Sileshi Nemomsa

Plesitocene Climatic Changes,genetic Diversity of Apiaceae of Ethiopia Sileshi Nemomsa

Haplosciadium abyssinicum(Apiaceae) is distributed from afro-montane forest belt to the afro-alpine belt, being most common at high level from altitudinal range of 2150-4700 masl and. Apiaceae plants from lower altitudes have longer and less compact leaves, longer peduncles, and often narrower involuclar bracts and are different from those at higher altitudes and apiacea is used as medicinal plant for treatment of brain and CNS . Pleistocene climatic changes was the most significant historical event that occurred during the evolutionary life span of most extant species. Despite of that changing climate, the afro alpine (sky islands) mountains provided relatively stable habitats from where older species survived by altitudinal range shifts and new lineages were generated. By the time when ice ages reaches maximum in North parts of the world, the African tropics were cold and arid and the ranges of different afro-alpine plants and animals decreased by 1000-1500m. Each time they would colonize new territory, face new environments and meet new neighbors. These challenges would cause genomes to diverge, through both selection and chance, and ultimately result in speciation.