Coping with Pleistocene climatic fluctuations: demographic responses in remote endemic reef fishes

摘要: Elucidating demographic history during the settlement of ecological communities is crucial for properly inferring mechanisms that shape patterns species diversity and their persistence through time. Here, we used genomic data coalescent-based approaches to elucidate first time dynamics associated with by endemic reef fish fauna one most remote peripheral islands Pacific Ocean, Rapa Nui (Easter Island). We compared nine in order explore responses Pleistocene climatic fluctuations. found share a common as signatures population expansions were retrieved almost all studied here, synchronous initiated last glacial period recovered more than half species. These results suggest eustatic fluctuations Milankovitch cycles have played central role histories final stage community assembly many fishes. Specifically, sea level low stands resulted maximum habitat extension species; discuss potential seamounts allowing cope fluctuations, highlight importance local historical processes over regional ones. Overall, our shed light on which endemism arises maintained fauna.