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Abstract Detail



Pteridological Section/AFS

Sundue, Michael [1], Testo, Weston [1], Parris, Barbara [2], Morden, Clifford [3], Ranker, Tom [3].

Biogeographic Patterns and Processes of Speciation in the Polypodiaceae.

Biological radiations are an important process driving the patterns of diversity across the tree of life. One of the major radiations in Earth’s history is the rise to dominance of angiosperms during the Cretaceous which facilitated the subsequent diversification of vascular epiphytes. Among the most successful epiphytic groups is the Polypodiaceae, a derived clade of ferns that comprises an estimated 1500 species and displays a remarkable breadth of morphological and ecological diversity. Using a time-calibrated phylogeny for 417 species, we characterize macroevolutionary patterns in the family, identify shifts in diversification rate, and identify traits that are potential drivers of diversification. We also reconstruct global patterns of bieogeography. These results support several large-scale patterns: 1) a monophyletic grammitid clade that arose among Neotropical polypod ancestors about 31.4 Ma; 2) a paraphyletic assemblage of clades distributed in the Neotropics and the Afro-Malagasy region; 3) a large clade distributed throughout the Asia-Malesia-Pacific region that originated about 23.4 Ma; and, 4) an Australian origin of the circumaustral genus Notogrammitis. Repeated successful exploration of novel habitat types, rather than morphological innovation, appears to be the primary driver of diversification in this group.


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1 - University of Vermont, Department of Plant Biology, 111 Jeffords Hall, 63 Carrigan Dr., Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
2 - Fern Research Foundation, 21 James Kemp Place, Kerikeri, Bay of Islands, 0230, New Zealand
3 - University Of Hawaii At Manoa, Department Of Botany, 3190 Maile Way, Room 101, Honolulu, HI, 96822, USA

Keywords:
Polypodiaceae
speciation
Phylogenetics
character evolution.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 10
Location: Salon 20/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Monday, July 27th, 2015
Time: 10:30 AM
Number: 10002
Abstract ID:1141
Candidate for Awards:None


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