Browsing by Subject "Biogeography"
Now showing items 1-13 of 13
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Biogeography and evolution of widespread leafcutting ants, ata spp. (formicidae, attini)
(2007)Leafcutter ants (Atta spp.) are Neotropical herbivores that play important ecological roles, but are also notorious pests, causing millions of dollars in annual damage to agriculture across their range. Three species, A. ... -
Biogeography of upland bird communities in the Peruvian Amazon
(2009-12)The western Amazon is known to be one of the most biologically diverse regions in the world, yet information about the spatial distribution of that biodiversity and the processes governing its distribution remains scarce. ... -
Diversification and evolution of treefrogs in the Cerrado savanna of South America : from population structure to biogeographic patterns
(2016-05)Historical and ecological factors underlying population structure and speciation of organisms are fundamental to uncover diversification mechanisms that lead to biogeographic patterns. The main goal of this dissertation ... -
Effect of topography on genetic divergence and phenotypic traits in tropical frogs
(2011-08)Complex interactions between topographic heterogeneity and steep gradients in climate and environmental conditions are commonly assumed to promote biotic diversification. Using tropical frogs as a model, I investigate ... -
Evolution of microbial populations with spatial and environmental structure
(2010-05)Rarely are natural conditions constant, but generally biologists study microbes in artificially constant environments in the laboratory. I relaxed these assumptions of constant environments through time and space as I ... -
Molecular phylogenetic studies in the Linaceae and Linum, with implications for their systematics and historical biogeography
(2009-12)Best-known as the family of the cultivated flax, Linum usitatissimum L., the Linaceae is a small but ecologically diverse family of flowering plants, with approximately 250 species distributed throughout the temperate and ... -
The molecular phylogeny of Pectis L. (Tageteae, Asteraceae), with implications for taxonomy, biogeography, and the evolution of C4 photosynthesis
(2012-05)This study examines the evolutionary history of Pectis L., a neotropical genus of ~90 species of xeric-adapted, herbaceous, annuals and perennials. Pectis is rare among the Asteraceae, as it uses C₄ photosynthesis, a complex ... -
Molecular systematics and biogeography of Descurainia Webb & Berthel, (Brassicaceae)
(2007-05)Descurainia is a genus in the Brassicaceae distributed throughout temperate areas of the Old and New World. The genus is well-known for its taxonomic complexity, especially within New World species, on account of its ... -
Molecular systematics of Meconopsis Vig. (Papaveraceae): taxonomy, polyploidy evolution, and historical biogeography from a phylogenetic insight
(2013-12)Known as the Himalayan poppies or the blue poppies, Meconopsis is a genus with approximately 50 species distributed through the high altitude of the Himalaya and the Hengduan Mountains (SW China). This dissertation is a ... -
Phylogeny and biogeography of Paepalanthus subg. Platycaulon (Poales: Eriocaulaceae) in the high-Andean páramos of South America : a story of long-distance migration and rapid diversification
(2016-08)Tropical Andes are located in northern South America and run from northern Chile and Argentina through Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela. They are classified as a biodiversity hotspot and harbor more than ... -
Phylogeny, biogeography and systematics of Menodora (oleaceae) and the chloroplast genome of Pelargonium × hortorum
(2007-05)This dissertation presents the result of two separate research programs. The first elucidates the phylogeny, biogeography and systematics of the genus Menodora in the olive family. A phylogeny based on the internal transcribed ... -
A re-evaluation of crinoid morphology and proposed relationship of crown groups, with insights from biogeography
(2011-08)Crinoids are the most primitive living members of the Phylum Echinodermata. Though still present in reduced numbers today, crinoids were the dominant echinoderms from the Ordovician to the Permian. The crinoid body plan ... -
Scale and process : primate and non-primate mammal community composition and diversity in Madagascar
(2015-05)The study of community assembly, or the processes that shape the occurrence of species in an ecological community, is a fundamental area of inquiry in ecology. Patterns in community composition and diversity are attributed ...