Data from: Evolutionary hotspots in the Mojave Desert

Genetic diversity within species provides the raw material for adaptation
and evolution. Just as regions of high species diversity are conservation
targets, identifying regions containing high genetic diversity and
divergence within and among populations may be important to protect future
evolutionary potential. When multiple co-distributed species show spatial
overlap in high genetic diversity and divergence, these regions can be
considered evolutionary hotspots. We mapped spatial population genetic
structure for 17 animal species across the Mojave Desert, USA. We analyzed
these in concurrence and located 10 regions of high genetic diversity,
divergence or both among species. These were mainly concentrated along the
western and southern boundaries where ecotones between mountain, grassland
and desert habitat are prevalent, and along the Colorado River. We
evaluated the extent to which these hotspots overlapped protected lands
and utility-scale renewable energy development projects of the Bureau of
Land Management. While 30–40% of the total hotspot area was categorized as
protected, between 3–7% overlapped with proposed renewable energy project
footprints, and up to 17% overlapped with project footprints combined with
transmission corridors. Overlap of evolutionary hotspots with renewable
energy development mainly occurred in 6 of the 10 identified hotspots.
Resulting GIS-based maps can be incorporated into ongoing landscape
planning efforts and highlight specific regions where further
investigation of impacts to population persistence and genetic
connectivity may be warranted.