Revisiting the hyperdominance of Neotropical tree species under a taxonomic, functional and evolutionary perspective.

ABSTRACT: Recent studies have leveraged large datasets from plot-inventory networks to report a phenomenon of hyperdominance in Amazonian tree communities, concluding that few species are common and many are rare. However, taxonomic hypotheses may not be consistent across these large plot networks, potentially masking cryptic diversity and threatened rare taxa. In the current study, we have reviewed one of the most abundant putatively hyperdominant taxa, Protium heptaphyllum (Aubl.) Marchand (Burseraceae), long considered to be a taxonomically difficult species complex. Using morphological, genomic, and functional data, we present evidence that P. heptaphyllum sensu lato may represent eight separately evolving lineages, each warranting species status. Most of these lineages are geographically restri

SUBMITTER: Damasco G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8099866 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature