Temperate radiations and tropical dominance: the diversification and evolution of the plant clade Ericales

The staggering diversity of tropical plants contributes to a latitudinal diversity gradient of increased species richness towards equatorial latitudes; a pattern found across the tree of life. Despite the significance of tropical biomes and the evolutionary/ecological importance of movements across, into, and out of tropical latitudes, the sparse sampling of species for both DNA sequences and morphological traits has inhibited progress in addressing major evolutionary questions regarding the origin, diversification, and niche evolution of lineages with temperate and tropical transitions. This study uses transcriptome, targeted-capture, and genome skimming sequencing to overcome these limitations for the diverse and ecologically important plant clade Ericales which includes a variety of economically important species such as blueberries, kiwi fruit, persimmon, Brazil nut, timber woods (e.g., ebony), azaleas, rhododendrons, and even carnivorous plants. These newly collected "big data" resources will allow researchers to discover genetic and morphological factors that contribute to the origin and maintenance of the biological diversity in Earth's forests