DNA barcodes and species distribution models evaluate threats of global climate changes to genetic diversity: a case study from Nanorana parkeri (Anura: Dicroglossidae)

PLoS One. 2014 Aug 5;9(8):e103899. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103899. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Anthropogenic global climate changes are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. Distribution modeling can predict the effects of climate changes and potentially their effects on genetic diversity. DNA barcoding quickly identifies patterns of genetic diversity. As a case study, we use DNA barcodes and distribution models to predict threats under climate changes in the frog Nanorana parkeri, which is endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Barcoding identifies major lineages W and E. Lineage W has a single origin in a refugium and Lineage E derives from three refugia. All refugia locate in river valleys and each greatly contributes to the current level of intraspecific genetic diversity. Species distribution models suggest that global climate changes will greatly influence N. parkeri, especially in the level of genetic diversity, because two former refugia will fail to provide suitable habitat. Our pipeline provides a novel application of DNA barcoding and has important implications for the conservation of biodiversity in southern areas of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anura / genetics*
  • Base Sequence
  • Climate Change*
  • DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic*
  • Demography
  • Genetic Speciation
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Geography
  • Phylogeny
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants of the Strategic Priority Research Program (B) (XDB03030113), the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST) (2014FY210200), and the “Western Light” Talents Training Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) to ZWW; the Key Research Program (KJZD-EW-L07) of CAS, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31090250), MOST (2011FY120200), and the Bureau of Science and Technology of Yunnan, China (2010CI045) to JC; and the Major Innovation Program of CAS (KSCX2-EW-Z-2) to ZYP. Research also was supported by Discovery Grant 3148 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to RWM. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.