Browsing by Autor "Peter W. Moonlight"

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Dividing and conquering the fastest–growing genus: Towards a natural sectional classification of the mega–diverse genus <i>Begonia</i> (Begoniaceae)
(Wiley, 2018) Peter W. Moonlight; Wisnu Handoyo Ardi; Luzmila Arroyo Padilla; Kuo‐Fang Chung; Daniel Fuller; Deden Girmansyah; Ruth Hollands; Adolfo Jara-Muñoz; Ruth Kiew; Wai Yie Leong
Abstract The pantropical genus Begonia is the sixth–largest genus of flowering plants, including 1870 species. The sections of Begonia are used frequently as analogues to genera in other families but, despite their taxonomic utility, few of the current sections have been examined in the light of molecular phylogenetic analyses. We present herein the largest, most representative phylogeny of Begonia published to date and a subsequent provisional sectional classification of the genus. We utilised three plastid markers for 574 species and 809 accessions of Begonia and used Hillebrandia as an outgroup to produce a dated phylogeny. The relationships between some species and sections are poorly resolved, but many sections and deeper nodes receive strong support. We recognise 70 sections of Begonia including 5 new sections: Astrothrix, Ephemera, Jackia, Kollmannia, and Stellandrae; 4 sections are reinstated from synonymy: Australes, Exalabegonia, Latistigma and Pereira; and 5 sections are newly synonymised. The new sectional classification is discussed with reference to identifying characters and previous classifications.
Expanding tropical forest monitoring into Dry Forests: The DRYFLOR protocol for permanent plots
(Wiley, 2020) Peter W. Moonlight; Karina Banda; Oliver L. Phillips; Kyle G. Dexter; R. Toby Pennington; Timothy R. Baker; Haroldo Cavalcante de Lima; Laurie Fajardo; Roy González‐M.; Reynaldo Linares‐Palomino
Societal Impact Statement Understanding of tropical forests has been revolutionized by monitoring in permanent plots. Data from global plot networks have transformed our knowledge of forests’ diversity, function, contribution to global biogeochemical cycles, and sensitivity to climate change. Monitoring has thus far been concentrated in rain forests. Despite increasing appreciation of their threatened status, biodiversity, and importance to the global carbon cycle, monitoring in tropical dry forests is still in its infancy. We provide a protocol for permanent monitoring plots in tropical dry forests. Expanding monitoring into dry biomes is critical for overcoming the linked challenges of climate change, land use change, and the biodiversity crisis.