Abstract Detail

Biogeography

Moonlight, Peter [1], Oatley, Graeme [2], Cardoso, Domingos [3], Sarkinen, Tiina [4], de Queiroz, Luciano [5], Down, Jonathan [6], Howard-Miller, Rob [7], Rickenbach, Jess [7], dos Santos Moreira, Ariane [8], Fernandes, Moabe [6], Pezzini, Flavia [7], Pennington, Toby [7].

Contrasting diversification histories within the Caatinga seasonally dry tropical forest biodiversity hotspot.

The Neotropical region is the most plant species rich area on earth. The relative importance of recent versus ancient speciation in the development of neotropical floras remains highly debated. Limited evidence suggests that the prevalence of ancient versus recent speciation differs between biomes, with recent speciation predominant in humid biomes and ancient speciation more common in Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTFs). To test this hypothesis, we investigated the assembly of plant diversity in the Brazilian Caatinga, the largest and most species-rich area of SDTF in the Americas. We demonstrate that eighteen species in seven Caatinga lineages have a range of diversification histories, encompassing both recent and ancient speciation. Our findings challenge the theory that species’ diversification histories are consistent within biomes across the Neotropics and instead suggest that they may be driven by lineage-specific characteristics or geographic and ecological factors on a regional scale.

1 - Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, Tropical Biodiversity, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH5 1EU, UK
2 - University of Exeter, Geography, Exeter, UK
3 - Rua Barão De Jeremoabo, S/n, UFBA, Ondina, Instituto De Biologia, Salvador, Bahia, BA, 40170-115, Brazil
4 - Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Tropical Diversity, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR, UK
5 - Departamento De Ciências Biológicas, Herbário, Av. Transnordestina S/n, Novo Horizonte, Feira De Santana, BA, 44036-900, Brazil
6 - University of Exeter, Geography, UK
7 - Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh, Tropical Biodiversity, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH5 1EU, United Kingdom
8 - Universidade de Feira de Santana, Biologia, Brazil

Keywords:
Caatinga
biogeography
Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests
Euphorbiaceae
Legumes
Burseraceae
Malvaceae
Bombacoideae
diversification.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: BIOGIII, BIOGEOGRAPHY III
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Wednesday, July 21st, 2021
Time: 4:15 PM(EDT)
Number: BIOGIII006
Abstract ID:1105
Candidate for Awards:None