Diversity, Distribution, Systematics and Conservation Status of Podocarpaceae
Among conifer families, Podocarpaceae is the second largest, with amazing diversity and functional traits, and it is the dominant Southern Hemisphere conifer family. However, comprehensive studies on diversity, distribution, systematic and ecophysiological aspects of the Podocarpaceae are sparse. We...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/5/1171 |
| _version_ | 1797614621165617152 |
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| author | Raees Khan Robert S. Hill Jie Liu Ed Biffin |
| author_facet | Raees Khan Robert S. Hill Jie Liu Ed Biffin |
| author_sort | Raees Khan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Among conifer families, Podocarpaceae is the second largest, with amazing diversity and functional traits, and it is the dominant Southern Hemisphere conifer family. However, comprehensive studies on diversity, distribution, systematic and ecophysiological aspects of the Podocarpaceae are sparse. We aim to outline and evaluate the current and past diversity, distribution, systematics, ecophysiological adaptations, endemism, and conservation status of podocarps. We analyzed data on the diversity and distribution of living and extinct macrofossil taxa and combined it with genetic data to reconstruct an updated phylogeny and understand historical biogeography. Podocarpaceae today contains 20 genera and approximately 219 taxa (201 species, 2 subspecies, 14 varieties and 2 hybrids) placed in three clades, plus a paraphyletic group/grade of four distinct genera. Macrofossil records show the presence of more than 100 podocarp taxa globally, dominantly from the Eocene–Miocene. Australasia (New Caledonia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and Malesia) is the hotspot of living podocarps diversity. Podocarps also show remarkable adaptations from broad to scale leaves, fleshy seed cones, animal dispersal, shrubs to large trees, from lowland to alpine regions and rheophyte to a parasite (including the only parasitic gymnosperm—Parasitaxus) and a complex pattern of seed and leaf functional trait evolution. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:14:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f4baa764e2284d3dbbcc8eb522b2017e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:14:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-f4baa764e2284d3dbbcc8eb522b2017e2023-11-17T08:25:08ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-03-01125117110.3390/plants12051171Diversity, Distribution, Systematics and Conservation Status of PodocarpaceaeRaees Khan0Robert S. Hill1Jie Liu2Ed Biffin3School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, AustraliaSchool of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, AustraliaCAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, ChinaSchool of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, AustraliaAmong conifer families, Podocarpaceae is the second largest, with amazing diversity and functional traits, and it is the dominant Southern Hemisphere conifer family. However, comprehensive studies on diversity, distribution, systematic and ecophysiological aspects of the Podocarpaceae are sparse. We aim to outline and evaluate the current and past diversity, distribution, systematics, ecophysiological adaptations, endemism, and conservation status of podocarps. We analyzed data on the diversity and distribution of living and extinct macrofossil taxa and combined it with genetic data to reconstruct an updated phylogeny and understand historical biogeography. Podocarpaceae today contains 20 genera and approximately 219 taxa (201 species, 2 subspecies, 14 varieties and 2 hybrids) placed in three clades, plus a paraphyletic group/grade of four distinct genera. Macrofossil records show the presence of more than 100 podocarp taxa globally, dominantly from the Eocene–Miocene. Australasia (New Caledonia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and Malesia) is the hotspot of living podocarps diversity. Podocarps also show remarkable adaptations from broad to scale leaves, fleshy seed cones, animal dispersal, shrubs to large trees, from lowland to alpine regions and rheophyte to a parasite (including the only parasitic gymnosperm—Parasitaxus) and a complex pattern of seed and leaf functional trait evolution.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/5/1171conservationconifersclimate changefossilshistorical biogeographyIUCN red list |
| spellingShingle | Raees Khan Robert S. Hill Jie Liu Ed Biffin Diversity, Distribution, Systematics and Conservation Status of Podocarpaceae Plants conservation conifers climate change fossils historical biogeography IUCN red list |
| title | Diversity, Distribution, Systematics and Conservation Status of Podocarpaceae |
| title_full | Diversity, Distribution, Systematics and Conservation Status of Podocarpaceae |
| title_fullStr | Diversity, Distribution, Systematics and Conservation Status of Podocarpaceae |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diversity, Distribution, Systematics and Conservation Status of Podocarpaceae |
| title_short | Diversity, Distribution, Systematics and Conservation Status of Podocarpaceae |
| title_sort | diversity distribution systematics and conservation status of podocarpaceae |
| topic | conservation conifers climate change fossils historical biogeography IUCN red list |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/5/1171 |
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