Origins of the African high mountain flora: the role of past climates on establishment and diversification

• Applicant: Dr. Berit Gehrke
• Subject Area: Evolution and Systematics of Plants and Fungi
• Term: from 2011 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 206409213

The cool-adapted flora of the mountains of tropical and southern Africa is sharply distinct from the lowland plant communities that surround it. This unique flora is instead more similar to that of other temperate areas. Molecular phylogenetic analyses have revealed that the African high mountain flora originated by means of numerous independent colonisations by plants mainly from other temperate climate areas across the world. About half of all successful colonisation events were also followed by lineage radiations. The number of new species that resulted from a single invasion can be largely predicted by the relative age of the lineage in Africa, its distribution range, and its habitat preferences. However, little is known about the absolute timing of these invasions and radiations and hence little is known about the climatic conditions under which they occurred. The first aim of this project is therefore to establish an absolute time frame for colonization and radiation in the African high mountains by analysing a representative sample of plant lineages. With this temporal perspective I can test under what climatic conditions establishment occurred and whether changes in plant diversity through time may be dependent either on particular climatic conditions or on changes in conditions, for example through increased speciation with shifts in habitat preferences.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants