Phylogenetic signatures of ecological divergence and leapfrog adaptive radiation in Espeletia

PREMISE: Events of accelerated species diversification represent one of Earth’s most celebrated evolutionary outcomes. Northern Andean high-elevation ecosystems, or páramos, host some plant lineages that have experienced the fastest diversification rates, likely triggered by ecological opportunities created by mountain uplifts, local climate shifts and key trait innovations. However, the mechanisms behind rapid speciation into the new adaptive zone provided by these opportunities have long remained unclear. 

METHODS: We address this issue by studying the Venezuelan clade of Espeletia, a species-rich group of páramo-endemics showing a dazzling ecological and morphological diversity. We performed a number of comparative analyses to study both lineage and trait diversification, using an updated molecular phylogeny of this plant group.

KEY RESULTS: We showed that sets of either vegetative or reproductive traits have conjointly diversified in Espeletiaalong different vegetation belts, ...