The application of molecular tools (DNA sequences, DNA fingerprinting) has revolutionized biogeographic research over the last two decades. Molecular biogeography can be summarized under “phylogeography”, a term coined by John Avise twenty years ago. It is describing the branch of science that explores and interprets the geographical distribution of genealogical lineages. In my presentation, I am going to discuss the following issues: 1. Why should we use molecular markers in bio geographical research? 2. Which types of molecular markers are being used, how are the data generated and how do they look like? 3. Which questions can be answered with molecular data and which ones not? To illustrate the above points, I will present studies that explored the effect of the glaciations of the ice ages on the flora of the Alps as well as the EU 6th framework project “INTRABIODIV” as an example for the integration of molecular data, habitat data and species distribution data. A starting point for that project was that species richness is the most widely used measure for biodiversity assessment. However, it is intraspecific diversity (genetic polymorphism) that represents the evolutionary and adaptive potential of each species in changing environments. The main point of the project was to study possible correlations between intraspecific diversity and species richness or habitat variation. The objectives were: (i) to fi nd and explain possible relationships among inter- and intraspecifi c plant diversity and habitat variation, (ii) to elaborate a modeling approach to predict intraspecific plant diversity, using more efficiently accessible surrogates, on a large scale, (iii) to establish tools for the design of a network of protected areas to effectively ensure the sustainable management of natural genetic resources. The following questions were asked, using the Alps and the Carpathians as model systems: (i) Is there congruence between intra-/interspecific biodiversity? (ii) Do areas of high endemism, often coinciding with glacial refugia, harbour a great degree of intraspecific diversity? (iii) Is habitat variation, characterized by environmental parameters, a good surrogate for intra- and interspecific diversity? In order to accomplish the aims, intraspecific diversity was mapped by using molecular markers in 25 model species, the species richness was mapped on the same area using mainly existing data on plant distributions. Furthermore, environmental data were compiled for a map of habitat diversity, and finally these maps were compared to find possible correlations among these variables.

Uporaba molekularnih orodij (zaporedje DNA, prstni odtis DNA) je v zadnjih dvajsetih letih prevetrila biogeografske raziskave. Molekularno biogeografi jo lahko povzamemo kot filogeografijo (izraz je skoval John Avise) in predstavlja tisto znanost, ki odkriva in razlaga geografsko razširjenost genealoških linij. Predstavil bom naslednja vprašanja: 1. Zakaj uporabljati molekularne markerje v biogeografskih raziskavah? 2. Tipe molekularnih markerjev, načine pridobivanja in vrste podatkov. 3. Na katera vprašanja lahko odgovorimo z molekularnimi podatki in na katera ne moremo? Kot primer povezovanja molekularnih, habitatnih in podatkov o razširjenosti vrst bom predstavil raziskavo o posledicah poledenitev med ledenimi dobami na alpsko floro in evropski program 6. okvira INTRABIODIV. Izhodišče tega projekta je bilo dejstvo, da je pestrost vrst najpogostejši kazalnik biodiverzitete. Vendar pa intraspecifi čna raznolikost (genetski polimorfizem) predstavlja evolucijsko in prilagoditveno moč vsake od vrst v spreminjajočih se okoljih. Glavni poudarek projekta je bila možnost povezave med intraspecifi čno raznolikostjo in pestrostjo vrst oz. ranolikostjo habitatov. Cilji so bili: 1) poiskati in razložiti možna razmerja med inter- in intraspecifi čno raznolikostjo rastlin ter habitatno raznolikostjo, 2) izdelati model za napoved intraspecifi čne raznolikosti rastlin v velikem obsegu z uporabo bolj dostopnih nadomestkov, 3) določiti orodja za izdelavo mreže zaščitenih območij in s tem zagotoviti učinkovito trajnostno upravljanje naravnih genetskih virov. Želeli smo odgovoriti na naslednja vprašanja, pri čemer smo uporabili Alpe in Karpate kot modelna sistema: 1) Ali obstaja skladnost med intra- in interspecifično raznolikostjo? 2) Ali imajo območja z veliko pojavnostjo endemitov in obenem tudi ledenodobnih reliktov visoko stopnjo intraspecifične raznolikosti? 3) Ali so habitatne razlike, ki jih določajo okoljski parametri, dober približek za intra- in interspecifično raznolikost? Da bi dosegli naš namen, smo pregledali intraspecifično raznolikost z molekularnimi markerji pri 25 modelnih vrstah. Na istih območjih smo ocenili vrstno pestrost iz dostopnih podatkov o razširjenosti rastlin. Okoljske podatke smo vključili kot kazalnike habitate raznolikosti. Na koncu smo vse tri vrste podatkov primerjali, da bi našli morebitne povezave med vsemi spremenljivkami.