The evolution of biodiversity
The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is one of the world's key biodiversity hotspots — areas with an unusually high concentration of endemic species. Scientists do not yet understand the evolutionary processes that led to biodiversity hotspots such as the CFR. Funded by the EU, the 'Spatially explicit mechanisms of recent evolution in an African biodiversity hotspot' (REVOL) project aimed to study several key plant species to better understand what drives evolution in the CFR. Researchers studied the genetics of two Restionaceae and two Proteaceae species from populations across the CFR. In particular, they looked for evidence of evolutionary divergence — the first step in the evolution of a new species. REVOL found that in these species, isolation is caused by the environment rather than by distance. Further analysis showed that genetic drift and ecological selection (such as pollinator behaviour) also played a role. Project findings suggest that maintaining a wide variety of environments in the CFR is key to protecting the biodiversity of the Region. This finding will contribute to better climate change modelling and inform conservation strategies in the area.
Keywords
Evolution, biodiversity hotspot, Cape Floristic Region, genetics, divergence
