Spatial population structure of selected species on Southern Ocean Islands

Abstract

Southern Ocean Islands feature unique environments with distinct assemblages of species that are expected to be highly impacted by rapid environmental change, including global climate change and spread of alien invasive species. These islands also represent ideal model systems for the study of evolutionary and ecological processes because of their bounded and simple yet well-developed terrestrial ecosystems and the presence of a continuum of structural complexities on different islands. A major goal in the biodiversity sciences is to understand spatial patterns of biotic diversity across hierarchical levels, which has become especially critical in the face of rapid environmental change and biodiversity loss. Species on Southern Ocean Islands are especially at risk from environmental change, since oceanic islands often experience more dramatic climatic shifts than continental ecosystems. The genetic structure of the vast majority of species on Southern Ocean Islands is unknown, and therefore what the effects of geology and climate are on these populations remains an unanswered question. Among the taxa awaiting more in-depth study is the plant Azorella selago (Apiaceae. and arthropod species such as Cryptopygus antarcticus travei. Azorella, a keystone species on many Southern Ocean Islands that forms dense cushions providing ameliorated microenvironments for other organisms. Cryptopygus antarcticusis one of the main detritivore species with a very high abundance. We characterize the phylogeographic structure for selected species on Southern Ocean Islands with unique climate, geological histories, and landscape topography, allowing for a comparative study of the effect of these features on spatial genetic structure. - Abstract as displayed in the - Abstract booklet. The presentation on the day may differ from the - Abstract.