Abstract Detail

Emerging Leader Lecture - Emily Sessa

Sessa, Emily [1].

Patterns and People in African Plant Systematics.

The continent of Africa is home to 55 countries, perhaps as many as 3000 languages, and nearly 50,000 plant species. The ecoregions of the continent range from deserts, mountains, and extensive bushlands and savanna, to tropical rainforests and wetlands, and include the world's largest inland delta (the Okavango) as well as one of the planet's richest botanical biodiversity hotspots, the Cape Floristic Region. This talk will explore the continent's botanical diversity, including the Cape Floristic Region, Eastern Arc Mountains, Cameroon Volcanic Line, and Ethiopian "church forests", and will describe several of the unique patterns that characterize botanical diversity in Africa, including the "odd man out" pattern and continental-scale disjunctions both within Africa, such as the "Rand flora" pattern of arid plant disjunctions, and between Africa and other continents, primarily South America. I will also discuss my own research on the evolution of the African fern flora, as well as other current studies on topics of interest in African plant systematics, highlighting work that is being led by scientists based on the continent.  

1 - University Of Florida, Biology, Box 118525, Gainesville, FL, 32611, United States

Keywords:
Biodiversity
Systematics
hotspot.

Presentation Type: Special Presentations
Session: S09, Emerging Leader Lecture
Location: Virtual/Virtual
Date: Wednesday, July 29th, 2020
Time: 1:30 PM
Number: S09001
Abstract ID:631
Candidate for Awards:None