Microrefugia are often located within topographically complex regions where stable environmental conditions prevail. Most of the studies concerning the distributions of climate change-sensitive species have emphasized the dominance of cold air pooling over other environmental factors, such as resource availability. There is a shortage of information on the relationships among topography-related microsite diversity, microclimate, resource availability, and species composition in microrefugia. To fill this knowledge gap, we studied the effects of microclimatic conditions and soil resources on plant species occurrence within and adjacent to 30 large topographic depressions (i.e., dolines) in two distant karst regions. Our results showed that both microclimate and soil resource availability may play a key role in maintaining climate change-sensitive species and biodiversity in dolines; therefore, they may simultaneously act as climate and resource microrefugia. Establishing climate-smart conservation priorities and strategies is required to maintain or increase the refugial capacity of such safe havens.

• Klíčová slova
• Ecology, Environmental science, Nature conservation, Plant ecology,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: Genetic architecture of a species is a result of historical changes in population size and extent of distribution related to climatic and environmental factors and contemporary processes of dispersal and gene flow. Population-size and range contractions, expansions and shifts have a substantial effect on genetic diversity and intraspecific divergence, which is further shaped by gene-flow limiting barriers. The Balkans, as one of the most important sources of European biodiversity, is a region where many temperate species persisted during the Pleistocene glaciations and where high topographic heterogeneity offers suitable conditions for local adaptations of populations. In this study, we investigated the phylogeographical patterns and demographic histories of four species of semifossorial slow-worm lizards (genus Anguis) present in the Balkan Peninsula, and tested the relationship between genetic diversity and topographic heterogeneity of the inhabited ranges. RESULTS: We inferred phylogenetic relationships, compared genetic structure and historical demography of slow worms using nucleotide sequence variation of mitochondrial DNA. Four Anguis species with mostly parapatric distributions occur in the Balkan Peninsula. They show different levels of genetic diversity. A signature of population growth was detected in all four species but with various courses in particular populations. We found a strong correlation between genetic diversity of slow-worm populations and topographic ruggedness of the ranges (mountain systems) they inhabit. Areas with more rugged terrain harbour higher genetic diversity. CONCLUSIONS: Phylogeographical pattern of the genus Anguis in the Balkans is concordant with the refugia-within-refugia model previously proposed for both several other taxa in the region and other main European Peninsulas. While slow-worm populations from the southern refugia mostly have restricted distributions and have not dispersed much from their refugial areas, populations from the extra-Mediterranean refugia in northern parts of the Balkans have colonized vast areas of eastern, central, and western Europe. Besides climatic historical events, the heterogeneous topography of the Balkans has also played an important role in shaping genetic diversity of slow worms.

• Klíčová slova
• Anguidae, Balkan mountains, Biogeography, Contact zones, Microrefugia, Phylogeography, Speciation, Squamata,
• MeSH
• biodiverzita MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• fylogeografie MeSH
• ještěři genetika   MeSH
• mitochondriální DNA genetika   MeSH
• molekulární evoluce MeSH
• polymorfismus genetický MeSH
• tok genů MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Balkánský poloostrov MeSH
• Názvy látek
• mitochondriální DNA MeSH

Species distributions are conventionally modelled using coarse-grained macroclimate data measured in open areas, potentially leading to biased predictions since most terrestrial species reside in the shade of trees. For forest plant species across Europe, we compared conventional macroclimate-based species distribution models (SDMs) with models corrected for forest microclimate buffering. We show that microclimate-based SDMs at high spatial resolution outperformed models using macroclimate and microclimate data at coarser resolution. Additionally, macroclimate-based models introduced a systematic bias in modelled species response curves, which could result in erroneous range shift predictions. Critically important for conservation science, these models were unable to identify warm and cold refugia at the range edges of species distributions. Our study emphasizes the crucial role of microclimate data when SDMs are used to gain insights into biodiversity conservation in the face of climate change, particularly given the growing policy and management focus on the conservation of refugia worldwide.

• Klíčová slova
• ForestClim, MaxEnt, ecological niche models, forest plant species, habitat suitability modelling, microclimate, microrefugia, species distribution modelling, species response curves, understorey temperatures,
• MeSH
• biodiverzita MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• klimatické změny MeSH
• lesy * MeSH
• mikroklima * MeSH
• rostliny MeSH
• stromy MeSH
• Publikační typ
• dopisy MeSH

Parasites might represent a helpful tool in understanding the historical dispersion and phylogeography of their hosts. In order to reveal whether the migration routes and diversification of hosts can be traceable in the genetic structures of their parasites, we investigated the diversity of paramphistomoid trematodes of Pelophylax frogs in 2 geographically distant European regions. Water frogs belonging to the genus Pelophylax represent a striking example of a species with a high variety of ecological adaptations and a rich evolutionary history. The parasites were collected from 2 Balkan endemic species, P. epeiroticus and P. kurtmuelleri, and 2 species in Slovakia, P. esculentus and P. ridibundus. While in Slovakia, Pelophylax frogs harboured 2 species, the diplodiscid Diplodiscus subclavatus and the cladorchiid Opisthodiscus diplodiscoides, only the former was recorded in the south-western Balkans. Remarkably high genetic diversity (16 unique mitochondrial cox1 haplotypes, recognized among 60 novel sequences) was observed in D. subclavatus, and subsequent phylogenetic analyses revealed a strong population-genetic structure associated with geographical distribution. We also evidenced the existence of 2 divergent D. subclavatus cox1 haplogroups in the south-western Balkans, which might be associated with the historical diversification of endemic water frogs in the regional glacial microrefugia.

• Klíčová slova
• Balkan Peninsula, Diplodiscus subclavatus, Opisthodiscus diplodiscoides, Pelophylax, haplotype diversity, population genetics,
• MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• fylogeografie MeSH
• genetická variace MeSH
• paraziti * MeSH
• Ranidae MeSH
• Trematoda * genetika   MeSH
• voda MeSH
• žáby MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• voda MeSH

Genetic patterns of lichenized fungi often display a mosaic-like and difficult to interpret structure blurring their evolutionary history. The genetic diversity and phylogeographic pattern of a mycobiont of the predominantly Mediterranean dwelling lichen Solenopsora candicans were investigated on the base of extensive sampling (361 individuals, 77 populations) across its entire distribution range. We tested whether the genetic pattern of S. candicans mirrors paleoclimatic and paleogeological events in the Mediterranean and adjacent regions. The divergence time estimates indicated a Tertiary origin for S. candicans, with formation of intraspecific diversity initiated in the Late Miocene. The distribution of the most divergent haplotypes, mostly of a pre-Pleistocene origin, was restricted to the eastern or western extremities of the Mediterranean exhibiting Kiermack disjunction. The population genetic diversity analyses indicated multiple diversity centres and refugia for S. candicans across the entire Mediterranean Basin. While the south Mediterranean regions harboured both the Tertiary and Quaternary born diversity, conforming to the 'cumulative refugia' paradigm, the Apennine and Balkan Peninsulas in the north hosted mostly younger Pleistocene haplotypes and lineages. The recent population expansion of S. candicans might have occurred in the middle Pleistocene with a population burst in the Apennine and Balkan peninsulas. The presence of unique haplotypes in Central Europe indicates the existence of extra-Mediterranean microrefugia. This study presents the first comprehensive lichen phylogeography from the Mediterranean region and simultaneously reports for the first time the glacial survival of a warm-adapted lichen in the temperate zone.

• Klíčová slova
• Kiermack disjunction, Leprocaulaceae, Pannonian basin, Phylogeography, Population expansion, Tertiary refugia,
• MeSH
• biologická evoluce MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• demografie MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• fylogeografie MeSH
• genetická variace * MeSH
• haplotypy MeSH
• lišejníky klasifikace   genetika   MeSH
• refugium MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Balkánský poloostrov MeSH
• Středomoří MeSH