Abstract
The unequal distribution of taxa across the globe has intrigued scientists for a long time. In the Neotropics, the observation that different biomes present different species composition has led ecologists, evolutionary biologists, systematists and biogeographers to search for explanations to this pattern for a long time. Indeed, few issues have been as intriguing and exciting to scientists as the origin and evolution of the Neotropical biota. A lot of effort has been devoted to understanding the causes of the high diversity encountered in this region, and it is now clear that both evolutionary and ecological factors have played key roles for the assembly of this biota. As such, integrative approaches, including information from phylogenetics, ecology, geology, and climatology are not just useful but critical for a better understanding of the origin and evolution of the Neotropical biota. In this lecture, I use the plant family Bignoniaceae as a model for investigating the history of Tropical ecosystems, in particular the Neotropics where this plant family is most abundant and diverse.

Please join us for a preseminar reception from 3:15 - 4:00 p.m. in Room 2060 Kraus Natural Science Building.