Abstract Detail

Biogeography

Spalink, Daniel [1], Pender, Jocelyn [2], Escudero Lirio, Antonio Marcial [3], Hipp, Andrew [4], Roalson, Eric [5], Starr, Julian [6], Waterway, Marcia [7], Bohs, Lynn Allison [8], Sytsma, Kenneth J. [9].

The spatial structure of phylogenetic and functional diversity in the United States and Canada: an example using sedges (Cyperaceae).

Systematically quantifying diversity across landscapes is necessary to understand how clade history and ecological heterogeneity contribute to the origin, distribution, and maintenance of biodiversity. Here, we chart the spatial structure of sedge (Cyperaceae) diversity throughout the USA and Canada. We first identify areas of remarkable species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and functional trait diversity, and highlight regions of conservation priority. We then test predictions about the spatial structure of this diversity based on the historical biogeography of the family. Incorporating a phylogeny, over 400,000 herbarium records, and a database of functional traits, we find that species richness and functional trait diversity peak in the Northeastern USA, while phylogenetic diversity peaks along the Gulf of Mexico. Floristic turnover among assemblages increases significantly with distance, but phylogenetic turnover is twice as rapid along latitudinal gradients as longitudinal gradients. These patterns reflect the expected distribution of Cyperaceae, which originated in the tropics but radiated in temperate regions. We identify assemblages with an abundance of rare, range-restricted lineages, and assemblages composed of species generally lacking from diverse regions. We argue that both of these metrics are useful for developing targeted conservation strategies. We use the data generated here to establish future research priorities, including a series of hypotheses regarding the distribution of chromosome numbers, photosynthetic pathways, and resource partitioning in sedges.

1 - University Of Utah, Department Of Biology, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, United States
2 - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa R&D Centre
3 - University Of Seville, Plant Biology And Ecology, Almaden De La Plata 12 3izq, Nº Q-4118001-I, Sevilla, SE, 41008, Spain
4 - The Morton Arboretum, 4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle, IL, 60532, United States
5 - Washington State University, School Of Biological Sciences, Abelson Hall 339, Pullman, WA, 99164, United States
6 - University of Ottawa, Department of Biology, Gendron Hall, Room 160, 30 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada
7 - McGill University, Plant Science Department, Macdonald Campus, 21,111 Lakeshore, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada
8 - University Of Utah, Department Of Biology, 257 South 1400 East, 201 South Biology, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, United States
9 - University of Wisconsin-Madison

Keywords:
spatial phylogenetics
Cyperaceae
assembly
phylogenetic diversity
phylogenetic beta diversity
Functional diversity.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 4, Biogeography
Location: 105/Mayo Civic Center
Date: Monday, July 23rd, 2018
Time: 11:30 AM
Number: 4014
Abstract ID:859
Candidate for Awards:None