Master thesis
Biogeography and dynamics of the Sunda-Sahul Floristic Exchange
The collision of the Sunda (Southeast Asian) and Sahul (Australian) continental shelves approximately 25 Mya resulted in a mass exchange of flora that had a significant impact on the way the region’s flora looks today. Although general spatio-temporal patterns of this exchange are now characterised, we have little understanding about the processes underlying the exchange. What is the effect of environment and phylogenetic niche conservatism on the exchange? If a lineage is bird-dispersed is it more likely to be exchanged? What is the effect of jumping between continental shelves on diversification? Using hybrid HybSeq-Sanger datasets of the Sapindalean families Rutaceae, Sapindaceae, Burseraceae or Anacardiaceae you will have an opportunity to investigate the drivers of this important biogeographical event.
Contact
Dr. Elizabeth Joyce
Systematik, Biodiversität & Evolution der Pflanzen
Menzinger Str. 67
80638 München
Mail: E.Joyce@lmu.de
Phone: +49 89 17861-251