Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Global patterns in peatmoss biodiversity.

A Jonathan Shaw1, Cymon J Cox, Sandra B Boles

  • 1Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0338, USA.

Molecular Ecology
|September 13, 2003
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Genomic and phylogenetic structure of the Sphagnum imbricatum complex (Sphagnaceae) and related allopolyploids.

Annals of botany·2026
Same author

Next release of the European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON) shotgun metagenomic data from water and sediment samples (Release 2).

Biodiversity data journal·2026
Same author

Climate niches structure a regional hybrid zone in Sphagnum (peatmoss, Bryophyta).

American journal of botany·2025
Same author

Establishing the ELIXIR Microbiome Community.

F1000Research·2025
Same author

AI for difficult herbarium specimens: identification of peat mosses (subgenus Sphagnum) without dissection.

The New phytologist·2025
Same author

Inversions Dominate Evolution in the European Sardine (Sardina pilchardus) Amid Strong Gene Flow.

Molecular ecology·2025
Same journal

Differential Immune Responses Correlate With Chytridiomycosis Severity in Italian Crested Newts.

Molecular ecology·2026
Same journal

Demography and Environment Shapes Genetic Variation: Spatiotemporal Genetic Dynamics in Cyclic Voles at Low Latitudes.

Molecular ecology·2026
Same journal

Gut Microbiome-Metabolome Reconfiguration Associates With Phenotypic Plasticity of Daphnia Under Predation Risk.

Molecular ecology·2026
Same journal

Population Genomics Highlight the Vulnerability of Coral-Dwelling Gobies to Ecological Losses due to Climatic Disturbances.

Molecular ecology·2026
Same journal

Ancient Divergences of the Maritime Alpine Tree Larix lyallii (Pinaceae) Contrasts With Patterns in Other Pacific Northwest Coastal Disjuncts.

Molecular ecology·2026
Same journal

Ontogenetic Sequence of Differential Gene Expression in Predator-Induced Daphnia pulex.

Molecular ecology·2026
See all related articles

Global peatmoss (Sphagnum) biodiversity shows surprising patterns. Molecular data reveal an even New World vs. Old World distribution, contrasting with higher species richness estimates in the New World, especially the Neotropics.

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Peatmosses (Sphagnum) are crucial ecological components.
  • Understanding global biodiversity patterns is vital for conservation.
  • Previous estimates of peatmoss diversity relied on species richness, potentially overlooking molecular variation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify geographical partitioning of global peatmoss biodiversity using molecular data.
  • To compare molecular diversity patterns with species richness patterns.
  • To assess the contribution of different geographical regions to global peatmoss diversity.

Main Methods:

  • DNA sequencing of nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and chloroplast trnL-trnF regions.
  • Analysis of 436 peatmoss accessions from diverse global regions.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Estimation of molecular diversity using phylogenetic diversity (PD) and polymorphic nucleotide sites.

    • Main Results:

    • Molecular diversity is nearly evenly distributed between New World and Old World regions.
    • The Neotropics represent 20-35% of global peatmoss molecular diversity, not a hotspot.
    • Tropical and boreal peatmoss molecular diversity levels are comparable.
    • Two highly divergent species account for a disproportionate amount of molecular diversity.

    Conclusions:

    • Species richness alone does not accurately reflect global peatmoss biodiversity distribution.
    • Molecular data provide a more nuanced understanding of peatmoss biodiversity partitioning.
    • Certain rare species can significantly contribute to overall molecular diversity, highlighting their conservation importance.