# Karyotyping and Distribution Patterns of Endemic Chinese Lilies: Insights Into Their Conservation Under Climate Change

## TL;DR

This study explores the chromosomal diversity and distribution of two Chinese alpine lilies to understand their resilience to climate change and inform conservation strategies.

## Contribution

The first chromosomal characterization of tetraploid L. nanum and insights into polyploidy's potential role in high-altitude resilience.

## Key findings

- Diploid L. lophophorum shows karyotypic variation associated with altitude.
- Tetraploid L. nanum may have greater habitat expansion potential under climate change.
- Polyploidy could enhance resilience in extreme high-altitude environments.

## Abstract

This study integrates cytogenetic and ecological analyses of two endemic Chinese alpine lilies, Lilium lophophorum (2n = 24) and
L. nanum
(2n = 48), to establish a foundational understanding of their chromosomal diversity and distribution patterns. We document substantial intraspecific karyotypic variation in diploid L. lophophorum, with preliminary associations to altitude, and provide the first chromosomal characterization of tetraploid
L. nanum
. Ecological niche modeling under future climate scenarios predicts upward range shifts for both species, with the tetraploid exhibiting greater potential for habitat expansion. The distribution patterns, combined with the dwarf phenotype of
L. nanum
, support the hypothesis that polyploidy may enhance resilience in extreme high‐altitude environments. However, the limited sample size warrants interpreting these results as hypothesis‐generating rather than demonstrating adaptive superiority. This work offers a theoretical framework for further study, highlighting the need for broader taxonomic and geographic sampling and genomic analyses to test the link between polyploidy and environmental adaptability. These insights also inform conservation planning by emphasizing the protection of high‐altitude refugia under climate change.

This study integrates cytogenetic and ecological analyses of two endemic Chinese alpine lilies, Lilium lophophorum (2n = 24) and
L. nanum
(2n = 48), to establish a foundational understanding of their chromosomal diversity and distribution patterns. We document substantial intraspecific karyotypic variation in diploid L. lophophorum, with preliminary associations to altitude, and provide the first chromosomal characterization of tetraploid
L. nanum
. Ecological niche modeling under future climate scenarios predicts upward range shifts for both species, with the tetraploid exhibiting greater potential for habitat expansion. The distribution patterns, combined with the dwarf phenotype of
L. nanum
, supports the hypothesis that polyploidy may enhance resilience in extreme high‐altitude environments. However, the limited sample size warrants interpreting these results as hypothesis‐generating rather than demonstrating adaptive superiority. This work offers a theoretical framework for further study, highlighting the need for broader taxonomic and geographic sampling and genomic analyses to test the link between polyploidy and environmental adaptability. These insights also inform conservation planning by emphasizing the protection of high‐altitude refugia under climate change.