Evolutionary arena of ancient Eastern South American mountains: the role of extrinsic and intrinsic factors in the assembly of Campos Rupestres

• Grant number: 23/16170-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2024
• Effective date (End): June 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Phytogeography
• Principal Investigator: Leonardo Maurici Borges
• Grantee: Yago Barros de Souza
• Supervisor: Renske Onstein
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Netherlands
• Associated to the scholarship: 21/13031-8 - Spatial patterns of morphological and lineage diversity: how have space, time, and form shaped a megadiverse flora?, BP.DR

Abstract

Mountains comprise some of the most diverse floras in the world. Because of their insular nature, they offer a wide range of ecological opportunities that may lead to key innovations followed by lineage diversification. This is particularly the case in the Campos Rupestres, a vegetation complex located in ancient mountains of Eastern South America. Although different evolutionary processes shaped the Campos Rupestres flora, its evolutionary history remains elusive due to lack of knowledge on spatial and morphological patterns. Here we propose to investigate the role of abiotic opportunities, biotic interactions and morphological traits in the evolution of the Campos Rupestres. Based on previous hypotheses for diversification of this vegetation complex, we propose that a confluence between abiotic factors and clade-specific traits have driven changes in diversification rates. To test this hypothesis, we will use occurrence, phylogenetic, morphological and environmental data for 5 plant groups highly represented in the Campos Rupestres and in their surrounding vegetation. With these data, we will apply an integrative approach to test the influence of abiotic, biotic and clade-specific factors on diversification rates. By addressing the spatial, ecological, and morphological components of diversity patterns in Campos Rupestres we expect to understand the specific evolutionary dynamics that have shaped one of the world's most endemic and diverse floras.