Hybridization, ecogeographical displacement and the emergence of new lineages – A genotyping‐by‐sequencing and ecological niche and species distribution modelling study of Sempervivum tectorum L. (Houseleek)

A novel hybrid lineage of Sempervivum tectorum (Houseleek) has emerged in the Massif Central, France, through homoploid hybridization between Rhine Gorge and Pyrenean lineages. Genotyping-by-sequencing revealed hybrid admixture, while ecological niche modeling demonstrated a distinct niche for this new lineage, characterized by intermediate or extreme traits compared to its parents. Species distribution models suggest parapatric distribution during its likely origin in the Quaternary, with reproductive isolation potentially driven by differential climate responses. This study highlights hybridization as a key mechanism for speciation and ecogeographical displacement.

Fabritzek, A. G., Griebeler, E. M., & Kadereit, J. W. (2021). Hybridization, ecogeographical displacement and the emergence of new lineages – A genotyping‐by‐sequencing and ecological niche and species distribution modelling study of Sempervivum tectorum L. (Houseleek). Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 34(5), 830–844. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.13784