Aarón Rodríguez Contreras - Species richness distribution of Solanaceae in Mexico

Aarón Rodríguez Contreras
Universidad de Guadalajara (IBUG), Zapopan, Mexico.
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Species richness distribution of Solanaceae in Mexico
Globally, vascular plant diversity concentrates in mountainous areas within the tropics. Mexican plant diversity shows a similar pattern. The main mountains chains of Mexico form the Mexican Transition Zone (MTZ) with five biogeographical provinces: the Sierra Madre Occidental, the Sierra Madre Oriental, the Transmexican Volcanic Belt, the Sierra Madre del Sur and the Chiapas Highlands. Mexico harbors 388 species of Solanaceae, grouped in 34 genera. 133 species are endemic. These numbers make the country a Solanaceae diversity center. However, species richness distribution is unevenly. The prediction is that the taxonomic richness of Solanaceae concentrates along the MTZ. We have analyzed the spatial distribution of taxonomic richness of the genera Solanum (134 species) and Lycianthes (44 species), plus the Physalidinae clade (11 genera and 107 species). In addition, we uncovered centers of endemism. The occurrence database contained 20,614 records. All analyses recovered cells with high species richness and endemism located along the MTZ. In Mexico, the diversity of Solanaceae can be explained by long distance dispersal from South America followed by within-area speciation. Further, geological and climatic events of the MTZ facilitated its diversification.

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