Phylogeny, historical biogeography and niche evolution in neotropical Marcgraviaceae – a model case for the study of rapid morphological diversification and speciation through flower-pollinator interactions

Marcgraviaceae是一种新热带植物科，主要是攀缘木质习性(132种)，分布于从墨西哥南部到加勒比海群岛到玻利维亚和巴西南部。栖息地是热带雨林和云雾林，其次是巴西的塞拉多斯。根据目前的知识，在花与传粉者相互作用的基础上，已经发生了快速的形态多样化和物种形成。尽管到目前为止发现的遗传变异性很低，但在该家族中已经形成了独特的、壮观的花序，以适应来自所有大型传粉者群体的各种传粉者。建立一个全面的分子系统学是理解这种快速多样化的时间和空间模式的基础。这个家族占据了美洲大陆8个生物多样性热点中的6个，特别适合于研究热点形成的历史及其驱动因素。非常广泛和多样化的初步工作是可用的，这将使在相对较短的时间内评估不同当前方向的分子数据成为可能。以下问题将被提及：(1)Marcgraviaceae起源于哪里，何时起源，它们走了什么路线？(2)不同的形态特征是如何进化的，这是如何导致新的栖息地的殖民或新的传粉者谱的发展？(3)形态创新对多样性比率有什么影响？(4)Marcgraviaceae内的多样性是否与地质或气候变化有关(例如，安第斯隆起，巴拿马地峡的关闭)？(5)生态位进化或保守主义如何影响Marcgraviaceae单个类群的进化和分布历史？

The Marcgraviaceae are a neotropical plant family of mostly climbing woody habit (132 species), whose distribution reaches from southern Mexico over the Caribbean islands to Bolivia and southern Brazil. Habitats are rainforests and cloud forests, and to a lesser extent the Cerrados of Brazil. According to current knowledge, a rapid morphological diversification and species formation has taken place on the basis of flower-pollinator interactions. Despite the very low genetic variability found so far, unique, spectacular inflorescences have developed in the family in adaptation to a large variety of pollinators from all large pollinator groups. The creation of a comprehensive molecular phylogeny serves as a basis for understanding the temporal and spatial pattern of this rapid diversification.Occurring in 6 of the 8 biodiversity hotspots on the American continent, this family is particularly suited to study the history of hotspot formation and their drivers. Extraordinarily extensive and diverse preliminary work is available, which will enable an evaluation of the molecular data in different, current directions in a comparatively short time. The following questions are to be adressed:(1) Where and when do the Marcgraviaceae originate and what routes have they taken? (2) How have different morphological features evolved and how has this led to the colonisation of new habitats or the development of new pollinator spectra? (3) What influence did morphological innovations have on diversification rates? (4) Are diversifications within Marcgraviaceae linked to geological or climatic changes (e.g. Andean uplift, closure of the isthmus of Panama)?(5) How has niche evolution or conservatism influenced the evolution and distribution history of the individual taxa of Marcgraviaceae?