The origin of ecotype differentiation in an alpine plant to adapt heterogeneous environments.

同种生物通常由生态型组成，它们通过遗传分化来适应不同的环境。高山植物——成熟蕨（Potentilla matumurae）包括两种最不同的生态类型，分别来自于田间环境和雪地环境。本研究表明，日本列岛的几座山脉都发生了松柏繁殖的生态型分化。跨山天岛的平行生态分异是揭示生物多样性主动来源的模式系统。

Conspecific organisms are frequently comprised ecotypes, which are genetically differentiated to adapt contrasting environments. The alpine plant, Potentilla matumurae, includes the two most different ecotypes from fellfield and snowbed environments. This study shows that the ecotype differentiation of P. matsumurae multiply occurred across several mountains in the Japanese archipelago. The parallel ecological divergence across the mountain sky islands is a model system to reveal initiative source for biodiversity.