Around the pole: evolution of sub‐Antarctic Ranunculus

Multiple lineages of the genus Ranunculus have independently colonized the sub-Antarctic islands, likely arriving from lower-latitude regions such as Australia, New Zealand, or South America before the Last Glacial Maximum. Phylogenetic and divergence time analyses of 53 accessions revealed that chance events played a significant role in species arrival, while subsequent trait–environment interactions were crucial for establishment and persistence in sub-Antarctic habitats. The study also found that two distinct ecomorphological trait combinations are shared between sub-Antarctic and lower-latitude species, with their proportions differing significantly between these regions.

Lehnebach, C. A., Winkworth, R. C., Becker, M., Lockhart, P. J., & Hennion, F. (2017). Around the pole: evolution of sub‐Antarctic Ranunculus. Journal of Biogeography, 44(4), 875–886. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.12952