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Endemism in Tasmanian cool temperate rainforest: alternative hypotheses
Robert S Hill1, Jennifer Read1
1Botany Department, University of Tasmania, G.P.O. Box 252C, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.
Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. Linnean Society of London
|May 5, 2020
Summary
Tasmanian cool temperate rainforests harbor endemic species. New hypotheses suggest these species evolved in southeastern Australia or persisted through climate changes, with mainland Australia
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Paleontology
- Botany
Background:
- Kirkpatrick & Brown's hypotheses on Tasmanian endemic species are challenged.
- Endemism in cool temperate rainforests requires alternative explanations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present new hypotheses explaining the endemism of Tasmanian cool temperate rainforest species.
- To re-evaluate existing theories regarding species distribution.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of fossil records.
- Examination of the distribution of closely related species.
- Review of paleoclimatic data.
Main Results:
- Hypothesis 1: Endemic species evolved in southeastern Australia during the Tertiary period.
- Hypothesis 2: Some species remained unchanged in Tasmania through Tertiary and Quaternary climatic shifts.
- Hypothesis 3: Post-glacial climate changes and human impact reduced mainland Australian populations.
Conclusions:
- The presented hypotheses offer a more comprehensive explanation for Tasmanian rainforest endemism.
- Fossil and distribution data support evolutionary and persistence-based origins for endemic species.
- Climate and human factors likely contributed to the restriction of these species to Tasmania.
Keywords:
Tertiary palaeobotany
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