Assessment of the Diversity, Distinctiveness and Conservation of Australia’s Central Queensland Coastal Rainforests Using DNA Barcoding
Globally threatened dry rainforests are poorly studied and conserved when compared to mesic rainforests. Investigations of dry rainforest communities within Australia are no exception. We assessed the community diversity, distinctiveness and level of conservation in Central Queensland coastal dry ra...
| Κύριοι συγγραφείς: | , , , , , |
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| Μορφή: | Άρθρο |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Σειρά: | Diversity |
| Θέματα: | |
| Διαθέσιμο Online: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/3/378 |
| _version_ | 1827750246910787584 |
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| author | Marion Howard Hilary Pearl William J. F. McDonald Yoko Shimizu Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava Alison Shapcott |
| author_facet | Marion Howard Hilary Pearl William J. F. McDonald Yoko Shimizu Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava Alison Shapcott |
| author_sort | Marion Howard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Globally threatened dry rainforests are poorly studied and conserved when compared to mesic rainforests. Investigations of dry rainforest communities within Australia are no exception. We assessed the community diversity, distinctiveness and level of conservation in Central Queensland coastal dry rainforest communities. Our three-marker DNA barcode-based phylogeny, based on rainforest species from the Central Queensland Coast, was combined with the phylogeny from Southeast Queensland. The phylogenetic tree and Central Queensland Coast (CQC) community species lists were used to evaluate phylogenetic diversity (PD) estimates and species composition to pinpoint regions of significant rainforest biodiversity. We evaluated the patterns and relationships between rainforest communities of the biogeographical areas of Central Queensland Coast and Southeast Queensland, and within and between Subregions. Subsequently, we identified areas of the highest distinctiveness and diversity in phylogenetically even rainforest communities, consistent with refugia, and areas significantly more related than random, consistent with expansion into disturbed or harsher areas. We found clear patterns of phylogenetic clustering that suggest that selection pressures for moisture and geology were strong drivers of rainforest distribution and species diversity. These results showed that smaller dry rainforests in Central Queensland Coast (CQC) represented areas of regional plant migration but were inadequately protected. To sustain species diversity and distribution under intense selection pressures of moisture availability and substrate type throughout this dry and geologically complex region, the future conservation of smaller patches is essential. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:40:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-851b9ccfbf9e487895154dd202338091 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:40:56Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-851b9ccfbf9e487895154dd2023380912023-11-17T10:37:49ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182023-03-0115337810.3390/d15030378Assessment of the Diversity, Distinctiveness and Conservation of Australia’s Central Queensland Coastal Rainforests Using DNA BarcodingMarion Howard0Hilary Pearl1William J. F. McDonald2Yoko Shimizu3Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava4Alison Shapcott5School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs 4556, AustraliaSchool of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs 4556, AustraliaQueensland Herbarium, Mount Coot-Tha Rd., Toowong 4066, AustraliaSchool of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs 4556, AustraliaSchool of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs 4556, AustraliaSchool of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs 4556, AustraliaGlobally threatened dry rainforests are poorly studied and conserved when compared to mesic rainforests. Investigations of dry rainforest communities within Australia are no exception. We assessed the community diversity, distinctiveness and level of conservation in Central Queensland coastal dry rainforest communities. Our three-marker DNA barcode-based phylogeny, based on rainforest species from the Central Queensland Coast, was combined with the phylogeny from Southeast Queensland. The phylogenetic tree and Central Queensland Coast (CQC) community species lists were used to evaluate phylogenetic diversity (PD) estimates and species composition to pinpoint regions of significant rainforest biodiversity. We evaluated the patterns and relationships between rainforest communities of the biogeographical areas of Central Queensland Coast and Southeast Queensland, and within and between Subregions. Subsequently, we identified areas of the highest distinctiveness and diversity in phylogenetically even rainforest communities, consistent with refugia, and areas significantly more related than random, consistent with expansion into disturbed or harsher areas. We found clear patterns of phylogenetic clustering that suggest that selection pressures for moisture and geology were strong drivers of rainforest distribution and species diversity. These results showed that smaller dry rainforests in Central Queensland Coast (CQC) represented areas of regional plant migration but were inadequately protected. To sustain species diversity and distribution under intense selection pressures of moisture availability and substrate type throughout this dry and geologically complex region, the future conservation of smaller patches is essential.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/3/378dry rainforestphylogenetic diversity (PD)DNA barcodeSubregionrefugiacorridors |
| spellingShingle | Marion Howard Hilary Pearl William J. F. McDonald Yoko Shimizu Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava Alison Shapcott Assessment of the Diversity, Distinctiveness and Conservation of Australia’s Central Queensland Coastal Rainforests Using DNA Barcoding Diversity dry rainforest phylogenetic diversity (PD) DNA barcode Subregion refugia corridors |
| title | Assessment of the Diversity, Distinctiveness and Conservation of Australia’s Central Queensland Coastal Rainforests Using DNA Barcoding |
| title_full | Assessment of the Diversity, Distinctiveness and Conservation of Australia’s Central Queensland Coastal Rainforests Using DNA Barcoding |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of the Diversity, Distinctiveness and Conservation of Australia’s Central Queensland Coastal Rainforests Using DNA Barcoding |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of the Diversity, Distinctiveness and Conservation of Australia’s Central Queensland Coastal Rainforests Using DNA Barcoding |
| title_short | Assessment of the Diversity, Distinctiveness and Conservation of Australia’s Central Queensland Coastal Rainforests Using DNA Barcoding |
| title_sort | assessment of the diversity distinctiveness and conservation of australia s central queensland coastal rainforests using dna barcoding |
| topic | dry rainforest phylogenetic diversity (PD) DNA barcode Subregion refugia corridors |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/3/378 |
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