Phylogenetic biogeography of the endemic cactus genus Cipocereus Ritter in the Southern Espinhaço Range

• Grant number: 24/18785-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Plant Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Evandro Marsola de Moraes
• Grantee: Maria Julia de Campos
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Humanas e Biológicas (CCHB). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Sorocaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The campo rupestre of the Espinhaço Range are globally recognized for their exceptional biological diversity and high levels of floral endemism. Previous studies have suggested that environmental heterogeneity, geographic isolation, and the evolutionary and demographic histories of species are key drivers of this diversity and endemism. However, the evolutionary histories of many endemic taxa within these grasslands remain underexplored, limiting our ability to test diversification hypotheses. The cactus genus Cipocereus Ritter, endemic to the southern Espinhaço Range, comprises five species that exhibit distinctive ecological and morphological traits. These species occupy specific and discontinuous habitats, characterized by varied substrate preferences and associations with other vegetation types. Recent phylogenetic studies employing genomic data have clarified the relationships between Cipocereus and its closest relatives, confirming the monophyly of the genus and its close relationship with a clade within the genus Cereus. Nonetheless, the biogeographic processes responsible for shaping the current distribution and diversification of Cipocereus species remain unknown. This project seeks to reconstruct the biogeographic history of Cipocereus within the biodiversity-rich campo rupestre. The specific aims include estimating the timing of diversification events, inferring ancestral areas, and identifying the biogeographic processes that have influenced the current distributions of the species. The hypothesis that diversification was initiated by a shift from sandy to rocky substrates will also be tested. Genomic data have already been generated and will be utilized for phylogenetic and biogeographic analyses, integrating phylogenetic relationships with geographic data to elucidate the historical trajectories of Cipocereus lineages. By elucidating the evolutionary and biogeographic processes that have shaped the diversity of Cipocereus, this project will contribute to a deeper understanding of the flora in the campo rupestre and provide a scientific basis for conservation efforts in this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Ultimately, this research will advance our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics that have structured one of the most unique Brazilian ecosystems, highlighting the importance of integrating genomic and biogeographic approaches in plant diversification and endemism studies.