I am a visiting PhD student, working on the evolution and ecology of the Campos rupestres (CR) - a hyperdiverse mountain region in Brazil. I study the composition of the flora, and identify the key evolutionary, biogeographical, and ecological drivers of this diversity. I use biogeographical reconstructions and diversification rate models to disentangle where CR lineages came from and how connected they are to adjacent biomes, such as the Cerrado. I also use the 'evolutionary arena' framework to test the drivers of high diversification rates, such as the evolution of key traits or conditions that shaped the CR flora.
Keywords
Diversification, beta diversity, Campos rupestres, Brazil