Moon, Katherine L.Chown, Steven L.Fraser, Ceridwen I.2025-03-302025-03-30researchoutputwizard:u4279067xPUB2051Scopus:85016787797WOS:WOS:000412314400017https://dspace-test.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/733747127Extreme and remote environments provide useful settings to test ideas about the ecological and evolutionary drivers of biological diversity. In the sub-Antarctic, isolation by geographic, geological and glaciological processes has long been thought to underpin patterns in the region's terrestrial and marine diversity. Molecular studies using increasingly high-resolution data are, however, challenging this perspective, demonstrating that many taxa disperse among distant sub-Antarctic landmasses. Here, we reconsider connectivity in the sub-Antarctic region, identifying which taxa are relatively isolated, which are well connected, and the scales across which this connectivity occurs in both terrestrial and marine systems. Although many organisms show evidence of occasional long-distance, trans-oceanic dispersal, these events are often insufficient to maintain gene flow across the region. Species that do show evidence of connectivity across large distances include both active dispersers and more sedentary species. Overall, connectivity patterns in the sub-Antarctic at intra- and inter-island scales are highly complex, influenced by life-history traits and local dynamics such as relative dispersal capacity and propagule pressure, natal philopatry, feeding associations, the extent of human exploitation, past climate cycles, contemporary climate, and physical barriers to movement. An increasing use of molecular data – particularly genomic data sets that can reveal fine-scale patterns – and more effective international collaboration and communication that facilitates integration of data from across the sub-Antarctic, are providing fresh insights into the processes driving patterns of diversity in the region. These insights offer a platform for assessing the ways in which changing dispersal mechanisms, such as through increasing human activity and changes to wind and ocean circulation, may alter sub-Antarctic biodiversity patterns in the future.We acknowledge the support of the Australian Government through their Australian Postgraduate Award funding and ongoing support of the Australian National University’s Fenner School of the Environment and Society. S. L. C. is funded by Australian Antarctic Science Project 4307. C. I. F. is funded by Australian Research Council DECRA grant DE140101715. We acknowledge the post-doctoral staff of the Chown Lab at Monash University’s School of Biological Sciences for their comments and support. Finally, we acknowledge Dianne Moon and Michael Moon for their editorial comments.18EnglishPublisher Copyright: © 2017 Cambridge Philosophical Societyclimate changegene flowinvasive speciesisland modelmetapopulationnext-generation sequencingphylogeographysingle nucleotide polymorphism201710.1111/brv.12327http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85016787797&partnerID=8YFLogxK