Abstract Detail

Biogeography

Wolfe, Andi [1], Blischak, Paul [2].

Biogeography of Penstemon (Plantaginaceae).

Penstemon, with ca. 280 species, is the largest genus endemic to North America. The genus originated between 3.4–3.7 million years ago, with the bulk of diversification during the past 1.7 million years. We used a time-calibrated phylogeny of 243 species (283 accessions) to examine the diversification patterns of the genus in the context of its biogeographic history. Specifically, we address diversification of Penstemon in the context of major and minor glaciation events throughout the Pleistocene, and we compare these results with previous hypotheses about the biogeography of the genus. Two approaches were used. First, distribution maps of all taxa were downloaded from digitized herbarium collections and plotted in two ways: 1) in phylogenetic order of appearance across the tree, and 2) grouped by date of terminal nodes. These maps were then assembled into sequences to show the pattern of appearance across North America. The second approach was to use BioGeoBEARS to model the biogeographic history of the genus, inferring patterns of range evolution using a set of six models aimed at parameterizing different processes of geographic diversification. These analyses showed that founder events played an important role in the evolution of Penstemon. Taken together, our results place major geographic transitions within the genus in a temporal context and help to explain the extraordinary diversification of this group during the Pleistocene.

Related Links:
Wolfe Lab - Penstemon Database Website

1 - Ohio State University, Department Of Evolution, Ecology And Organismal Biology, 318 W. 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
2 - University of Arizona, EEB

Keywords:
Penstemon
Plantaginaceae
Biogeography
phylogeny
BioGeoBears
Pleistocene
Diversification.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: BIOG1, Biogeography I
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2020
Time: 11:00 AM
Number: BIOG1005
Abstract ID:409
Candidate for Awards:None