200m
Armenia, 1900m
Armenia, 1900m
Elburz Mtn., Iran, 2033m
Elburz Mtn., Iran, 2033m
Lushan, Iran, 1120m
Hastjin, Iran,1610m
Qushchi, Iran, 1760m
Pakistan, seravschanica
Pakistan, seravschanica
Kazakhstan, seravschanica
Kazakhstan, seravschanica
Turkmenistan, turcomanica
Turkmenistan, turcomanica
acc #
8785
8786
14742
13720
13721
13722
14570
14571
14572
14906
14907
14569
14596
9433
9434
14155
14156
14157
14158
14159
14160
14161
14750
14751
14752
14753
14754
14755
14756
14757
14758
14759
14760
14713
14714
14715
14709
14710
14711
14712
14162
14163
14164
14165
14166
14167
14168
14169
14170
14171
8761
8762
12603
12604
12789
12795
12798
8483
8484
8224
8225
8757
8758
230
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
Y-C/T
na
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
Y-C/T
Y-C/T
Y-C/T
C
C
C
C
C
Y-C/T
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
A
A
232
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
na
G
G
G
G
A
G
G
G
G
G
G
R-A/G
G
G
G
G
G
G
R-A/G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
A
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
G
238
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
Y-C/T
na
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
Y-C/T
Y-C/T
Y-C/T
T
T
T
T
T
Y-C/T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
C
C
354
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
na
T
T
Y-C/T
Y-C/T
T
T
C
Y-C/T
T
T
T
Y-C/T
C
C
C
T
T
T
T
T
C
T
T
T
T
T
C
T
T
T
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
427
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
Y-C/T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
Y-C/T
Y-C/T
Y-C/T
T
T
T
T
T
Y-C/T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
C
C
732
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
Y-C/T
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
Y-C/T
Y-C/T
Y-C/T
C
C
C
C
C
Y-C/T
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
T
T
8952
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
W-A/T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
W-A/T
W-A/T
W-A/T
T
T
T
T
T
W-A/T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
T
A
A
ITS
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
PxE
poly
poly
poly
PxS
PxS
poly
poly
serav
PxS
poly
poly
poly
PxSa
PxT(E)
PxT(E)
PxT(E)
poly
poly
poly
polya
poly
PxT(E)
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
serav
poly
poly
poly
serav
serav
serav
serav
serav
serav
serav
serav
turc=exc
turc=exc
cp
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
exc
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
poly
serav
serav
serav
serav
turco
turco
152
Phytologia (April 4, 2016) 98(2)
Figure 3. Distribution of J. excelsa, J. polycarpos, putative hybrids and introgressants based on ITS and
cp sequences. The pair of capital letters (eg., E,E) gives the sample classification based on ITS (1st letter)
and cp (2nd letter).
The situation in Lebanon seems to favor hybridization between J. excelsa and J. polycarpos, even
though no pure J. polycarpos was found (Adams et al., 2014). Note the four plants in the El Njass
population all have J. polycarpos cp, and one appears to be a ExP hybrid by nrDNA (Fig. 3). It seems
likely that pure (P,P) J. polycarpos grows in the region, although these plants may have become extinct,
in which case, this may be relictual hybridization.
Liao (1999), in a seminal paper on concerted evolution, defined it as "The molecular process that
leads to homogenization of DNA sequences belonging to a given repetitive family". Liao reasoned that
because rRNA functions only when assembled into large complexes, homogeneity of rRNAs is critical if
all the steps of ribosome assembly and translation are to proceed normally. Liao (1999) says "One can
therefore envision that a possible biological function of concerted evolution is to maintain homogeneous
gene copies in a family so that homogeneous transcripts can be produced". However, it seems possible
that there could be "silent" base substitutions that do not impact the shape or function of a rRNA. If so,
these "silent" changes might persist indefinitely in a derived taxon.
Naciri and Linder (2015) estimated that typical tree species with Ne of 1 million individuals and a
generation time of 10 yrs would require 50 M yr after speciation to reach full monophyly. Syring et al.
(2007) concluded that the presence of shared nrDNA haplotypes among Pinus species was due to
incomplete lineage sorting. They estimated that reciprocal monophyly will be more likely than paraphyly
in 1.7 to 2.4 M yr, but complete genome-wide coalescence in species could take up to 76 M yr.
Phytologia (April 4, 2016) 98(2)
153
However, Bouillé and Bousquet (2005) examined trans-specific allelic polymorphism in three
low-copy nuclear genes in different Picea species and they estimated that allelic coalescence time
between randomly selected alleles in Picea was 10 to 18 million years ago. The effective population size
can greatly effect coalescence times (Naciri and Linder, 2015), such that species with smaller effective
population sizes would coalescence faster than species with larger effective population sizes.
Mao et al. (2010) published an ancestral reconstruction of Juniperus based on all three (3) known
Juniperus fossils. They showed J. excelsa and J. polycarpos joined in a clade at approximately 7 M yr. If
that result is correct, then the amount of time available for complete nrDNA coalescence in the J. excelsa
- J. polycarpos clade seems insufficient, compared with the 10 to 18 M yr required in Picea species
(Bouillé and Bousquet, 2005). The ca. 7 M yr in J. excelsa/ polycarpos is far less than the 76 M yr that
Syring et al. (2007) suggested was needed for coalescence of nrDNA in Pinus. It is difficult to know how
accurate the dates are in Mao et al. (2010) due to the very small number (3) of Juniperus fossils used.
But, it does appear that there has been insufficient time for complete coalescence of nrDNA in the present
day J. excelsa/ J. polycarpos. Incomplete lineage sorting would explain the presence of J. seravschanica
(S) nrDNA in otherwise, typical J. polycarpos in central-eastern Turkey, Azerbaijan and northwest Iran
(Fig. 3).
The currently understood distributions of J. excelsa, J. polycarpos, J. seravschanica and J. p. var.
turcomanica are depicted in Figure 4. The dashed line in central Turkey indicates the boundary
between J. excelsa and J. polycarpos is unknown at present. The population of Juniperus on the north
coast of the Black Sea may be J. excelsa or J. polycarpos. Recent events have made it impossible to
collect in that area.
Figure 4. Distributions of J. excelsa, J. polycarpos, J. p. var. turcomanica and J. seravschanica as
understood at present. The dashed line indicates the uncertain limits of J. excelsa and J. polycarpos in
central Turkey. See text for discussion.
Phytologia (April 4, 2016) 98(2)
154
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to Amy Tebeest for lab assistance and A. Kandemir for providing specimens.
research was supported in part with funds from Baylor University.
This
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