Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
P. De Wet van der Merwe, Fenton P. D. Cotterill, Martha Kandziora, Brian R. Watters, Bela Nagy, Tyrone Genade, Tyrel J. Flugel, David S. Svendsen, Dirk U. Bellstedt
Summary: This paper presents a phylogeny of African killifishes, revealing the origin, radiations, ancestral areas, and the relationship with the East African Rift System of the genus Nothobranchius. The study demonstrates that the evolution of Nothobranchius is closely related to tectonic activities and shows a coevolutionary relationship with wetlands.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jean-Yves Dubuisson, Adele Nivart, Ehoarn Bidault, Vincent Deblauwe, Vincent Droissart, Narcisse G. Kamdem, Germinal Rouhan, Atsushi Ebihara, Timothee le Pechon
Summary: The diversity of the fern genus Didymoglossum in Africa is not high, with at most seven species. However, there is still a strong debate about its local taxonomy, particularly regarding the Didymoglossum erosum complex. Our study uses anatomical, morphological, and molecular analyses to support the recognition of all seven species and propose new characters and a key to distinguish them. We also discuss the biogeographic history of the genus in Africa based on divergence time estimation and ancestral geographic area reconstruction.
JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ignacio Quintero, Michael J. Landis, Walter Jetz, Helene Morlon
Summary: The difference in species abundance between the tropics and the extra tropics is a major pattern in biogeography. Understanding the processes that regulate this diversity gradient is a challenge. By using spatiotemporal phylogenetic and paleontological models, we found that both extinctions in the extra tropics and outflow of tropical species contribute to shaping biodiversity. These dynamics accurately predict present-day levels of species richness across latitudes.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Biology
Xiao-Qian Li, Xiao-Guo Xiang, Qiang Zhang, Florian Jabbour, Rosa del C. Ortiz, Andrey S. Erst, Zhen-Yu Li, Wei Wang
Summary: This study investigates the immigration dynamics of tropical and subtropical Southeast Asian karst floras using Gesneriaceae as a proxy. The study reveals the timing and locations of immigration into these regions, with peak periods occurring in the Early Miocene and Late Eocene. The research also highlights the presence of immigrant pre-adapted lineages and descendants from local acid soil ancestors in Southeast Asian karst biodiversity. This study advances our understanding of the historical assembly of Southeast Asian karst floras.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alexander R. Groos, Naki Akcar, Serdar Yesilyurt, Georg Miehe, Christof Vockenhuber, Heinz Veit
Summary: There are regional differences in the timing and extent of past glaciations in Africa, indicating a varying influence of precipitation, temperature, and orography on paleoglacier dynamics in East Africa.
Article
Microbiology
Clifton P. Bueno de Mesquita, Lauren M. Nichols, Matthew J. Gebert, Caihong Vanderburgh, Gaelle Bocksberger, Jack D. Lester, Ammie K. Kalan, Paula Dieguez, Maureen S. McCarthy, Anthony Agbor, Paula Alvarez Varona, Ayuk Emmanuel Ayimisin, Mattia Bessone, Rebecca Chancellor, Heather Cohen, Charlotte Coupland, Tobias Deschner, Villard Ebot Egbe, Annemarie Goedmakers, Anne-Celine Granjon, Cyril C. Grueter, Josephine Head, R. Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar, Kathryn J. Jeffery, Sorrel Jones, Parag Kadam, Michael Kaiser, Juan Lapuente, Bradley Larson, Sergio Marrocoli, David Morgan, Badru Mugerwa, Felix Mulindahabi, Emily Neil, Protais Niyigaba, Liliana Pacheco, Alex K. Piel, Martha M. Robbins, Aaron Rundus, Crickette M. Sanz, Lilah Sciaky, Douglas Sheil, Volker Sommer, Fiona A. Stewart, Els Ton, Joost van Schijndel, Virginie Vergnes, Erin G. Wessling, Roman M. Wittig, Yisa Ginath Yuh, Kyle Yurkiw, Klaus Zuberbuehler, Jan F. Gogarten, Anna Heintz-Buschart, Alexandra N. Muellner-Riehl, Christophe Boesch, Hjalmar S. Kuehl, Noah Fierer, Mimi Arandjelovic, Robert R. Dunn
Summary: This study on wild chimpanzees' gut microbiomes reveals a high degree of regional specificity in microbiome composition, linked to host genetics, available plant foods, and potentially cultural differences in diet influenced by tool use. Genetic differences primarily shaped community composition at large scales, while vegetation and potentially tool use were key factors driving within-region differences.
Review
Plant Sciences
Shenglan Du, Miaoxuan Wang, Neng Wei, Geoffrey Mwachala, Guangwan Hu, Lin Wu, Shengwei Wang, Qingfeng Wang
Summary: Tropical East Africa is a significant biodiversity hotspot with a rich flora diversity. This study has compiled new taxa and records of vascular plants in TEA from 1952 to 2022, identifying 444 new and newly recorded species. These taxa are mainly endemic to TEA, with 94.59% being found exclusively in this region.
Article
Biology
Daniel Gorczynski, Chia Hsieh, Jadelys Tonos Luciano, Jorge Ahumada, Santiago Espinosa, Steig Johnson, Francesco Rovero, Fernanda Santos, Mahandry Hugues Andrianarisoa, Johanna Hurtado Astaiza, Patrick A. Jansen, Charles Kayijamahe, Marcela Guimaraes Moreira Lima, Julia Salvador, Lydia Beaudrot
Summary: This study utilizes the TEAM Network to assess the functional diversity of tropical mammal communities using camera trap data. It reveals a significant positive correlation between functional dispersion and primary productivity, indicating that unique functional traits may be more beneficial in productive ecosystems. Additionally, human-induced local extinctions have a negative impact on functional richness in tropical mammal communities.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Lian Lian, Huan-Wen Peng, Rosa Del C. Ortiz, Florian Jabbour, Tian-Gang Gao, Andrey S. Erst, Zhi-Duan Chen, Wei Wang
Summary: This study used Tiliacoreae to investigate the biogeographical relationships of tropical rainforests, and found that Tiliacoreae show significant distribution in the Neotropics, Afrotropics, and Indo-Malesian/Australasian areas. The study also highlighted the important roles of sea-level fluctuations and climate changes in shaping the distribution and endemism of Tiliacoreae throughout the Cenozoic.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Peng Zhou, Ji-Hong Li, Yi-Zhen Liu, Zi-Wei Zhu, Yan Luo, Xiao-Guo Xiang
Summary: Species richness in tropical floras is spatially heterogeneous. The reasons behind this unevenness are still debated. This study focuses on the Collabieae tribe (Orchidaceae), which distributed unevenly in tropical regions. The results suggest that Collabieae originated in Asia and spread to other regions via long-distance dispersal. The Asian lineages have higher diversification and niche evolutionary rates, possibly due to stable and humid climate and longer colonization time.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gemechu Fanta Garuma
Summary: The horn of Africa is prone to droughts due to persistent heat waves and insufficient precipitation. Urbanization exacerbates overheating issues through urban heat island effects. Understanding the impact of human activities in dry environments is crucial for managing extreme heat events and preserving water resources.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Ana P. Dornellas, Roberta M. Graboski, Michael E. Hellberg, Tito M. C. Lotufo
Summary: The rocky intertidal gastropods Agathistoma viridulum and A. hotessierianum have an anti-tropical distribution from the Caribbean to southern Brazil, with genetic analyses revealing some phylogeographic patterns but insignificant morphological differences. Detailed taxon sampling and additional genetic data are needed to establish more robust relationships among Tegulinae.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Devon C. Main, Bettine Jansen van Vuuren, Colin R. Tilbury, Krystal A. Tolley
Summary: The application of molecular phylogenetics and species delimitation methods has helped to address limitations in morphology-based taxonomy and highlight inconsistencies in current taxonomy. This study focused on the genus Chamaeleo, which consists of 14 species distributed across Africa and Eurasia, and aimed to construct a comprehensive phylogeny, identify potential cryptic diversity, and determine the biogeographic origin and diversification of the genus. The results revealed the presence of at least 18 taxa within Chamaeleo and suggested a southern African/Zambezian origin for the genus, with diversification occurring during the cooling and aridification of Africa in the Oligocene Epoch. Species-level diversification began in the Miocene Epoch, possibly driven by aridification and tectonic events. These findings lay the groundwork for future taxonomic re-evaluation of Chamaeleo.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Li-Guo Zhang, Xiao-Qian Li, Wei-Tao Jin, Yu-Juan Liu, Yao Zhao, Jun Rong, Xiao-Guo Xiang
Summary: The tropical Asian and Australasian floras have a close relationship, and the distribution pattern of seed plants between them is vital worldwide. However, the evolutionary dynamics of these two floras are still unclear.
Article
Plant Sciences
Kris A. G. Wyckhuys, Johanna Audrey Leatemia, Muhammad Zainal Fanani, Michael J. Furlong, Baogen Gu, Buyung Asmara Ratna Hadi, Jeffij Virgowat Hasinu, Maria C. Melo, Saartje Helena Noya, Aunu Rauf, Johanna Taribuka, Yubak Dhoj Gc
Summary: Islands provide unique settings for studying the interaction between biodiversity and ecosystem function. Observational and manipulative studies on Indonesian islands reveal the important role of generalist predators in biotic resistance against the cassava mealybug and fall armyworm. The magnitude of biotic resistance varies between island contexts, seasons, and ecological realms.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ricardo Miranda-Gonzalez, Robert Luecking, Alejandrina Barcenas-Pena, Maria de los Angeles Herrera-Campos
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Manuela Dal Forno, James D. Lawrey, Masoumeh Sikaroodi, Patrick M. Gillevet, Eric Schuettpelz, Robert Lucking
Summary: Recent studies have revealed remarkable diversity in Dictyonema s.lat. basidiolichens, with photobionts belonging to Rhizonema. Analysis of 765 new cyanobacterial sequences from 635 specimens collected from 18 countries identified three main divisions of Rhizonema, showing no evidence of photobiont-mycobiont co-speciation. Molecular clock estimations suggest that Rhizonema species are older than fungal species in Dictyonemateae, supporting the hypothesis of lichens representing fungal farmers.
Article
Ecology
Paola Martinez Colin, Robert Luecking, Maria de los Angeles Herrera-Campos
Summary: The study found that the diversity of host plants has a significant impact on the diversity of foliicolous lichen communities, particularly showing a preference for leaves with longer lifespan. Therefore, ecosystems with more diverse suitable host plants will support a greater diversity of foliicolous lichens, extending to epiphytes in general.
ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Bibiana Moncada, Joel A. Mercado-Diaz, Nicolas Magain, Brendan P. Hodkinson, Clifford W. Smith, Frank Bungartz, Rosa-Emilia Perez-Perez, Emerson Gumboski, Emmanuel Serusiaux, H. Thorsten Lumbsch, Robert Luecking
Summary: In this study, diversification in two tropical, morphologically similar lichen species was investigated, with the low-altitude species showing low diversification likely due to rapid dispersal and gene flow, while the high-altitude species exhibited high diversification possibly caused by niche differentiation and fragmentation effects from geological movements.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Mycology
Karina Wilk, Maciej Pabijan, Marta Saluga, Ester Gaya, Robert Lucking
Summary: This study investigated the poorly studied Teloschistaceae family members in South America, identifying three new genera and proposing three new combinations, while also revising the subfamily Brownlielloideae and confirming recent findings about its classification.
Article
Ecology
Mariasole Calbi, Francisco Fajardo-Gutierrez, Juan Manuel Posada, Robert Lucking, Grischa Brokamp, Thomas Borsch
Summary: This study characterized the plant communities of high Andean forest remnants in the hinterland of Bogota and found that an increase in human-related disturbance results in lower phylogenetic diversity, phylogenetic clustering of woody vegetation, and lower aboveground biomass, while understory vegetation shows higher diversity and phylogenetic dispersion with disturbance. Key predictors of disturbance include edge effect, proximity of cattle, minimum fragment age, and median patch size, with aboveground biomass being efficiently predicted by the proportion of late successional species.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Bibiana Moncada, Joel A. Mercado-Diaz, Clifford W. Smith, Frank Bungartz, Emmanuel Serusiaux, H. Thorsten Lumbsch, Robert Luecking
Summary: Sticta is a subcosmopolitan genus with the greatest diversity in the tropics. Molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed that the S. weigelii morphodeme actually represents several species, with high phenotypic and genetic variation. Two new species and one new subspecies within this morphodeme have been described, with broad distribution in the Neotropics and Hawaii. The species show differences in habitat preference and genetic diversity.
Article
Microbiology
Vinodhini Thiyagaraja, Robert Luecking, Damien Ertz, Samantha C. Karunarathna, Dhanushka N. Wanasinghe, Saisamorn Lumyong, Kevin D. Hyde
Summary: Ostropales sensu lato is a large group of fungi, including both lichenized and non-lichenized species, with optional lichenization. The order has undergone frequent taxonomic changes and is currently divided into multiple families. Stictidaceae, a family within this order, contains many poorly known species with unresolved taxonomy, and new species have been identified through genetic and morphological analyses. Ancestral character state analysis suggests that Stictidaceae likely had a saprotrophic ancestor, and frequent transitions between nutritional modes played a significant role in the evolution of this family.
Article
Ecology
Edvaneide Leandro de Lima Nascimento, Leonor Costa Maia, Marcela Eugenia da Silva Caceres, Robert Luecking
Summary: Major vegetation units in North and Northeast Brazil include Amazon, Atlantic forest, Brejos de Altitude, Caatinga, Carrasco, Cerradao and Restinga. Little is known about lichen metacommunity structure in these habitats. Different tree bark structures and climatic factors can have a filtering effect on the richness and phylogenetic structure of epiphytic lichen communities in different vegetation types.
ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Robert Lucking, M. Catherine Aime, Barbara Robbertse, Andrew N. Miller, Takayuki Aoki, Hiran A. Ariyawansa, Gianluigi Cardinali, Pedro W. Crous, Irina S. Druzhinina, David M. Geiser, David L. Hawksworth, Kevin D. Hyde, Laszlo Irinyi, Rajesh Jeewon, Peter R. Johnston, Paul M. Kirk, Elaine Malosso, Tom W. May, Wieland Meyer, Henrik R. Nilsson, Maarja Opik, Vincent Robert, Marc Stadler, Marco Thines, Duong Vu, Andrey M. Yurkov, Ning Zhang, Conrad L. Schoch
Summary: Identifying and naming microfungi, especially plant, animal, and human pathogens, remains a challenge. Molecular identification is increasingly used, and environmental metabarcoding is generating a vast amount of sequence data to document global fungal diversity. Solutions for naming taxa known only from sequences are proposed based on bacterial taxonomy methods.
NATURE MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Robert Luecking
Summary: Peter D. Crittenden served as the senior editor of The Lichenologist from 2000 to 2019, overseeing significant editorial changes and increasing the journal's impact factor. The 1197 papers published during his tenure matched the total number of papers published by the three previous editors combined, suggesting his impactful contributions to the field of lichenological research.
Article
Plant Sciences
Bibiana Moncada, Clifford W. Smith, Robert Luecking
Summary: The taxonomy of Sticta in Hawaii was reevaluated based on molecular phylogeny. Thirteen taxa were classified, including 12 species and one subspecies previously identified in a phylogenetic analysis. The implications of revised species taxonomies on other research fields and an environmental health monitoring protocol for Hawaiian ecosystems using Sticta lichens were discussed.
Article
Mycology
Sinang Hongsanan, Kevin D. Hyde, Rungtiwa Phookamsak, Dhanushka N. Wanasinghe, Eric H. C. McKenzie, V. Venkateswara Sarma, Robert Lucking, Saranyaphat Boonmee, Jayarama D. Bhat, Ning-Guo Liu, Danushka S. Tennakoon, Dhandevi Pem, Anuruddha Karunarathna, Shu-Hua Jiang, Gareth E. B. Jones, Alan J. L. Phillips, Ishara S. Manawasinghe, Saowaluck Tibpromma, Subashini C. Jayasiri, Diana Sandamali, Ruvishika S. Jayawardena, Nalin N. Wijayawardene, Anusha H. Ekanayaka, Rajesh Jeewon, Yong-Zhong Lu, Chayanard Phukhamsakda, Asha J. Dissanayake, Xiang-Yu Zeng, Zong-Long Luo, Qing Tian, Kasun M. Thambugala, Dongqin Dai, Milan C. Samarakoon, K. W. Thilini Chethana, Damien Ertz, Mingkwan Doilom, Jian-Kui (Jack) Liu, Sergio Perez-Ortega, Ave Suija, Chanokned Senwanna, Subodini N. Wijesinghe, Mekala Niranjan, Sheng-Nan Zhang, Hiran A. Ariyawansa, Hong-Bo Jiang, Jin-Feng Zhang, Chada Norphanphoun, Nimali I. de Silva, Vinodhini Thiyagaraja, Huang Zhang, Jadson D. P. Bezerra, Ricardo Miranda-Gonzalez, Andre Aptroot, Hiroyuki Kashiwadani, Dulanjalee Harishchandra, Emmanuel Serusiaux, Pranami D. Abeywickrama, Dan-Feng Bao, Bandarupalli Devadatha, Hai-Xia Wu, Kwang Hee Moon, Cecile Gueidan, Felix Schumm, Digvijayini Bundhun, Ausana Mapook, Jutamart Monkai, Chitrabhanu S. Bhunjun, Putarak Chomnunti, Satinee Suetrong, Napalai Chaiwan, Monika C. Dayarathne, Jing Yang, Achala R. Rathnayaka, Jian-Chu Xu, Jiesheng Zheng, Gang Liu, Yao Feng, Ning Xie
Article
Mycology
Robert Luecking, M. Catherine Aime, Barbara Robbertse, Andrew N. Miller, Hiran A. Ariyawansa, Takayuki Aoki, Gianluigi Cardinali, Pedro W. Crous, Irina S. Druzhinina, David M. Geiser, David L. Hawksworth, Kevin D. Hyde, Laszlo Irinyi, Rajesh Jeewon, Peter R. Johnston, Paul M. Kirk, Elaine Malosso, Tom W. May, Wieland Meyer, Maarja Opik, Vincent Robert, Marc Stadler, Marco Thines, Duong Vu, Andrey M. Yurkov, Ning Zhang, Conrad L. Schoch
Article
Mycology
Shu Hua Jiang, David L. Hawksworth, Robert Lucking, Jiang Chun Wei
