Diversity and evolution of Amazonian birds: implications for conservation and biogeography

Abstract

Amazonia has been a focus of interest since the early days of biogeography as an intrinsically complex and extremely diverse region. This region comprises an intricate mosaic that includes diverse types of forest formations, flooded environments and open vegetation. Increased knowledge about the distribution of species in Amazonia has led to the recognition of complex biogeographic patterns. The confrontation of these biogeographic patterns with information on the geological and climatic history of the region has generated several hypotheses dedicated to explain the origin of the biological diversity. genomic information, coupled with knowledge of earth's history, especially the evolution of the Amazonian landscape, presents fascinating possibilities for understanding the mechanisms that govern the origin and maintenance of diversity patterns in one of the most diverse regions of the world. For this we will increasingly need more intense and coordinated interactions between researchers studying biotic diversification and the evolution of landscapes. From the interaction between these two fields of knowledge that are in full development, an increasingly detailed understanding of the historical mechanisms related to the origin of the species will surely arise.

The challenges and potential of geogenomics for biogeography and conservation in Amazonia

“…Amazonian habitats may be roughly divided into non‐flooded or seasonally flooded (Figure 1) and into open‐canopy or closed‐canopy (Ribas & Aleixo, 2019). Different assemblages of species are associated with each habitat type (Laranjeiras et al, 2021; Oliveira‐Filho et al, 2021).…”

Recent population differentiation in the habitat specialist Glossy Antshrike (Aves: Thamnophilidae) across Amazonian seasonally flooded forests

“…Given this instability, species‐specific responses to such changes, often mediated by ecological traits, are expected, which do seem to have occurred during the diversification of Amazonian birds (Bicudo et al., 2019 ; Choueri et al., 2017 ; Silva et al., 2019 ; Thom et al., 2018 , 2020 ). Therefore, more informed descriptions of the ecological and taxonomic diversity of organisms and of the processes maintaining biotic communities within Amazonian lowland forested ecosystems are still needed to fully disclose the effects of the significant topographic, geologic, and climatic changes occurring during the Quaternary (Bicudo et al., 2019 ; Cheng et al., 2013 ; Pupim et al., 2019 ; Ribas & Aleixo, 2019 ).…”

Caracterização de depósitos fluviais de grandes e pequenos rios no Quaternário da Amazônia: Terraços de terra firme no Médio Rio Solimões, Amazonas (AM) e a formação Boa Vista, Roraima (RR)

“…A precariedade dos critérios de distinção entre os depósitos de grandes e pequenos rios tem grandes implicações em reconstituições paleogeográficas, e em especial na região Amazônica, onde rios de grande porte atuam como barreiras biogeográficas cuja evolução no Neógeno é fundamental para se compreenderem a distribuição de espécies e a evolução da biodiversidade (Ribas et al, 2011;Aleixo, 2019;Pupim et al, 2019). Adicionalmente, modelos paleogeográficos de escala regional a continental dependem em grande parte de documentação concreta da presença, posição e direção dos grandes sistemas de drenagem ao longo da evolução da Amazônia (Rossetti;Toledo;Góes, 2005;Campbell Jr.;Romero-Pittman, 2006;Figueiredo et al, 2009;Irion et al, 2009;Hoorn et al, 2010;Kalliola, 2010;Latrubesse et al, 2010;Wilkinson et al, 2010;Horbe et al, 2013;Silveira;Guimarães, 2013;Rossetti;Cremon, 2014).…”

“…Adicionalmente, modelos paleogeográficos de escala regional a continental dependem em grande parte de documentação concreta da presença, posição e direção dos grandes sistemas de drenagem ao longo da evolução da Amazônia (Rossetti;Toledo;Góes, 2005;Campbell Jr.;Romero-Pittman, 2006;Figueiredo et al, 2009;Irion et al, 2009;Hoorn et al, 2010;Kalliola, 2010;Latrubesse et al, 2010;Wilkinson et al, 2010;Horbe et al, 2013;Silveira;Guimarães, 2013;Rossetti;Cremon, 2014). Em particular, modelos paleogeográficos que consideram diferentes configurações das grandes bacias de drenagem no passado (Hoorn et al, 2010(Hoorn et al, , 2017Ribas et al, 2011;Aleixo, 2019) têm grande influência na formulação de hipóteses e na interpretação de dados em biologia evolutiva, paleontologia, paleo-oceanografia e paleoclima em escalas regional e continental.…”