Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stephen J. Gaughran, Bridgett vonHoldt
Summary: The distribution and movement of species, known as biogeography, is a fundamental field in ecology and evolutionary biology. Recent genetic studies of ancient specimens have revealed important evidence on the migrations of brown bears and lions into North America during the late Pleistocene, highlighting the long-lasting impact of sea level changes on the dispersal of terrestrial carnivores.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chase Doran Brownstein
Summary: During the Cretaceous period, terrestrial vertebrates experienced diversifications and turnovers due to global geographical change, although the poor fossil record from the early Late Cretaceous has concealed how dinosaurs and other terrestrial vertebrates responded to these events. This study describes two dinosaurs from the North American paleolandmass Appalachia, shedding light on the timing of important anatomical innovations in two widespread dinosaur lineages. The phylogenetic positions of the dinosaurs show similarities between Appalachian and Eurasian dinosaur faunas, indicating a degree of endemism in Appalachian dinosaur assemblages due to episodes of vicariance.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joyce Rodrigues do Prado, L. Lacey Knowles, Alexandre Reis Percequillo
Summary: This study utilized genome-wide SNP and morphometric data to apply a Bayesian model-based species delimitation in the genus Holochilus, leading to significant rearrangements of species boundaries and offering insights into the group's biogeographic history. It highlights the importance of integrative approaches in identifying evolutionary independent species and provides a critical source of data for hypotheses about the history of the biomes in the relatively understudied wetlands of South America.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
D. Constantin, J. A. Mason, D. Veres, U. Hambach, C. Panaiotu, C. Zeeden, L. Zhou, S. B. Markovic, N. Gerasimenko, A. Avram, V. Tecsa, S. M. Groza-Sacaciu, L. del Valle Villalonga, R. Begy, A. Timar-Gabor
Summary: This study investigates high-resolution magnetic properties as paleoclimatic proxies in loess-paleosol sequences, using magnetic susceptibility and luminescence dating to identify characteristics of global climatic transitions. The results highlight the regional response to major climatic transitions and the continuous eolian dust accumulation and soil formation processes in loess regions across the northern hemisphere. Combining magnetic susceptibility with absolute dating provides a more accurate understanding of Pleistocene-Holocene climatic transitions, avoiding potential misinterpretations in records due to simple pattern correlations.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Laura Lagourgue, Frederik Leliaert, Claude E. Payri
Summary: This study examines the biogeographical processes and biodiversity patterns of the siphonous green algal family Udoteaceae. Through the analysis of a comprehensive dataset, the study reveals the origin, diversification, and distribution patterns of the family. The study identifies three centers of species richness: the Central Indo-Pacific, the Western Indian Ocean, and the Greater Caribbean, which have been shaped by various drivers.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Madambi Sankarankutty Sanil, Swathi Balakrishnan, Vadakkethil Balakrishnan Sreekumar, Suma Arun Dev
Summary: This is the first comprehensive study on the evolution and biogeographic relationships of dipterocarps in the Indian subcontinent. The results support the Gondwana hypothesis, suggesting that most Asian tropical lineages originated in Gondwana with India playing a crucial role in their dispersal. Molecular dating shows that dipterocarps originated in the Cretaceous and diversified during the Pliocene-Miocene epochs. Biogeographic analysis suggests a dispersal route from Gondwana to Eurasia through Madagascar-India-Sri Lanka-Seychelles, with three dispersal events from India to other parts of Asia.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carlos E. Santibanez-Lopez, Paula E. Cushing, Alexsis M. Powell, Matthew R. Graham
Summary: The study explores the biogeographic history of the eremobatid genus Eremocosta, revealing that sampled species diversified within distinct desert regions and there may be additional cryptic species within the genus. The power of genome-wide data for unlocking genetic potential of organisms like camel spiders, which are difficult to collect, is highlighted.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Studies
H. Gregory McDonald
Summary: Late Pleistocene sloths had a wide distribution and inhabited various habitats in South, Central, and North America and some Caribbean Islands. They were classified into 27 genera in four families, but the number of valid species remains uncertain. The paleoecology and natural history of sloths vary greatly depending on their relative abundance, resulting in different sloth faunas with distinct taxonomic compositions in different geographic regions.
Article
Geography, Physical
John A. F. Wendt, David B. McWethy, Chris Widga, Bryan N. Shuman
Summary: This study integrates archaeological and paleontological data with simulated climate data to investigate the long-term drivers of bison distribution and abundance in North America. The results show that the distribution and abundance of bison were influenced by large-scale temperature and precipitation trends, and the abundance of bison in the Holocene was affected by hydroclimatic shifts.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ishan Agarwal, Aaron M. Bauer, Tony Gamble, Varad B. Giri, Daniel Jablonski, Akshay Khandekar, Pratyush P. Mohapatra, Rafaqat Masroor, Anurag Mishra, Uma Ramakrishnan
Summary: The study investigates the evolutionary history and species diversity of the leopard gecko using multi-locus sequence data and wide sampling. It reveals that leopard geckos in the pet trade come from a few shallow clades and the current estimate of species diversity is moderately underestimated.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Peter H. Adler, Will K. Reeves
Summary: Glaciation plays a significant role in species distributions and genetic structure. The current distributions of many organisms in North America's Western Cordillera are influenced by Pleistocene glaciation. Through our study on the genus Prosimulium in western North America, we found a north-south differentiation pattern, indicating the separation of populations by the North American Ice Sheet during the Pleistocene Epoch. This discovery suggests the existence of new species within nominal species, requiring formal description or revalidation of currently synonymous names.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nathaniel H. H. Wehr, Hailey M. M. Boone, Samuel R. R. Wehr, Jerrold L. L. Belant
Summary: Island biogeography theory states that biodiversity increases with island size and decreases with distance from mainland source populations. The influence of other island characteristics and species traits on island biodiversity was assessed using presence data for 20 mammal species on 70 islands in the Great Lakes of North America. Islands closer to mainland source populations and larger islands and archipelagos supported greater mammalian species richness. Winter dormant species occurred less on islands while semiaquatic species occurred more. This study highlights the importance of considering archipelago characteristics and species traits for describing island biodiversity and provides baseline data for mammal diversity in the Great Lakes region.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Chloe Schmidt, Colin J. Garroway
Summary: Human land transformation leads to vertebrate population declines, but the effects of urbanization on amphibian genetic diversity are not easily generalizable across species. Further research on a case-by-case basis is needed to understand the genetic consequences of urbanization on amphibians.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jonathan P. Miller, Diana Delicado, Fernando Garcia-Guerrero, Marian A. Ramos
Summary: Dispersal and other biogeographic processes have played a significant role in shaping the diversity and distribution patterns of the Mercuria snail genus. Using molecular phylogenies and species delimitation methods, this study identified 14 putative species, nine of which were consistent with traditional taxonomy. Biogeographical modelling suggested that recurrent founder-event speciation in the Mediterranean and postglacial northward colonization from Iberian refugia in Atlantic lowlands are the probable processes explaining the species diversity and distribution.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Indah B. Huegele, Hai Zhu, Bailong Zhao, Yu-Fei Wang, Steven R. Manchester
Summary: This study expands our understanding of the former diversity and geographic spread of Platanaceae through the analysis of the extinct Paleogene genus Platimeliphyllum. The research provides new evidence supporting the affinity of Platimeliphyllum with Platanaceae and extends its known occurrence in western North America and eastern Asia. The study highlights the biogeographic and evolutionary history of Platanaceae through the analysis of leaf morphology and association with platanaceous inflorescences.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PLANT SCIENCES
(2022)