Format: ORAL

Mahmoud Magdy1,2, Olaf Werner1, Rosa M. Ros1

1 Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biology, Murcia University, Murcia, Spain 2 Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Across Mediterranean mountainous regions and surrounding lowlands, the ecological resilience of cosmopolitan mosses, Bryum argenteum Hedw., Ceratodon purpureus (Hedw.) Brid, and Funaria hygrometrica Hedw. delineated distinct clades. Our research story provides insights into the interaction between landscape diversity, climate change, and molecular adaptation in mosses. The genetic analyses of B. argenteum along the gradient surface of the Sierra Nevada Mountains compared to Tenerife Island unveiled a story of recurrent colonization spanning over millennia. Despite indications of native status, shared haplotypes with continental areas suggest recent introductions. Clade distinctions among genotypes mirrored enduring climatic barriers between the highlands and lowlands of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, influencing migration dynamics. In C. purpureus, morphological variations posed challenges in taxonomic delineation. The evolutionary trajectory and the emergence of a new Ceratodon species through peripatric speciation, genome expansion, and skewed sex ratios within the Mediterranean landscape. These genetic insights led to the identification of Ceratodon amazonum Nieto-Lugilde, O. Werner, S.F. McDaniel Ros and the consideration of Ceratodon conicus (Hampe ex Mull. Hal.) Lindb., as a nothospecies, emphasizes the delicate impact of environmental factors on moss taxonomy amidst changing landscapes. Exploration of F. hygrometrica across the Sierra Nevada Mountains highlighted the correlation between landscape diversity and genetic makeup. Diverse landscapes harbored higher genetic diversity, possibly linked to spore establishment challenges in unsuitable environments. Altitudinal gradients influenced genetic structures, while precipitation and temperature shaped specific genetic markers, underscoring the pivotal role of environmental heterogeneity in shaping genetic diversity. Our ongoing investigation into the Heat-Shock Factor gene family aims to unravel mosses molecular responses to climatic shifts, using F. hygrometrica as a model. Deciphering genetic variations and expression dynamics among genotypes will illuminate how these molecular mechanisms orchestrate adaptive responses to high temperatures and dehydration, offering insights into mosses adaptive strategies amidst climate change challenges.