Drivers of intraspecific differentiation of the alpine cold tolerant herb Notopterygium oviforme: the roles of isolation by distance and ecological factors

Determining the driver mechanisms of phenotypic and genetic divergence of species have long been the central topic in evolutionary biology. However, the relative roles of isolation by distance (IBD) and environment factors in contributing to species divergence is largely undetermined in perennial herbs in East Asia. In this study, we collected population genetic samples of a cold-tolerant perennial herb Notopterygium oviforme in central China. We integrated the population transcriptomes, whole chloroplast genomes, genotyping-by-sequencing, microsatellite markers and ecological environment factors to determine the relative contributions of geography, climatic and soil factors on genetic, chemical and phenotypic trait divergence. The clearly genetic distinction was identified between the west Qinling (WQ) and east Qinling Mountains (EQ) geographical groups within N. oviforme. Interestingly, the two groups have existed the obviously niche conservatism, which might have caused the similarit...