The Late Cretaceous floras of the Zeya-Bureya Basin

A general characterization of the Late Cretaceous floras of the Zeya-Bureya Basin is provided based on floristic assemblages from Russia (Amur Region) and China (Heilongjiang Province). Four phases of floral evolution were revealed: the Turonian-Coniacian (the Sutara flora), the Santonian (the Yong’ancun and Middle Kundur floras), the Campanian (the Taipinglinchang and Late Kundur floras) and the late Maastrichtian (Bureya flora). This long paleofloral succession provides possibility for investigation of different trends in the evolution of the Late Cretaceous taxa, flora, and climate.

Author Correction: Modularity increases rate of floral evolution and adaptive success for functionally specialized pollination systems

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

The influence of floral variation and geographic disjunction on the evolutionary dynamics of Ronnbergia and Wittmackia (Bromeliaceae: Bromelioideae)

The Ronnbergia alliance is a lineage of two genera, Ronnbergia and Wittmackia, which diversified in three centres of distribution; the Pacific Forest, the Atlantic Forest and the Caribbean. In this study, we reconstructed the most plausible biogeographic scenario that explain the disjunct evolution of the Ronnbergia alliance in these centres of diversity. We also compared the evolutionary rate dynamics of lineage diversification and floral evolution in each of these areas. Our results suggested that the Ronnbergia alliance originated in the Atlantic Forest c. 5.2 Mya. Ronnbergia originated c. 3.5 Mya after a long-distance dispersal event to the Pacific Forest. The diversification of Wittmackia started in the Atlantic Forest, c. 3.2 Mya, and experienced more heterogeneous evolutionary rate dynamics than Ronnbergia during its radiation. In Wittmackia a long-distance dispersal from the Atlantic Forest to Jamaica gave rise to the Caribbean clade, which diversified rapidly and experienced significantly higher rates of floral evolution. This study helped in understanding how bromeliad diversification occurs differently among major centres of biodiversity. In our case, we found how the Caribbean is a much more dynamic area of diversification than the Atlantic Forest or the Pacific Forest.