The Great Wall of China didn’t help all that much in protecting against the Mongols, but it seems to have a definite effect on plants. A new study in Nature indicates that plants that rely on wind-borne pollin are more genetically diverse on either side of the wall than normal. (Insect-pollinated plants show no such distinction.) Scientists have found similar diversity where mountains or glaciers are involved, but not before with a man-made structure.
Just thought it was interesting.
(via Ghost of a Flea)
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Just for sake of accuracy the study was in Heredity not Nature. Nature Science News reports things outside of their journal.
Another example of speciation that is caused by man-made structures is the Ae. Egyptii mosquito. It is (sub?)speciating to take advantage of man-made pools (e.g. tires) for year-round breeding. This is really bad news with respect to the fight against Malaria and Denge Fever.