Abstract Detail

Phylogenomics

Conejo, Nancy [1], Martine, Christopher [2], Jobson, Peter [3], Cantley, Jason [4], J. McDonnell, Angela [2].

Biogeography of the whorled wattles (Acacia section Lycopodiifoliae) in the Australian Monsoon Tropics.

The Australian Monsoon Tropics (AMT) is characterized by its unique biome dominated by Proterozoic sandstones that form ranges and escarpments and are variously covered by vast swaths of open savanna, vine thickets, wetlands, mangroves, and many microhabitats promoted by highly dissected sandstones. The AMT, one of the largest intact tropical biomes on the planet, covering 1/3 of northern Australia. It receives 85% of its precipitation in a short 3-month monsoon season and is otherwise stressed with drought-like conditions. However, despite these harsh environmental conditions that have clearly promoted strong speciation in some groups, little is known about how climatic events shaped its floristic evolutionary history. We want to elucidate our understanding of how past climatic and geologic events shaped the evolutionary history of Acacia section Lycopodiifoliae, known commonly as the ‘whorled wattles’ as they have whorled leaves which is a condition otherwise not found throughout the large Australian genus. The study will investigate the phylogenetic relationships using ddRADseq data from ~23 species to better understand the patterns and historical distributions of A. section Lycopodiifoliae species. A few select widespread species, such as A. lycopodiifolia and A. galioides will be investigated population-level geographic structure across the AMT to assess if long standing geographic barriers have played a role in the achieved distribution of each species’ distribution. The project is meant to provide insight on biogeographic barriers and examine the role of sandstones escarpments as habitat refugia in the AMT that may play a role in other AMT plant lineages. Furthermore, the insight can serve as informative guide for conservation agencies regarding where to focus efforts on flora that might hold little protection.

1 - San Francisco State University, Biology, 1600 Holloway Ave,, San Francisco, CA, 94132, USA
2 - Bucknell University, Biological Sciences, 203 Biology Building, Lewisburg, PA, 17837, United States
3 - Northern Territory Herbarium, Alice Springs, NT, Australia
4 - San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave, SF State University Biology Department, Hensill Hall, 1600 Holloway Ave, SF State University Biology Department, H, SF State University Biology Department, Hensill Ha, San Francisco, CA, 94132, United States

Keywords:
biogeography
Barriers
phylogeny
Australian Monsoon Tropics
population genetics.

Presentation Type: Poster
Session: P, Phylogenomics Posters
Location: Arizona Ballroom/Starr Pass
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2019
Time: 5:30 PM This poster will be presented at 6:15 pm. The Poster Session runs from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Posters with odd poster numbers are presented at 5:30 pm, and posters with even poster numbers are presented at 6:15 pm.
Number: PPL002
Abstract ID:188
Candidate for Awards:None