Evolutionary hotspots in the Mojave Desert
Diversity
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Abstract
Genetic diversity within species provides the raw material for adaptation and evolution. Just as regions of high species diversity are conservation targets, identifying regions containing high genetic diversity and divergence within and among populations may be important to protect future evolutionary potential. When multiple co-distributed species show spatial overlap in high genetic diversity and divergence, these regions can be considered evolutionary hotspots. We mapped spatial population genetic structure for 17 animal species across the Mojave Desert, USA. We analyzed these in concurrence and located 10 regions of high genetic diversity, divergence or both among species. These were mainly concentrated along the western and southern boundaries where ecotones between mountain, grassland and desert habitat are prevalent, and along the Colorado River. We evaluated the extent to which these hotspots overlapped protected lands and utility-scale renewable energy development projects of the Bureau of Land Management. While 30–40% of the total hotspot area was categorized as protected, between 3–7% overlapped with proposed renewable energy project footprints, and up to 17% overlapped with project footprints combined with transmission corridors. Overlap of evolutionary hotspots with renewable energy development mainly occurred in 6 of the 10 identified hotspots. Resulting GIS-based maps can be incorporated into ongoing landscape planning efforts and highlight specific regions where further investigation of impacts to population persistence and genetic connectivity may be warranted.
Suggested Citation
Vandergast, A.G., Inman, R., Barr, K.R., Nussear, K.E., Esque, T., Hathaway, S.A., Wood, D.A., Medica, P.A., Breinholt, J.W., Stephen, C.L., Gottscho, A.D., Marks, S.B., Jennings, W.B., Fisher, R.N., 2013, Evolutionary hotspots in the Mojave Desert: Diversity, v. 5, no. 2, p. 293-319, https://doi.org/10.3390/d5020293.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Evolutionary hotspots in the Mojave Desert |
| Series title | Diversity |
| DOI | 10.3390/d5020293 |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Publication Date | April 15, 2013 |
| Year Published | 2013 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | MDPI AG |
| Publisher location | Basel, Switzerland |
| Contributing office(s) | Western Ecological Research Center |
| Description | 27 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Diversity |
| First page | 293 |
| Last page | 319 |
| Country | United States |
| Other Geospatial | Mojave Desert |