Geographical patterns of morphological variation and environmental correlates in contact zones: a multi-scale approach using two Mediterranean vipers (Serpentes)

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2009

Autores

martinez-freiria, f (Autor) Outra; santos, x (Autor) Outra; pleguezuelos, jm (Autor) Outra; lizana, m (Autor) Outra; brito, jc (Autor) FCUP

Revista

Título: Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research

Vol. 47

Páginas: 357-367

ISSN: 0947-5745

Editora: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexação

ISI Web of Knowledge - 5 Citações

Scopus - 10 Citações

Classificação Científica

FOS: Ciências exactas e naturais > Ciências da terra e ciências do ambiente

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: P-003-ESR

DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0469.2008.00506.x

Abstract (EN): Adaptation to similar selective pressures can explain morphological convergence between closely related species in contact zones. Geostatistics and Geographical Information System were used to identify multi-scale patterns of morphological variability and test the hypothesis of morphological convergence due to local environmental pressures in the contact areas between Vipera aspis and Vipera latastei in the Iberian Peninsula. Nine morphological traits from 630 and 362 vipers at regional and local scale, respectively, were interpolated by Kriging to generate surfaces of morphological variation. Kriging is a geostatistical algorithm that allows investigating the spatial structure of data with statistical models. At both scales, a convergent north-south pattern in morphological variability was observed and the contact areas were identified as integration zones where intermediate vipers are found. Significant correlations were found between surfaces of univariate and multivariate traits, with precipitation and temperature seasonality. Thus, several morphological traits were apparently under local environmental selection. Nevertheless, the influence of biotic pressures and gene flow on morphological convergence of vipers in contact zones deserves further study.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica

Nº de páginas: 11