Transitions between biomes are common and directional in Bombacoideae (Malvaceae)

Abstract

Aim:To quantify evolutionary transitions between tropical evergreen rain forest and seasonally dry biomes, to test whether biome transitions affect lineage diversification and to examine the robustness of these results to methodological choices.Location: The tropics. Time period: The Cenozoic.Major taxa studied: The plant subfamily Bombacoideae (Malvaceae). Methods:We inferred ancestral biomes based on a fossil-dated molecular phylogeny of 103 species (59% of the clade) and recorded the number of transitions among biomes using biogeographical stochastic mapping based on the dispersal-extinctioncladogenesis model. We then estimated diversification rates using state-specific speciation and extinction rate (SSE) methods. Furthermore, we tested the sensitivity of the results to model choice, phylogenetic uncertainty, measurement error and biome definition. Results:We found numerous transitions from evergreen rain forest to seasonally dry biomes, and fewer in the opposite direction. These results were robust to methodological choices. Biome type did not influence diversification rates, although this result was subject to uncertainty, especially related to model choice and biome definition. Main conclusions:Our results contradict the idea of evolutionary biome conservatism in Bombacoideae, and support previous findings that evergreen rain forests serve as a source for the flora of seasonally dry biomes. The impact of biome classification and biome definition on the results suggest caution when using a biome concept for biogeographical reconstruction and diversification rate analysis. K E Y W O R D S biome connectivity, biome shift, diversification, rain forest, seasonality, seasonally dry biomes, tropical biodiversity | 1311 ZIZKA et Al. Jefferson G. Carvalho-Sobrinho https://orcid. org/0000-0003-3605-0707 R. Toby Pennington

Dynamism and context‐dependency in diversification of the megadiverse plant genusSolanum(Solanaceae)

“…This corresponds to the finding of Crisp et al (2009) that dispersals to arid or semi‐arid biomes from similar biomes are the most frequent transitions; they suggest that biome conservatism is prevalent in the radiation of plant lineages (e.g., Pennington et al, 2009). This contrasts with the pattern found by Zizka et al (2020) where transitions from wet to dry biomes were prevalent. Shifts to new areas and/or types of habitat can lead to significant diversification, and analysis of traits will be key to understanding of the different patterns found in plant lineages.…”

Phylogeny and biogeography of Ceiba Mill. (Malvaceae, Bombacoideae)

“…Our results echo previous studies showing the importance of dispersal in the assembly of tropical forests, which might be more frequent in rain forests (Dexter et al 2017, Honorio Coronado et al 2019 than in dry forests (Lavin et al 2004, Pennington and Lavin 2016, Dick and Pennington 2019. Furthermore, biomes shifts from dry to rain forests have been reported for Bombacoideae, although less common than in the opposite direction (Zizka et al 2020). Although the geographic and ecological structure in Ceiba is in line with other lineages, it is important to note the low support values between (1) the SDTF South American clade and the clade containing the SDTF Central…”

Systematics, Phytochemistry, Biological Activities and Health Promoting Effects of the Plants from the Subfamily Bombacoideae (Family Malvaceae)

“…Bombacoideae occupies different habitats in various parts of the world ( Figure 3 ) [ 11 ]. Adansonia digitata is confined to semi-arid, stony, hot, dry, and woodland areas, with low rainfall.…”

“…Some species are part of mangrove vegetation in the tropical regions, for example, Pachira aquatica, Camptostemon philippinense , et cetera. The majority of the species in Bombacoideae prefer rain forest biome and seasonally dry biomes [ 11 ]. Several representative plant species belonging to the subfamily Bombacoideae grow in different habitats.…”