| Grant number: | 05/52727-5 |
| Support Opportunities: | Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants |
| Start date: | December 01, 2005 |
| End date: | January 31, 2011 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Genetics |
| Principal Investigator: | João Miguel de Barros Alexandrino |
| Grantee: | João Miguel de Barros Alexandrino |
| Host Institution: | Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Rio Claro. Rio Claro , SP, Brazil |
| City of the host institution: | Rio Claro |
Abstract
The understanding of the processes underlying patterns of biological diversity is fundamental for long-term conservation of ever-evolving biodiversity. It can theoretically be achieved with molecular studies of wild populations that seek to reveal biogeographical histories of species i.e. phylogeography. Such studies have usually confirmed theoretical predictions that species' biogeographical histories have been impacted in the quaternary by dramatic climatic fluctuations. While there are now excellent reviews about the evolutionary processes that have determined diversity in temperate North America and Europe and, to a much lesser extent, tropical Australia, Africa and South America, much remains unknown about the neotropics. The Brazilian Atlantic forest is a mega diversity hotspot but little is known about the evolutionary processes that led to this extraordinarily diverse ecosystem. Phylogeographical studies are only now emerging and will be essential in unveiling the evolutionary history of tax in one of the most threatened biomes in the world. We here propose a phylogeographical study of six anuran species widely distributed in the Brazilian Atlantic forest. By using amphibians as model organisms: 1) we will collect and compare mitochondrial and nuclear DNA data, morphological and call data from multiple populations of forest-associated amphibian species; and 2) we will use the tools of comparative phylogeography and phylogenetic combined with paleoclimate modeling to study patterns of biological diversity and to test hypotheses about their causal processes in the poorly known Brazilian Atlantic forest. We will specifically examine if species' geographies followed the fluctuations in the habitats of the Atlantic forest throughout the quaternary and to which extent will our findings fit with current hypotheses of Pleistocene refuge. The knowledge of amphibian evolutionary history in the Brazilian Atlantic forest will inform decision making about setting up prioritary areas for long-term conservation. (AU)
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