Comparison of phylogenetic and taxonomic diversity of pitcher plant bogs in Georgia’s Coastal Plain

Diversity studies via floristic surveys and taxonomic metrics have proven essential for discerning community composition and biodiversity; however, phylogenetic analyses are necessary to reveal potential community assembly patterns. Pitcher plant bogs are highly diverse, understudied habitats that contain many at-risk plant species. This study investigates the taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of pitcher plant bogs in Georgia’s Coastal Plain. We ask, (1) What is the taxonomic diversity of pitcher plant bogs? (2) What is the phylogenetic dispersion of bog habitats, and (3) how do taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity compare among these bog communities? A total of 290 individuals were collected from three bogs, each from a different ecoregion. For 161 species, successfully sequenced rbcL and matK barcodes were used to generate a phylogeny. Taxonomic and phylogenetic alpha and beta diversity metrics were calculated to investigate similarities and differences between the bogs. The three communities comprise 45 families, 99 genera, and 182 species. Colquitt and Wheeler bogs contain the highest species richness (94), but the Wheeler bog has the highest phylogenetic diversity. Phylogenetic alpha diversity metrics suggest random assembly of the communities. Sørensen’s dissimilarity values show the bogs tend to differ taxonomically, but phylogenetic beta diversity metrics show high phylogenetic similarity between the bogs. These results highlight the importance of considering taxonomic and phylogenetic information when assessing and comparing plant communities, especially for conservation potential. In the future, broader studies of pitcher plant bogs that include climate, geology, and soils would allow a greater understanding of the assembly and structure of bog communities.