The xeric side of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: The forces shaping phylogeographic structure of cacti

A phylogeographic study of three cactus taxa in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (BAF) reveals distinct population groups shaped by historical climatic and sea-level changes. The research identifies four allopatric population groups with divergence initiated during the middle Pleistocene, suggesting peripatric speciation for Cereus insularis on Fernando de Noronha archipelago. Genetic diversity was strongly influenced by initial south-to-north colonization followed by fragmentation, likely driven by neotectonic activity and environmental shifts. The study used nuclear and plastid gene data to analyze population structure, phylogenetic relationships, and biogeographic patterns across xeric habitats, including Inselbergs, Restinga forests, and rocky shores.

Franco, F. F., Jojima, C. L., Perez, M. F., Zappi, D. C., Taylor, N., & Moraes, E. M. (2017). The xeric side of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: The forces shaping phylogeographic structure of cacti. Ecology and Evolution, 7(22), 9281–9293. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.3458