Background and Aims Rhododendron is a species-rich and taxonomically challenging genus due to recent adaptive radiation and frequent hybridization. A well-resolved phylogenetic tree would help to understand the diverse history of Rhododendron in the Himalaya–Hengduan Mountains where the genus is most diverse. Methods We reconstructed the phylogeny based on plastid genomes with broad taxon sampling, covering 161 species representing all eight subgenera and all 12 sections, including ~45 % of the Rhododendron species native to...

Biodiversity is currently declining at the global scale. Apart from species declines and lowered abundances, the loss of genetic diversity is equally concerning as it may undermine fitness and the potential to adapt to future environmental change. We compared genetic diversity of historical and recent Alpine populations of two butterfly species, Lycaena helle and L. hippothoe, over a period of about 10 years. Using microsatellite markers, we found no changes over time in L. helle,...

Hedychium J.Koenig (Zingiberaceae) is endemic to the Indo-Malayan Realm and is known for its vibrant and fragrant flowers. Historically, two different pollination syndromes characterize Hedychium: diurnal or bird pollination and nocturnal or moth pollination. In this study we aim to understand the evolution of nocturnal and diurnal flowers, and to test its putative association with lineage diversification in Hedychium. A molecular tree of Hedychium was used as a scaffold upon which we estimated ancestral character-states,...

Frequent grazing can establish high forage value grazing lawns supporting high grazer densities, but can also produce overgrazed grass communities with unpalatable or low grass basal cover, supporting few grazers. Attempts to create grazing lawns via concentrated grazing, with a goal to increase grazer numbers, are thus risky without knowing how environmental conditions influence the likelihood of each outcome. We collected grass species and trait data from 33 frequently grazed grass communities across eastern South...