Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons

Genome comparison is one of the excellent ways to interpret the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The basic principle of genome comparison is that if two species share a common feature, it is likely encoded by the DNA sequence conserved between both species. The advent of genome sequencing technologies in the late 20th century enabled scientists to understand the concept of conservation of domains between species and helped them to deduce evolutionary relationships across diverse...

Genetic Drift

Genetic Drift

Natural selection—probably the most well-known evolutionary mechanism—increases the prevalence of traits that enhance survival and reproduction. However, evolution does not merely propagate favorable traits, nor does it always benefit populations.

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

Mutation, Gene Flow, and Genetic Drift

In a population that is not at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, the frequency of alleles changes over time. Therefore, any deviations from the five conditions of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium can alter the genetic variation of a given population. Conditions that change the genetic variability of a population include mutations, natural selection, non-random mating, gene flow, and genetic drift (small population size).

Threats to Biodiversity

Threats to Biodiversity

There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...

Formation of Species

Formation of Species

Speciation describes the formation of one or more new species from one or sometimes multiple original species. The resulting species are discrete from the parent species, and barriers to reproduction will typically exist. There are two primary mechanisms, speciation with and without geographic isolation—allopatric and sympatric speciation, respectively.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

How Robust Are Genomic Offset Predictions to Methodological Choices? Insights From Perennial Ryegrass.

Molecular ecology·2026

Same author

Social implications of the 30×30 global conservation target.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

The genomic basis of adaptive leaf variation in the Galápagos giant daisies.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

DNA-based identification of plants and the genomic nature of plant species differences.

Communications biology·2026

Same author

A commented checklist and key for the genus <i>Carex</i> (Cyperaceae) in Peru.

PhytoKeys·2026

Same author

<i>Carex huancabambica</i> (Cyperaceae), a new species from the Peruvian and Ecuadorian Andes.

PhytoKeys·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2025

JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning

JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning

Published on: March 21, 2025

Environmental Data Do Not Correlate With Plant Genetic Diversity in Alpine Ecosystems.

J L Blanco-Pastor¹, J Fajardo², A G Fernández de Castro²

¹Departamento de Biología IVAGRO, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario (ceiA3) Cádiz Spain.

Ecology and Evolution

|May 9, 2025

Summary

Protecting genetic diversity in European alpine plants is crucial for climate change adaptation. Environmental factors, particularly topography, showed minimal impact on genetic diversity across most species, highlighting the need for species-specific conservation strategies.

Keywords:

Alps climate change conservation environmental data genetic diversity high mountains plant biodiversity

More Related Videos

Exploring the Root Microbiome: Extracting Bacterial Community Data from the Soil, Rhizosphere, and Root Endosphere

Exploring the Root Microbiome: Extracting Bacterial Community Data from the Soil, Rhizosphere, and Root Endosphere

Published on: May 2, 2018

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Published on: March 13, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 12, 2025

JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning

JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning

Published on: March 21, 2025

Exploring the Root Microbiome: Extracting Bacterial Community Data from the Soil, Rhizosphere, and Root Endosphere

Exploring the Root Microbiome: Extracting Bacterial Community Data from the Soil, Rhizosphere, and Root Endosphere

Published on: May 2, 2018

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Published on: March 13, 2014

Area of Science:

Ecology
Evolutionary Biology
Conservation Genetics

Background:

Genetic diversity is vital for species adaptation to environmental changes, especially climate change.
Alpine ecosystems face significant threats from global warming, necessitating conservation of genetic resources.
Genetic diversity is often overlooked in conservation due to assessment challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between environmental factors and genetic diversity in European alpine plant species.
To identify key environmental predictors influencing genetic diversity and rarity.
To inform conservation strategies for high mountain ecosystems under climate change.

Main Methods:

Analyzed Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) data from 309 populations of 14 European alpine plant species.
Utilized LASSO models and univariate linear regressions to assess associations between genetic diversity and 48 environmental factors (climate, soil, topography).
Investigated species-specific responses and spatial autocorrelation between genetic diversity and environmental variables.

Main Results:

Topographic profile curvature (pcurv) showed minimal but significant effects on overall heterozygosity and genetic rarity (r²=0.022, r²=0.017).
Species-specific analyses revealed significant associations only for *Saponaria pumila* and *Androsace vitaliana* with pcurv.
No general environmental drivers were found for genetic diversity distribution across most European alpine plants, suggesting limited influence of broad environmental factors.

Conclusions:

Environmental factors, particularly topography, generally do not strongly drive genetic diversity patterns in European alpine plants.
Conservation efforts require species-specific data and detailed assessments of genetic markers.
Prioritizing genetic diversity protection is essential for high mountain ecosystems to meet global biodiversity targets.