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🌿🌍 AfricanFloraWeek

Preface to the Special Issue on African Flora in a Changing World: Integrating multiple dimensions of diversity by Muthama Muasya and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article
👉 botany.fyi/az6l6o
Africa's unparalleled biodiversity is shaped by its diverse ecosystems and long-term geological stability, yet comprehensive knowledge and conservation efforts remain unevenly distributed, highlighting the need for a tailored approach to preserving its unique flora.
May 20, 2024 at 7:23 PM
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🎉 Welcome to African Flora Week at @annbot.bsky.social  

🌿🌍In the coming days, we'll share the latest research from our Special Issue 'African Flora in a Changing World.'

Prepare to explore a rich landscape of groundbreaking articles!

#AfricanFloraWeek #Botany #PlantScience
African Flora Week
May 20, 2024 at 2:31 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Quantitative evaluation of the drivers of species richness in a Mediterranean ecosystem (Cape, South Africa) by Michael Cramer & Anthony Verboom in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article
👉 botany.fyi/ju9ioj
Mediterranean ecosystems, like the Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR), exhibit high vascular plant species richness due to multiple factors. Adequate water availability and nutrient scarcity are significant predictors of species richness. Additionally, spatial and temporal heterogeneity, particularly due to fire, contribute to this biodiversity. While biotic interactions play a role, they are harder to assess. Overall, the high species richness in these ecosystems results from a combination of these environmental factors, rather than a single explanation.
May 24, 2024 at 12:03 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Weak latitudinal trends in reproductive traits of Afromontane forest trees by Rudi Swart and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article 
👉 botany.fyi/jvq05h
Latitude influences taxonomic diversity in Afromontane trees, but not their reproductive traits. Instead, reproductive traits are shaped more by phylogenetic conservatism, convergence, and biogeographical affinity than by latitude, with taller trees favoring wind or insect pollination and larger fruits.
May 22, 2024 at 11:50 AM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Do phylogenetic community metrics reveal the South African quartz fields as terrestrial-habitat islands? by Daniel Zhigila et al. in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article
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The unique quartz fields of the Greater Cape Floristic Region host many endemic plant species with high turnover between sites. While some species appear evolutionarily linked to local flora, overall patterns vary by region. These findings highlight the importance of targeted conservation efforts for these specialized habitats in the face of global change.
May 24, 2024 at 10:20 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Underground trees inhabit varied environmental extremes across the Afrotropics by Anya Courtenay and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article
👉 botany.fyi/ndfnxw
Underground trees in Afrotropical savannas and grasslands have evolved distinct ecological niches to survive extreme environments. This study highlights their adaptation to varied conditions like fire, frost, herbivory, and waterlogging. Recognizing the unique and diverse habitats of these underground trees is crucial for the effective management of African grassy ecosystems.
May 23, 2024 at 12:33 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Phylogenomic analysis reveals five independently evolved African forage grass clades in the genus Urochloa by Lizo Masters and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article 
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The study provides a detailed phylogeny of Urochloa, identifying key agricultural species and their wild relatives. It shows that important forage traits evolved independently, highlighting Urochloa's potential for agricultural innovation. Conservation and assessment of their diversity are crucial for sustainable forage crop development.
May 22, 2024 at 5:17 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Diploid and tetraploid cytotypes of the flagship Cape species Dicerothamnus rhinocerotis (Asteraceae): variation in distribution, ecological niche, morphology and genetics by Zuzana Chumová et al. in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article
👉 botany.fyi/259rvs
Dicerothamnus rhinocerotis in the Greater Cape Floristic Region comprises distinct diploid and tetraploid cytotypes, with significant morphological and ecological differences. This study highlights the importance of ploidy variation in understanding the biodiversity of this hotspot and suggests that polyploidy may be more common and influential than previously thought.
May 26, 2024 at 2:38 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Earlier onset and slower heartwood investment in faster-growing trees of African tropical species by Chadrack Kafuti and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article
👉 botany.fyi/u6ar2a
Heartwood formation in Pericopsis elata is influenced by both tree age and growth rate, with faster-growing trees developing heartwood earlier. The process is not purely structural but also functional, playing a role in regulating water balance by modulating sapwood quantity. This highlights the ecophysiological nature of heartwood formation in trees.
May 26, 2024 at 11:50 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Trends in botanical exploration in Nigeria forecast over 1000 yet undescribed vascular plant species by Abubakar Bello and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social
 
#openaccess article 
👉 botany.fyi/dmnh4r
The study highlights the critical need for increased taxonomic efforts in Nigeria to address the biodiversity and taxonomic crises. Despite a rising trend in species descriptions, indigenous botanists contribute less, and current efforts may only lead to a 20% increase in known species by 2070. Urgent action is required to enhance local taxonomic studies and meet global biodiversity targets by 2050.
May 24, 2024 at 1:39 AM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Fossil pollen resolves origin of the South African Proteaceae as transcontinental not transoceanic by Byron Lamont and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article 
👉 botany.fyi/y7s7yr
The study provides strong evidence that the iconic South African Cape Proteaceae likely originated in North-West Africa and migrated overland to the Cape during the Late Cretaceous, challenging the prevailing view of an Australian origin. This migration was facilitated by adaptation and speciation over millions of years, underscoring the importance of integrating fossil records with molecular phylogenies to accurately trace the evolutionary history of plant species.
May 20, 2024 at 10:01 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Founder events and subsequent genetic bottlenecks underlie karyotype evolution in the Ibero-North African endemic Carex helodes by Marcial Escudero and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social
 
#openaccess article 
👉 botany.fyi/4upi5z
This study provides experimental evidence supporting the role of geographical isolation, genetic drift, and inbreeding in the establishment of new chromosomal variants in Carex helodes, highlighting their importance in the process of chromosomal speciation. The findings reveal significant phylogeographical and karyotypic differentiation between populations, underscoring the impact of historical colonization patterns and genetic bottlenecks on chromosomal evolution.
May 25, 2024 at 1:30 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

‘Out of Africa’ origin of the pantropical staghorn fern genus Platycerium (Polypodiaceae) supported by plastid phylogenomics and biogeographical analysis by Bine Xue and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article 
👉 botany.fyi/40hl17
The study delves into the evolutionary trajectory of Platycerium ferns, tracing their origins back to tropical Africa before dispersing across Southeast Asia-Australasia and neotropical regions. It suggests that climatic fluctuations during the Late Oligocene and mid-Miocene periods likely facilitated speciation within the genus. Through transoceanic dispersal events, Platycerium ferns achieved their pantropical distribution. By shedding light on the intricate relationships among Platycerium species, this research not only enriches our comprehension of fern evolution but also underscores the pivotal role of Africa in shaping global plant dispersal patterns.
May 21, 2024 at 8:45 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

The sweet tabaiba or there and back again: phylogeographical history of the Macaronesian Euphorbia balsamifera by Mario Rincón-Barrado and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article
👉https://botany.fyi/mmbtvf
This study reveals that Euphorbia balsamifera colonized the Canary Islands from east to west, with subsequent population extinctions and recolonizations, and recent migration back to northwest Africa. These findings challenge the view that oceanic islands are mere biodiversity sinks, showing they can also generate new genetic diversity.
May 25, 2024 at 8:51 PM
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Fire-modulated fluctuations in nutrient availability stimulate biome-scale floristic turnover in time, and elevated species richness, in low-nutrient fynbos heathland by Anthony Verboomin et al. in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article
👉 botany.fyi/vxtj4g
The study highlights that postfire species turnover in South African fynbos heathland is driven by changes in nutrient availability. The turnover is greater in nutrient-poor fynbos compared to more fertile renosterveld, with fire temporarily increasing soil nutrients and influencing species composition. This nutrient-driven differentiation allows a diverse range of species to coexist, particularly in resource-limited environments experiencing periodic disturbances.
May 24, 2024 at 5:31 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Trends in botanical exploration in Nigeria forecast over 1000 yet undescribed vascular plant species by Abubakar Bello and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article
👉 botany.fyi/dmnh4r
The study finds Madagascar has the highest Grewia species richness in Africa, driven by its complex topography and environmental diversity. Key predictors include aridity and environmental variation, highlighting Madagascar's unique ecological importance.
May 23, 2024 at 5:45 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Fire facilitates ground layer plant diversity in a Miombo ecosystem by Jakub Wieczorkowski and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article 
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Fire seasonality and intensity in Miombo ecosystems significantly influence ground layer plant diversity, with late dry-season fires supporting the highest richness. This study reveals that fire management impacts biodiversity beyond just tree flora, highlighting the need for integrated policies that consider ground layer species in conservation and land management strategies.
May 22, 2024 at 9:51 PM
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🌿🌍 #AfricanFloraWeek

Sequential diversification with Miocene extinction and Pliocene speciation linked to mountain uplift explains the diversity of the African rain forest clade Monodoreae (Annonaceae) by frugivores by L. Dagallier et al.

#openaccess article 
👉 botany.fyi/3ys2kw
Sequential diversification with Miocene extinction and Pliocene speciation linked to mountain uplift explains the diversity of the African rain forest clade Monodoreae (Annonaceae)
May 21, 2024 at 3:00 PM
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Dispersal from Africa to the Neotropics was followed by multiple transitions across Neotropical biomes facilitated by frugivores by Jenifer Lopes and co-authors in @annbot.bsky.social

#openaccess article 
👉 botany.fyi/ttcfa7
The study on tribe Bocageeae (Annonaceae) reveals that long-distance seed dispersal, mediated by diverse frugivorous animals, played a crucial role in their distribution across Neotropical biomes and between Africa and America. This highlights the importance of frugivore diversity and abundance in plant dispersal across both intercontinental and intracontinental scales.
May 21, 2024 at 11:52 AM