The main, continuous mountain range of the European Alpine System (i.e., the Alps) hosts a diversified pool of species whose evolution has long been investigated. The legacy of past climate changes on the distribution of high-elevation plants as well as taxa differentially adapted to the mosaic of edaphic conditions (i.e., surmised ecotypes on calcareous, siliceous, serpentine bedrocks) and the origin of new species are here discussed based on available evidence from endemic taxa across the Alps. The integration of main spatial and ecological patterns within and among species supports speciation driven by spatial isolation in main glacial refugia where plant populations survived during cold phases and hindered by intense gene flow along main expansion pathways during warm phases. Despite patterns of genetic differentiation matching environmental heterogeneity, processes underlying the dynamics of distribution ranges likely promoted recurrent homogenization of incipient divergence and generally hindered the completion of speciation (except for cases of hybrid speciation). Even intense selective pressures on toxic bedrocks such as serpentine seemingly fail to support the completion of speciation. Accordingly, typical scenarios of ecological speciation whereby local adaptation to environmental heterogeneity initiates and supports long-term reduction of gene flow may rarely be at the origin of stable species in the Alps. Although consistent with neutral processes whereby spatial isolation driven by past climate changes promoted reproductive isolation and yielded limited diversification, mechanisms at the origin of new species across heterogeneous landscapes of the Alps remain insufficiently known. Necessary advances to reliably understand the evolution of biodiversity in the Alps and identify possible museums or cradles of variation in face of climate changes are discussed.

欧洲高山系统（即阿尔卑斯山）的主要、连续山脉拥有多样化的物种库，其进化长期以来一直被研究。过去气候变化对高海拔植物分布以及适应土壤条件马赛克的分类群（即，钙质、硅质、蛇纹岩基岩上推测的生态型）的影响以及新物种的起源在此讨论基于来自整个阿尔卑斯山地方性分类群的现有证据。物种内部和物种之间主要空间和生态模式的整合支持了主要冰川避难所中空间隔离驱动的物种形成，其中植物种群在寒冷阶段幸存下来，并受到温暖阶段沿主要扩张途径的强烈基因流动的阻碍。尽管遗传分化模式与环境异质性相匹配，但分布范围动态背后的过程可能促进了初期分化的反复同质化，并通常阻碍了物种形成的完成（杂交物种形成的情况除外）。即使对蛇纹石等有毒基岩的强烈选择压力似乎也无法支持物种形成的完成。因此，生态物种形成的典型场景，即当地对环境异质性的适应启动并支持基因流的长期减少，可能很少是阿尔卑斯山稳定物种的起源。虽然与过去气候变化驱动的空间隔离促进生殖隔离并产生有限的多样化的中性过程一致，阿尔卑斯山异质景观中新物种起源的机制仍然知之甚少。讨论了可靠地了解阿尔卑斯山生物多样性演变和确定可能的博物馆或面对气候变化的变异摇篮的必要进展。