Open AccessInvestigating the evolution of floras: problems and progress — An introduction
Author(s) -
Linder H. P.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
diversity and distributions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.918
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1472-4642
pISSN - 1366-9516
DOI - 10.1111/j.1366-9516.2006.00211.x
Subject(s) - flora (microbiology) , ecology , endemism , cape , geography , habitat , diversity (politics) , plant diversity , biodiversity , biology , archaeology , paleontology , anthropology , sociology , bacteria
The Cape flora of southern Africa is a remarkable hotspot for plant species diversity and endemism. At a meeting in Zurich in 2004 progress in understanding the evolution of this diversity was reviewed. In this symposium, four papers presenting several of the methods used in this investigation were reported. These papers deal with molecular dating methods, the reconstruction of ancestral habitats, with possible speciation scenarios for the Cape flora, and the importance of the correct sampling strategies.