Dated plant phylogenies resolve neogene climate and landscape evolution in the Cape Floristic Region

dc.contributor.authorHoffmann, Veraen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorVerboom, G. Anthonyen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorCotterill, Fenton P. D.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-08-29T12:01:21Z
dc.date.available2016-08-29T12:01:21Z
dc.date.issued2015
dc.descriptionCITATION: Hoffmann, V., et al. 2015. Dated plant phylogenies resolve neogene climate and landscape evolution in the Cape Floristic Region. PLoS ONE, 10(9):1-25, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0137847.
dc.descriptionThe original publication is available at http://journals.plos.org/plosone
dc.description.abstractIn the context of molecularly-dated phylogenies, inferences informed by ancestral habitat reconstruction can yield valuable insights into the origins of biomes, palaeoenvironments and landforms. In this paper, we use dated phylogenies of 12 plant clades from the Cape Floristic Region (CFR) in southern Africa to test hypotheses of Neogene climatic and geomorphic evolution. Our combined dataset for the CFR strengthens and refines previous palaeoenvironmental reconstructions based on a sparse, mostly offshore fossil record. Our reconstructions show remarkable consistency across all 12 clades with regard to both the types of environments identified as ancestral, and the timing of shifts to alternative conditions. They reveal that Early Miocene land surfaces of the CFR were wetter than at present and were dominated by quartzitic substrata. These conditions continue to characterize the higher-elevation settings of the Cape Fold Belt, where they have fostered the persistence of ancient fynbos lineages. The Middle Miocene (13–17 Ma) saw the development of perennial to weakly-seasonal arid conditions, with the strongly seasonal rainfall regime of the west coast arising ~6.5–8 Ma. Although the Late Miocene may have seen some exposure of the underlying shale substrata, the present-day substrate diversity of the CFR lowlands was shaped by Pliocene-Pleistocene events. Particularly important was renewed erosion, following the post-African II uplift episode, and the reworking of sediments on the coastal platform as a consequence of marine transgressions and tectonic uplift. These changes facilitated adaptive radiations in some, but not all, lineages studied.en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipNationalResearch Foundation’s Blue Skies Programme (Grant BS2008091600005)en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipInkabayeAfrika (AEON)en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0137847
dc.description.versionPublisher's version
dc.format.extent25 pages
dc.identifier.citationHoffmann, V., et al. 2015. Dated plant phylogenies resolve neogene climate and landscape evolution in the Cape Floristic Region. PLoS ONE, 10(9):1-25, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0137847
dc.identifier.issn1932-6203 (online)
dc.identifier.otherdoi:10.1371/journal.pone.0137847
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/99499
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherPublic Library of Science
dc.rights.holderAuthors retain copyright
dc.subjectNeogene climaticen_ZA
dc.subjectGeomorphic evolutionen_ZA
dc.subjectPlant phylogeniesen_ZA
dc.titleDated plant phylogenies resolve neogene climate and landscape evolution in the Cape Floristic Regionen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
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