SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION OF THE Ronnbergia ALLIANCE (BROMELIACEAE): HISTORY OF DISJUNCT DIVERSIFICATION IN THREE BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS OF THE NEOTROPICS

The systematics, biogeography and evolution of the \u27Ronnbergia Alliance,\u27 a nested lineage within the Core Bromelioideae, were investigated. In the first chapter, the phylogenetic relationships of the Ronnbergia Alliance were reconstructed using three chloroplast and three nuclear DNA sequence markers in combination with a wide species sampling across the Core Bromelioideae and a nearly complete species-level sampling of the five species complexes that likely comprise the Ronnbergia Alliance. The analysis indicates that the Ronnbergia Alliance is a robust monophyletic group sister to the remaining Core Bromelioideae, and it is composed by species of the polyphyletic genera Aechmea, Hohenbergia and Ronnbergia. The first of main lineage within the Ronnbergia Alliance, here called the Pacific Clade, contains species of that occur exclusively in the forests of southern Central America to northwestern South America. The second clade, called the Atlantic Clade, contains species mostly limited to the central corridor of the Atlantic Forest and the Greater Antilles. The combination of apically spreading tubular corollas and unappendaged ovules are diagnostic for the Ronnbergia Alliance, whereas flower size, corolla tube length, and petal pigmentation are important characters to differentiate the Pacific and Atlantic Clades. A new taxonomic reorganization and synopsis for this clade was proposed in the second chapter. Here, all the species of the Pacific Clade were placed in Ronnbergia, whereas the species of the Atlantic Clade were relocated in the resurrected genus Wittmackia. In the third chapter, a complete taxonomic revision of the Caribbean clade of Wittmackia was conducted. In the fourth chapter, the biogeographic history and evolutionary rate dynamics of the Ronnbergia Alliance were analyzed. These analyses showed that one vicariant event that separated Ronnbergia from Wittmackia in South America, and a later long-distance dispersal event allowed the separation of Wittmackia between the Atlantic Forest and Jamaica. Although the evolutionary rate dynamics remained constant during the diversification of Ronnbergia, these rates were heterogeneous during the radiation of Wittmackia. This is the first species-level approach that combines phylogenetic, ecological, geographic and morphological information to reveal fine-scale processes that shaped the evolution of highly diverse lineages of Bromeliaceae

Seeing the forest through many trees: multi-taxon patterns of phylogenetic diversity in the Atlantic Forest hotspot

We combine phylogenetic and point locality data from selected lineages of the Atlantic Forest flora and fauna to compare spatial patterns of biodiversity sustained by the current configuration of forest remnants to a scenario of complete forest preservation. We then ask the question "how much biodiversity is likely lost, already"? Specifically, we assess how habitat loss likely impacted the climatic spaces occupied by the local species, the inferred composition of local communities and the spatial distribution of phylogenetic diversity and endemism

Environmental correlates of taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity in the Atlantic Forest

Aim There is little consensus on which environmental variables are best at predicting multiple dimensions of diversity. We ask whether there are common environmental correlates of diversity, despite ecological differences, across nine clades of plants and animals distributed along a single rainforest domain. For that, we compare the environmental correlates of species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and phylogenetic endemism. Location Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Taxon:Five clades of plants (Bromelioideae, Miconieae, Bertolonia, Cambessedesieae, and the Fridericia and allies) and four clades of animals (butterlies in the tribe Ithomiini, frogs in the genera Boana and Proceratophrys, and birds in the subfamily Thraupinae). Methods Using curated occurrence localities and phylogenetic data, we generated maps of (a) species richness, (b) phylogenetic diversity, (c) residuals of phylogenetic diversity regressed on species richness, and (d) phylogenetic endemism for all groups. We also compiled a set of 30 environmental descriptors, including records of current temperature and precipitation, climatic stability over time, and topography. Through a machine learning framework, we explored the environmental correlates of each of these diversity measures for each group. Results The environmental variables used here were strong predictors of diversity for all studied groups. However, models for phylogenetic endemism had lower predictive power. Although patterns of diversity are different among groups, correlates of diversity are consistent across taxa. For both species richness and phylogenetic diversity, current precipitation and precipitation stability over time were consistently ranked among the variables that strongly correlate with diversity patterns. The correlates of phylogenetic endemism were less homogeneous across groups. The results suggest that including climate stability over time is important when predicting diversity measures that reflect historical components. Main conclusions Investigating environmental correlates of diversity for multiple clades and diversity measures in a single geographic area allows for a better understanding of common patterns across taxa. This study shows that environmental conditions, particularly precipitation, are good predictors of the patterns of species richness and phylogenetic diversity‐but not phylogenetic endemism‐across different Atlantic Forest groups.Additional co-authors: Marcelo Reginato, Karina Lucas Silva‐Brandão, André Victor Lucci Freitas, Renato Goldenberg, Lúcia G. Lohmann, Fabián A. Michelangeli, Cristina Miyaki, Miguel T. Rodrigues, Ana C. Carnava

SINOPSIS DEL GÉNERO AECHMEA (BROMELIACEAE) PARA COLOMBIA

Se presenta la sinopsis de Aechmea (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae) para Colombia, la cual incluye la descripción del género, una clave para la identificación de las especies y la lista anotada de las mismas. Además, para cada especie se incluyen comentarios sobre el hábito de crecimiento, la categoría de amenaza y la distribución geográfica y altitudinal. Se registran 44 especies de Aechmea para Colombia, de las cuales nueve son endémicas: A. anomala, A. nivea, A. stenosepala, A. subpetiolata y cinco especies nuevas para la ciencia. La mayor parte de las especies prefieren los bosques húmedos de tierras bajas, concentrándose en las regiones amazónica (58%) y andina (51%), particularmente en las subregiones llanura Amazónica (51%), las vertientes magdalenense (33%) y oriental andina (30%) y las serranías de las formaciones del Escudo Guayanés (30%). Por otra parte, las especies se distribuyen desde el nivel del mar hasta 2400 m de altitud, pero la mayor riqueza se encontró por debajo de 800

Sinopsis del género aechmea (bromeliaceae) para colombia

Se presenta la sinopsis de Aechmea (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae) para Colombia, la cual incluye la descripción del género, una clave para la identificación de las especies y la lista anotada de las mismas. Además, para cada especie se incluyen comentarios sobre el hábito de crecimiento, la categoría de amenaza y la distribución geográfica y altitudinal. Se registran 44 especies de Aechmea para Colombia, de las cuales nueve son endémicas: A. anomala, A. nivea, A. stenosepala, A. subpetiolata y cinco especies nuevas para la ciencia. La mayor parte de las especies prefieren los bosques húmedos de tierras bajas, concentrándose en las regiones amazónica (58%) y andina (51%), particularmente en las subregiones llanura Amazónica (51%), las vertientes magdalenense (33%) y oriental andina (30%) y las serranías de las formaciones del Escudo Guayanés (30%). Por otra parte, las especies se distribuyen desde el nivel del mar hasta 2400 m de altitud, pero la mayor riqueza se encontró por debajo de 800