Allopatric divergence, demographic history, and conservation implications of an endangered conifer Cupressus chengiana in the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

摘要: Isolation and demographic history are key factors that affect lineage divergence of tree species in topographic complex areas, such as the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), yet few studies have evaluated these a coalescent-based modeling framework. In present study, we surveyed ten nuclear DNA sequence loci (nDNA) six microsatellite (nSSR) for an endangered conifer, Cupressus chengiana, throughout its natural range eastern QTP. BARRIER analyses revealed strong genetic barrier between Gansu Sichuan populations C. isolation with migration models detected limited gene flow them, supporting division this into two evolutionary significant units (ESUs). Two independent approaches suggest Quaternary ESUs, their consensus age ((0.09–) 0.59–1.53 (–2.71) Mya) largely overlaps time period when largest glaciation occurred Both inferences, IMa2 DIYABC, both ESUs may experienced bottleneck or population contraction event during late Quaternary. A documented massive recent anthropogenic habitat loss fragmentation led to further decrease distribution conifer. We propose conservation management stands plantations chengiana should be reconsidered light our findings.