Highlighting convergent evolution in morphological traits in response to climatic gradient in African tropical tree species: The case of genus Benn.

Adaptive evolution is a major driver of organism diversification, but the links between phenotypic traits and environmental niche remain little documented in tropical trees. Moreover, trait-niche relationships are complex because a correlation between the traits and environmental niches displayed by a sample of species may result from (a) convergent evolution if different environmental conditions have selected different sets of traits, and/or (b) phylogenetic inertia if niche and morphological differences between species are simply function of their phylogenetic divergence, in which case the trait-niche correlation does not imply any direct causal link. Here, we aim to assess the respective roles of phylogenetic inertia and convergent evolution in shaping the differences of botanical traits and environmental niches among congeneric African tree species that evolved in different biomes.

Evolution in the Amphi-Atlantic tropical genus Guibourtia (Fabaceae, Detarioideae), combining NGS phylogeny and morphology.

Tropical rain forests support a remarkable diversity of tree species, questioning how and when this diversity arose. The genus Guibourtia (Fabaceae, Detarioideae), characterized by two South American and 13 African tree species growing in various tropical biomes, is an interesting model to address the role of biogeographic processes and adaptation to contrasted environments on species diversification. Combining whole plastid genome sequencing and morphological characters analysis, we studied the timing of speciation and diversification processes in Guibourtia through molecular dating and ancestral habitats reconstruction.

Characterization of microsatellite markers in the African tropical tree species (Fabaceae, Detarioideae).

Premise Of The Study: Microsatellite primers (simple sequence repeats [SSRs]) were developed in (Fabaceae, Detarioideae) to study population genetic structure and the history of African vegetation.

Methods And Results: We isolated 18 polymorphic SSRs from a nonenriched genomic library. This set of primer pairs was tested on four populations, and the results showed two to 16 alleles per locus with mean observed and expected heterozygosities of 0.

Characterization of microsatellite markers in two exploited African trees, and (Meliaceae).

Premise Of The Study: Multiplexes of nuclear microsatellite primers were developed to investigate population genetic structure and diversity in two exploited African rainforest trees: and (Meliaceae).

Methods And Results: Microsatellite isolation was performed simultaneously on two nonenriched genomic libraries after next-generation sequencing. We developed 16 and 22 polymorphic markers for and in three and four multiplexes, respectively.

Revealing hidden species diversity in closely related species using nuclear SNPs, SSRs and DNA sequences - a case study in the tree genus Milicia.

Background: Species delimitation in closely related plant taxa can be challenging because (i) reproductive barriers are not always congruent with morphological differentiation, (ii) use of plastid sequences might lead to misinterpretation, (iii) rare species might not be sampled. We revisited molecular-based species delimitation in the African genus Milicia, currently divided into M. regia (West Africa) and M.

Microsatellite development for the genus Guibourtia (Fabaceae, Caesalpinioideae) reveals diploid and polyploid species.

Premise Of The Study: Nuclear microsatellites (nSSRs) were designed for Guibourtia tessmannii (Fabaceae, Caesalpinioideae), a highly exploited African timber tree, to study population genetic structure and gene flow.

Methods And Results: We developed 16 polymorphic nSSRs from a genomic library tested in three populations of G. tessmannii and two populations of G.

Development and characterization of microsatellite markers in the African deciduous tree Terminalia superba (Combretaceae).

Premise Of The Study: Microsatellites were designed and characterized in the African timber forest tree Terminalia superba (Combretaceae). Due to their high variability, these markers are suitable to investigate gene flow patterns and the structure of genetic diversity.

Methods And Results: From a genomic library obtained by next-generation sequencing, seven monomorphic and 14 polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed.