| Title | Using DNA taxonomy to investigate the ecological determinants of plankton diversity: explaining the occurrence of Synchaeta spp. (Rotifera, Monogononta) in mountain lakes |
| Abstract | 1. The occurrence of unresolved complexes of cryptic species may hinder the identification of the main ecological drivers of biodiversity when different cryptic taxa have different ecological requirements. 2. We assessed factors influencing the occurrence of Synchaeta species (monogonont rotifers) in 17 waterbodies of the Trentino-South Tyrol region in the Eastern Alps. To do so, we compared the results of using unresolved complexes of cryptic species, as is common practice in limnological studies based on morphological taxonomy, and having resolved cryptic complexes, made possible by DNA taxonomy. 3. To identify cryptic species, we used the generalised mixed Yule coalescent (GMYC) model. We investigated the relationship between the environment and the occurrence of Synchaeta spp. by multivariate ordination using two definitions of the units of diversity, namely (i) unresolved species complexes (morphospecies) and (ii) putative cryptic species (GMYC entities). Our expectation was that resolving complexes of cryptic species could provide more information than using morphospecies. 4. As expected, DNA taxonomy provided greater taxonomic resolution than morphological taxonomy. Further, environmental-based multivariate ordination on cryptic species explained a significantly higher proportion of variance than that based on morphospecies. Occurrence of GMYC entities was related to total phosphorus (TP), whereas no relationship could be found between morphospecies and the environment. Moreover, different cryptic species within the same morphospecies showed different, and even opposite, preferences for TP. In addition, the wide geographical distribution of haplotypes and cryptic species indicated the absence of barriers to dispersal in Synchaeta. |
| Source | Freshwater biology (Print) 57 (8), pp. 1545–1553 |
| Journal | Freshwater biology (Print) |
| Editor | Blackwell Scientific Publications., Edinburgh, Regno Unito |
| Year | 2012 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1111/j.1365-2427.2012.02815.x |
| Authors | Obertegger, Ulrike ;Fontaneto, Diego ;Flaim, Giovanna ; |
| Text | 220975 2012 10.1111/j.1365 2427.2012.02815.x Using DNA taxonomy to investigate the ecological determinants of plankton diversity explaining the occurrence of Synchaeta spp. Rotifera, Monogononta in mountain lakes Obertegger, Ulrike ;Fontaneto, Diego ;Flaim, Giovanna ; Sustainable Agro ecosystems and Bioresources Department, IASMA Research and Innovation Centre, Edmund Mach Foundation, San Michele all Adige TN , Italy ;CNR ISE, Pallanza Verbania 1. The occurrence of unresolved complexes of cryptic species may hinder the identification of the main ecological drivers of biodiversity when different cryptic taxa have different ecological requirements. 2. We assessed factors influencing the occurrence of Synchaeta species monogonont rotifers in 17 waterbodies of the Trentino South Tyrol region in the Eastern Alps. To do so, we compared the results of using unresolved complexes of cryptic species, as is common practice in limnological studies based on morphological taxonomy, and having resolved cryptic complexes, made possible by DNA taxonomy. 3. To identify cryptic species, we used the generalised mixed Yule coalescent GMYC model. We investigated the relationship between the environment and the occurrence of Synchaeta spp. by multivariate ordination using two definitions of the units of diversity, namely i unresolved species complexes morphospecies and ii putative cryptic species GMYC entities . Our expectation was that resolving complexes of cryptic species could provide more information than using morphospecies. 4. As expected, DNA taxonomy provided greater taxonomic resolution than morphological taxonomy. Further, environmental based multivariate ordination on cryptic species explained a significantly higher proportion of variance than that based on morphospecies. Occurrence of GMYC entities was related to total phosphorus TP , whereas no relationship could be found between morphospecies and the environment. Moreover, different cryptic species within the same morphospecies showed different, and even opposite, preferences for TP. In addition, the wide geographical distribution of haplotypes and cryptic species indicated the absence of barriers to dispersal in Synchaeta. 57 http //onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365 2427.2012.02815.x/abstract Articolo in rivista Blackwell Scientific Publications. 0046 5070 Freshwater biology Print Freshwater biology Print Freshw. biol. Print diego.fontaneto FONTANETO DIEGO TA.P04.016.004 Ecologia teorica e applicata degli ecosistemi acquatici |
