DOI: 10.5061/dryad.53pn8
title: Data from: Speciation in a keystone plant genus is driven by elevation: a case study in New Guinean Ficus

description: Much of the world's insect and plant biodiversity is found in
 tropical and subtropical ‘hotspots’, which often include long elevational
 gradients. These gradients may function as ‘diversity pumps’ and
 contribute to both regional and local species richness. Climactic
 conditions on such gradients often change rapidly along short vertical
 distances, and may result in local adaptation and high levels of
 population genetic structure in plants and insects. We investigated the
 population genetic structure of two species of Ficus (Moraceae) along a
 continuously forested elevational gradient in Papua New Guinea. This
 speciose plant genus is pollinated by tiny, species specific and highly
 co-evolved chalcid wasps (Agaonidae) and represented by at least 73
 species at our study gradient. We present results from two species of
 Ficus sampled from six elevations between 200 m-2,700 m a.s.l. (almost the
 entire elevational range of the genus) and 10 polymorphic microsatellite
 loci. These results show that strong barriers to gene flow exist between
 1,200 m and 1,700 m a.s.l. Whereas lowland populations are panmictic
 across distances over 70 km, montane populations can be disjunct over 4
 km, despite continuous forest cover. We suggest that the limited gene flow
 between populations of these two species of montane Ficus maybe driven by
 environmental limitations on pollinator or seed dispersal in combination
 with local adaptation of Ficus populations. Such a mechanism may have
 wider implications for plant and pollinator speciation across long and
 continuously forested elevational gradientsif generalist insect
 pollinators and vertebrate seed dispersers also form populations based on
 elevation.
description: Genotype Data for Ficus
 hahlianaGenotype data for Ficus
 hahliana, data for 10 microsatellite loci and 49 individuals with missing
 data coded as -9. The first column lists individuals and the second column
 lists the elevational site of each individual. Formatted for
 STRUCTURE.F_hahliana.txtGenotype data for Ficus arfakensisGenotype data for Ficus arfakensis, data for 8 microsatellite loci and 58 individuals with missing data coded as -9. The first column lists individuals and the second column lists the elevational site of each individual. Formatted for STRUCTURE.F_arfakensis.txtGenotype Data for Ficus bernaysii and Ficus iodotrichaGenotype data for Ficus bernaysii (BER) and Ficus iodotricha (IOD), data for 8 microsatellite loci and four individuals per species with missing data coded as -9. The first column lists individuals and the second column lists the sampling site.F_bernaysii and F_iodotricha.txtFicus Transect TotalsTotal abundance across all transects per elevation for a survey of species found growing along the Mount Wilhelm Elevational transect, updated in early 2016. Future taxonomic revisions can be expected, especially for species marked with asterix as these represent undescribed taxa (morpho-species names given).Ficus hahliana MeasurementsWidth and height measurements for Ficus hahliana syconia from six sites along the Mt Wilhelm elevational gradient. Sample refers to the individual tree sampled and site refers to the collection site whilst elevation is given in meters above sea level. Width and height were are given in cm and volume is given in cm3. Tree sex is given where known.