The global abundance of tree palms DOI Creative Commons
Robert Muscarella, Thaíse Emilio, Oliver L. Phillips

et al.

Global Ecology and Biogeography, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 29(9), P. 1495 - 1514

Published: July 8, 2020

Abstract Aim Palms are an iconic, diverse and often abundant component of tropical ecosystems that provide many ecosystem services. Being monocots, tree palms evolutionarily, morphologically physiologically distinct from other trees, these differences have important consequences for services (e.g., carbon sequestration storage) in terms responses to climate change. We quantified global patterns palm relative abundance help improve understanding forests reduce uncertainty about under Location Tropical subtropical moist forests. Time period Current. Major taxa studied (Arecaceae). Methods assembled a pantropical dataset 2,548 forest plots (covering 1,191 ha) (i.e., ≥10 cm diameter at breast height) co‐occurring non‐palm trees. compared the across biogeographical realms tested associations with palaeoclimate stability, current climate, edaphic conditions metrics structure. Results On average, was more than five times larger between Neotropical locations realms. Tree were absent most outside Neotropics but present >80% locations. The strongly associated local higher mean annual precipitation, lower soil fertility, shallower water table plot wood density) long‐term stability. Life‐form diversity also influenced patterns; assemblages comprise non‐tree climbing) palms. Finally, we show can influence estimates above‐ground biomass, magnitude direction effect require additional work. Conclusions not only quintessentially tropical, they overwhelmingly Neotropical. Future work understand contributions biomass cycling will be particularly crucial

Language: Английский

Geological and climatic influences on mountain biodiversity DOI
Alexandre Antonelli,

W. Daniel Kissling,

Suzette G. A. Flantua

et al.

Nature Geoscience, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 11(10), P. 718 - 725

Published: Sept. 25, 2018

Language: Английский

Citations

561

Bioclimatic and physical characterization of the world’s islands DOI Open Access
Patrick Weigelt, Walter Jetz, Holger Kreft

et al.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: 110(38), P. 15307 - 15312

Published: Sept. 3, 2013

The Earth’s islands harbor a distinct, yet highly threatened, biological and cultural diversity that has been shaped by geographic isolation unique environments. Island systems are key natural laboratories for testing theory in ecology evolution. However, despite their potential usefulness research, quantitative description of island environments an environmental classification still lacking. Here, we prepare standardized dataset perform comprehensive global characterization 17,883 the world’s marine >1 km 2 (∼98% total area). We consider area, temperature, precipitation, seasonality temperature past climate change velocity, elevation, isolation, connectivity—key characteristics drivers ecosystem processes. find significantly cooler, wetter, less seasonal than mainlands. Constrained limited they show elevational heterogeneity. Wet temperate climates more prevalent on islands, whereas desert comparatively rare. use ordination clustering to characterize multidimensional space delimit ecoregions, which provides insights into configuration islands. Combining together with data common framework opens up avenues integrative biogeography, macroecology, conservation. To showcase possible applications presented data, predict vascular plant species richness all based statistically derived environment–richness relationships.

Language: Английский

Citations

288

Neotropical Plant Evolution: Assembling the Big Picture DOI
Colin E. Hughes, R. Toby Pennington, Alexandre Antonelli

et al.

Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 171(1), P. 1 - 18

Published: Dec. 14, 2012

This paper and this issue attempt to address how, when why the phenomenal c. 100,000 species of seed plants in tropical America (the Neotropics) arose. It is increasingly clear that an approach focusing on individual major biomes rather than a single aggregate view useful because evidence for differing diversification histories among biomes. Phylogenetic suggests Neotropical-scale patterns are structured more ecologically geographically, with key role phylogenetic niche or biome conservatism. Lower geographical structure reflects fact long-distance dispersal, inferred from dated trees, has overcome many supposed dispersal barriers. Overall, high rates turnover as palaeontological molecular data have been hallmark plant evolutionary dynamics Neotropics throughout Cenozoic, most extant diversity post-dating Mid- Late Miocene, perhaps reflecting conjunction both global climatic changes geological upheavals such Neogene uplift Andes. Future studies Neotropical will be facilitated by taxonomically genetically better sampled analyses, their integration palaeontological, ecological data, improved methods estimate biogeographic history at different spatial temporal scales. biome-focused approaches would benefit greatly delimitation mapping

Language: Английский

Citations

287

The Influence of Paleoclimate on Present-Day Patterns in Biodiversity and Ecosystems DOI
Jens‐Christian Svenning, Wolf L. Eiserhardt, Signe Normand

et al.

Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 46(1), P. 551 - 572

Published: Oct. 30, 2015

Earth's climate has experienced strong changes on timescales ranging from decades to millions of years. As biodiversity evolved under these circumstances, dependence dynamics is expected. In this review, we assess the current state knowledge paleoclimatic legacies in and ecosystem patterns. Paleoclimate had impacts past dynamics, driving range shifts extinctions as well diversification. We outline theory for how may have left contemporary patterns review empirical evidence. report ample evidence that Quaternary glacial–interglacial change affects species distributions diversity across a broad organisms regions. also emerging paleoclimate effects phylogenetic functional functioning deeper-time conditions. Finally, discuss implications Anthropocene ecology an agenda improve our understanding paleoclimate's role shaping ecosystems.

Language: Английский

Citations

279

The latitudinal species richness gradient in New World woody angiosperms is consistent with the tropical conservatism hypothesis DOI Open Access
Andrew J. Kerkhoff,

Pamela E. Moriarty,

Michael D. Weiser

et al.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 111(22), P. 8125 - 8130

Published: May 20, 2014

Significance The diversity of living things generally peaks in the tropics and declines toward poles. This “latitudinal gradient” is Earth’s most prevalent biogeographic pattern, but biologists do not agree about its cause. Here, we use geographic evolutionary data for over 12,500 species woody flowering plants to test “tropical conservatism hypothesis,” which attributes phenomenal tropical environments their large extent past 55 million years (My) environmental tolerances. As predicted, find that transitions between temperate are quite rare history lineages originated as Earth cooled 34 My. Thus, correlation climate reflects plants’ history.

Language: Английский

Citations

250

PhyloMeasures: a package for computing phylogenetic biodiversity measures and their statistical moments DOI Open Access
Constantinos Tsirogiannis, Brody Sandel

Ecography, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 39(7), P. 709 - 714

Published: July 31, 2015

We present PhyloMeasures, a new software package including both C++ and R version, that provides very fast computation of popular phylogenetic diversity measures. PhyloMeasures introduces two major advances over existing methods. First, it uses efficient algorithms for calculating basic metrics (such as Faith's PD the mean pairwise distance, MPD) two‐sample measures common branch length, CBL, unique fraction) are designed to perform well even on large trees. Second, computes exact richness‐standardised versions these widely used net relatedness index, NRI) by efficiently evaluating analytical expressions variance measures, rather than slow inexact randomization techniques current standard. Together, lead massive improvements in performance compared state art. For example, running standard laptop, functions can provide NRI 20 samples from tree 100 000 tips about 1.5 s, an estimated 37 d using resampling approaches. This will allow analyses larger data sets were previously possible.

Language: Английский

Citations

199

Tectonics, climate and the diversification of the tropical African terrestrial flora and fauna DOI Creative Commons
Thomas L. P. Couvreur, Gilles Dauby, Anne Blach‐Overgaard

et al.

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 96(1), P. 16 - 51

Published: Sept. 13, 2020

ABSTRACT Tropical Africa is home to an astonishing biodiversity occurring in a variety of ecosystems. Past climatic change and geological events have impacted the evolution diversification this biodiversity. During last two decades, around 90 dated molecular phylogenies different clades across animals plants been published leading increased understanding speciation processes generating tropical African In parallel, extended palaeoclimatic records together with detailed numerical simulations refined our past changes Africa. To date, these important advances not reviewed within common framework. Here, we critically review synthesize climate, tectonics terrestrial throughout Cenozoic mid‐Pleistocene, drawing on recent Earth life sciences. We first six major geo‐climatic periods defining by synthesizing 89 phylogeny studies. Two factors impacting sub‐Saharan biota are highlighted. First, underwent numerous fluctuations at ancient more timescales, tectonic, greenhouse gas, orbital forcing stimulating diversification. Second, aridification since Late Eocene led extinction events, but also provided unique opportunities shaping current landscape. then studies animal plant discuss three models speciation: ( i ) geographic via vicariance (allopatry); ii ecological climate changes, iii genomic genome duplication. Geographic has most widely documented date model conclude four challenges faced research: increase knowledge gathering basic fundamental information; improve modelling geophysical better constraints downscaling approaches; precision phylogenetic reconstruction dating using next generation sequencing approaches fossil calibrations; iv finally, as done here, integrate data from sciences focusing interdisciplinary study wider geodiversity context.

Language: Английский

Citations

193

The changing course of the Amazon River in the Neogene: center stage for Neotropical diversification DOI Creative Commons
James S. Albert, Pedro Val, Carina Hoorn

et al.

Neotropical Ichthyology, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 16(3)

Published: Jan. 1, 2018

ABSTRACT We review geological evidence on the origin of modern transcontinental Amazon River, and paleogeographic history riverine connections among principal sedimentary basins northern South America through Neogene. Data are reviewed from new geochronological datasets using radiogenic stable isotopes, traditional methods, including sedimentology, structural mapping, sonic seismic logging, biostratigraphy. The River continental-scale drainage basin were assembled during late Miocene Pliocene, via some largest purported river capture events in Earth history. Andean sediments first recorded Fan at about 10.1-9.4 Ma, with a large increase sedimentation 4.5 Ma. therefore formed over period 4.9-5.6 million years, by means several events. origins hypothesized to be linked that mega-wetland landscapes tropical (e.g. várzeas, pantanals, seasonally flooded savannahs). Mega-wetlands have persisted 10% under different configurations for >15 years. Although reconstructions presented simplistic coarse-grained, they offered inspire collection analysis sedimentological datasets.

Language: Английский

Citations

175

Precipitation is the main axis of tropical plant phylogenetic turnover across space and time DOI Creative Commons
Jens J. Ringelberg, Erik J. M. Koenen,

Benjamin Sauter

et al.

Science Advances, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 9(7)

Published: Feb. 17, 2023

Early natural historians—Comte de Buffon, von Humboldt, and De Candolle—established environment geography as two principal axes determining the distribution of groups organisms, laying foundations for biogeography over subsequent 200 years, yet relative importance these remains unresolved. Leveraging phylogenomic global species data Mimosoid legumes, a pantropical plant clade c. 3500 species, we show that water availability gradient from deserts to rain forests dictates turnover lineages within continents across tropics. We demonstrate 95% speciation occurs precipitation niche, showing profound phylogenetic niche conservatism, lineage boundaries coincide with isohyets precipitation. reveal similar patterns on different continents, implying evolution dispersal follow universal processes.

Language: Английский

Citations

48

Global biogeography and diversification of palms sheds light on the evolution of tropical lineages. I. Historical biogeography DOI
William J. Baker, Thomas L. P. Couvreur

Journal of Biogeography, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 40(2), P. 274 - 285

Published: Oct. 5, 2012

Abstract Aim Palms (Arecaceae/Palmae) are a model group for evolutionary studies in the tropics. Family‐wide data on taxonomy, phylogenetics and distribution now available, but general framework of palm evolution is still lacking. The overall aim this study, published two companion papers, to seek explanations geographical lineages species diversity patterns at global regional levels. In first paper we undertake detailed analysis biogeography all major context, comparing our results fossil record, molecular dating previously established biogeographical hypotheses family. Location Global. Methods A dated phylogeny genera distributional were used infer ancestral areas. area tropical was formulated areas reconstructed using maximum likelihood approach under dispersal–extinction–cladogenesis model. Results crown node divergence palms divergences five subfamilies occurred before end Cretaceous within Laurasian regions. Early range expansions into South America took place stem Arecoideae Ceroxyloideae, Africa subfamily Calamoideae. largest underwent its early diversification history has been an important source expanding other regions, notably Indo‐Pacific tribe Areceae. contrast, Coryphoideae primarily Laurasian, supporting earlier boreotropical group. Dispersals across Wallace's Line prevalent groups Arecoideae, Calamoideae Coryphoideae, both after Miocene geological Malesian Archipelago. Main conclusions We present robust hypothesis space time. Although show evidence dispersal limitation, findings highlight role long‐distance events establishment clades. This consistent with growing as mechanism underpinning lineages.

Language: Английский

Citations

194