Université de Fribourg

How sympatric is speciation in the Howea palms of Lord Howe Island?

Babik, Wiesław ; Butlin, Roger K. ; Baker, William J. ; Papadopulos, Alexander S. T. ; Boulesteix, Matthieu ; Anstett, Marie-Charlotte ; Lexer, Christian ; Hutton, Ian ; Savolainen, Vincent

In: Molecular Ecology, 2009, vol. 18, no. 7, p. 3629 - 3638

The two species of the palm genus Howea (Arecaceae) from Lord Howe Island, a minute volcanic island in the Tasman Sea, are now regarded as one of the most compelling examples of sympatric speciation, although this view is still disputed by some authors. Population genetic and ecological data are necessary to provide a more coherent and comprehensive understanding of this emerging model system....