Rainforest Biodiversity and Speciation — Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA

Region:
Africa (Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast), Australia, South America (Ecuador)

These projects seek to understand the mechanisms important in generating rainforest biodiversity. Results from research on birds in Cameroon and reptiles in Australia strongly suggest that these transition zones, known as ecotones, are an important generator of the biodiversity of the rainforest. These findings have important implications for conservation policies, which to date have focused on the preservation of the rainforest exclusively, effectively seeking to preserve the pattern of biodiversity but not the process that creates it. By taking a multifaceted approach to the study of evolution, we can understand how diverging populations become new species, and take steps to conserve and protect those areas of the tropics that support such evolutionary processes.

With its collaborators, CTR has secured funding to expand this research to include birds, reptiles, small mammals and bats, in-and-around the rainforests of Africa, South America, and Australia. Finally, CTR is working with Senior Scientists at the Jet Propulsion Lab to utilize NASA satellite imagery to assess the degree of ecotone loss worldwide.

rainforest biodiversity and speciation

rainforest biodiversity and speciation

Related Publications

Loss of sexual dimporhism is associated with loss of lekking behavior in the green manakin (Xenopipo holochora)

Ribeiro, R. D.; McCormack, J. E.; Álvarez, H. G.; Carrasco, L.; Grether, G. F.; Mena-Olmedo, P.; Sedano, R.; Smith, T. B.; Karubian, J.

Published Work 2015 | Journal of Avian Biology 46(3), 307–314

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Safeguarding biodiversity: what is perceived as working according to the conservation community?

Chapman, C. A.; DeLuycker, A.; Reyna-Hurtado, R. A.; Serio-Silva, J. C.; Smith, T. B.; Strier, K. B.; Goldberg, T. L.

Published Work 2014 | Oryx 50(2), 302-307

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Evolution and conservation of Central African biodiversity: priorities for future research and education in the Congo Basin and Gulf of Guinea

Anthony, N. M.; Atteke, C.; Bruford, M. W.; Dallmeier, F.; Freedman, A.; Hardy, O.; Ibrahim, B.; Jeffery, K. J.; Johnson, M.; Lahm, S. A.; Lepengue, N.; Lowenstein, J. H.; Maisels, F.; Mboumba, J.; Mickala, P.; Morgan, K.; Ntie, S.; Smith, T. B.; Sullivan, J. P.; Verheyen, E.; Gonder, M. K.

Published Work 2014 | Biotropica 47(1), 6–17

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Spatial conservation planning framework for assessing conservation opportunities in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil

Giorgi, A. P.; Rovzar, C.; Davis, K. S.; Fuller, T.; Buermann, W.; Saatchi, S.; Smith, T. B.; Silveira, L. F.; Gillespie, S. W.

Published Work 2014 | Applied Geography 53, 369–376

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Diet selection is related to breeding status in two frugivorous hornbill species of Central Africa

Lamperti, A. M.; French, A. R.; Dierenfeld, E. S.; Fogiel, M. K.; Whitney, K. D.; Stauffer, D. J.; Stouffer, K. M.; Hardesty, B. D.; Clark, C. J.; Poulsen, J. R.; Wang, B.; Smith, T. B.; Parker, V. T.

Published Work 2014 | Journal of Tropical Ecology 30(4), 273–290

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Effects of forest disturbance and habitat loss on avian communities in a Neotropical biodiversity hotspot

Duraes, R.; Carrasco, L.; Smith, T. B.; Karubian, J.

Published Work 2013 | Biological Conservation 166, 203–211

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Pathogen-host associations and predicted range shifts of human Monkeypox in response to climate change in Central Africa

Thomassen, H. A.; Fuller, T. L.; Asefi-Najafabady, S.; Shiplacoff, J. A.; Mulembakani, P. M.; Blumberg, S.; Johnston, S. C.; Kisalu, N. K.; Kinkela, T. L.; Fair, J. N.; Wolfe, N. D.; Shongo, R. L.; LeBreton, M.; Meyer, H.; Wright, L. L.; Muyembe, J.; Buermann, W.; Okitolonda, E.; Hensley, L. E.; Lloyd-Smith, J. O.; Smith, T. B.; Rimoin, A. W.

Published Work 2013 | PLoS ONE 8(7)

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Intraspecific morphological and genetic variation of common species predicts ranges of threatened ones

Fuller, T. L.; Thomassen, H. A.; Peralvo, M.; Wolfgang, B.; Mila, B.; Kieswetter, C. M.; Jarrin-V, P.; Cameron Devitt, S. E.; Mason, E.; Schweizer, R. M.; Schluneggar, J.; Chan, J.; Wang, O.; Schneider, C. J.; Pollinger, J. P.; Saatchi, S.; Graham, C. H.; Wayne, R. K.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2013 | Proceedings of the Royal Society Biology 280(1763)

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Speciation on oceanic islands: rapid adaptive divergence vs. cryptic speciation in a Guadalupe Island songbird

Aleixandre, P.; Montoha, J. H.; Borja, M.

Published Work 2013 | PLoS ONE 8(5)

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Predicting bird song from space

Smith, T. B.; Harrigan, R. J.; Kirschel, A. N.; Buermann, W.; Saatchi, S.; Blumstein, D. T.; de Kort, S. R.; Slabbekoorn, H.

Published Work 2013 | Evolutionary Applications 6(6), 865–874

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Averting biodiversity collapse in tropical forest protected areas

Laurance, W. F.; Useche, D. C.; Rendeiro, J.; Kalka, M.; Bradshaw, C. J.; Smith, T. B.; et al.

Published Work 2012 | Nature 489, 290–294

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A trans-Amazonian screening of mtDNA reveals deep intraspecific divergence in forest birds and suggests a vast underestimation of species diversity

Milá, B.; Tavares, E. S.; Saldana, A. M.; Karubian, J.; Smith, T. B.; Baker, A. J.

Published Work 2012 | PLoS ONE 7(7)

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Diversification in Adelomyia hummingbirds follows Andean uplift

Chaves, J. A.; Weir, J. T.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2011 | Molecular Ecology 20(18), 4564–4576

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Testing alternative hypotheses for evolutionary diversification in an African songbird: Rainforest refugia versus ecological gradients

Kirschel, A. N.; Slabbekoorn, H.; Blumstein, D. T.; Cohen, R. E.; de Kort, S. R.; Buermann, W.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2011 | Evolution 65(11), 3162–3174

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Evolutionary patterns of diversification in the Andean hummingbird genus Adelomyia

Freedman, A. H.; Buermann, W.; Mitchard, E. T.; DeFries, R. S.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2011 | Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 60(2), 207–218

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Patterns of divergence in the olive sunbird Cyanomitra olivacea (Aves: Nectariniidae) across the African rainforest–savanna ecotone

Smith, T. B.; Thomassen, H. A.; Freedman, A. H.; Sehgal, R. N.; Buermann, W.; Saatchi, S.; Pollinger, J.; Milá, B.; Pires, D.; Valkiūnas, G.; Wayne, R. K.

Published Work 2011 | Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 103(4), 821–835

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A cryptic contact zone between divergent mitochondrial DNA lineages in southwestern North America supports past introgressive hybridization in the yellow-rumped warbler complex (Aves: Dendroica coronata)

Milá, B.; Toews, D. P.; Smith, T. B.; Wayne, R. K.

Published Work 2011 | Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 103(3), 696–706

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Comparative avian biodiversity of five mountains in northern Cameroon and Bioko

Larison, B.; Smith, T. B.; Fotso, R.; McNiven, D.

Published Work 2010 | Ostrich 71, 269–276

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Projected changes in elevational distribution and flight performance of montane neotropical hummingbirds in response to climate change

Buermann, W.; Chaves, J. A.; Dudley, R.; Mcguire, J. A.; Smith, T. B.; Altshuler, D. L.

Published Work 2010 | Global Change Biology 17(4), 1671–1680

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Human impacts flatten rainforest-savanna gradient and reduce adaptive diversity in a rainforest bird

Freedman, A. H.; Buermann, W.; Mitchard, E. T.; DeFries, R. S.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2010 | PLoS ONE 5(9)

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Spatial modelling and landscape-level approaches for visualizing intra-specific variation

Thomassen, H. A.; Cheviron, Z. A.; Freedman, A. H.; Harrigan, R. J.; Wayne, R. K.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2010 | Molecular Ecology 19(17), 3532–3548

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Genomic signals of diversification along ecological gradients in a tropical lizard

Freedman, A. H.; Thomassen, H. A.; Buermann, W.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2010 | Molecular Ecology 19(17), 3773–3788

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Modeling environmentally associated morphological and genetic variation in a rainforest bird, and its application to conservation prioritization

Thomassen, H. A.; Buermann, W.; Mila, B.; Graham, C. H.; Cameron, S. E.; Schneider, C. J.; Pollinger, J. P.; Saatchi, S.; Wayne, R. K.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2010 | Evolutionary Applications 3(1), 1–16

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Characterization of novel microsatellite loci for Myzomela cardinalis and M. rubrata honeyeaters, and cross-amplification in other species

Thomassen, H. A.; Jones, K. C.; Pollinger, J. P.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2009 | Conservation Genetic Resources 2, 205–208

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Birdsong tuned to the environment: green hylia song varies with elevation, tree cover, and noise

Kirschel, A. N.; Blumstein, D. T.; Cohen, R. E.; Buermann, W.; Smith, T. B.; Slabbekoorn, H.

Published Work 2009 | Behavioral Ecology 29, 1089–1095

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Divergence with gene flow and fine-scale phylogeographical structure in the wedge-billed woodcreeper, Glyphorynchus spirurus, a Neotropical rainforest bird

Milá, B.; Wayne, R. K.; Fitze, P.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2009 | Molecular Ecology 18(14), 2979–2995

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Character displacement of song and morphology in African tinkerbirds

Kirschel, A. N.; Blumstein, D. T.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2009 | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 106, 8256–8261

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The importance of conserving evolutionary processes

Smith, T. B.; Grether, G.

Published Work 2008

The role of geography and ecology in shaping the phylogeography of the speckled hummingbird (Adelomyia melanogenys) in Ecuador

Chaves, J. A.; Pollinger, J. P.; Smith, T. B.; LeBuhn, G.

Published Work 2007 | Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 43(3), 795–807

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Nesting biology of the banded ground-cuckoo (Neomorphus radiolosus)

Karubian, J.; Carrasco, L.; Cabrera, D.; Cook, A.; Olivo, J.

Published Work 2007 | Wilson Journal of Ornithology 119(2), 222–228

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Elevational zonation and the phylogenetic relationships of the Henicorhina wood-wrens

Dingle, C.; Lovette, I. J.; Canaday, C.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2006 | The Auk 123(1), 119–134

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Evaluating the divergence-with-gene-flow model in natural population: the importance of ecotones in rainforest speciation

Smith, T. B.; Wayne, R. K.; Girman, D.; Bruford, M. W.

Published Work 2005 | University of Chicago Press: Chicago, Chicago, USA, 148–165

Isolation of polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite markers for the masked flowerpiercer Diglossia cyanea

Bardeleben, C.; Gray, M. M.

Published Work 2005 | Molecular Ecology Notes 5(4), 849–850

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Current and historical factors influencing patterns of species richness and turnover of birds in the Gulf of Guinea highlands.

Smith, C. H.; Smith, T. B.; Languy, M.

Published Work 2005 | Journal of Biogeography 32, 1371–1384

Isolation of polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite markers for the wedge-billed woodcreeper Glyphorynchus spirurus

Mila, B.; Bardeleben, C.

Published Work 2005 | Biology Notes 2005, 5, 844–845

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Isolation of polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellite markers for the streak-necked flycatcher Mionectes striaticollis

Bardeleben, C.; Gray, M. M.

Published Work 2005 | Molecular Ecology Notes 5(4), 755–756

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Putting process on the map: Why ecotones are important for preserving biodiversity

Smith, T. B.; Saatchi, S.; Graham, C.; Slabbekoorn, H.; Spicer, G.

Published Work 2005 | Phylogeny and Conservation

Testing alternative mechanisms of evolutionary divergence in an African rainforest passerine bird

Smith, T. B.; Calsbeek, R.; Wayne, R. K.; Holder, K. H.; Pires, D.; Bardeleben, C.

Published Work 2004 | Journal of Evolutionary Biology 18(2), 257–268

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Habitat-dependent song divergence in the little greenbul: an analysis of environmental selection pressures on acoustic signals

Slabbekoorn, H.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2002 | Evolution 56(9), 1849–1858

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Birdsong and sound transmission: The benefits of reverberations

Slabbekoorn, H.; Ellers, J.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2002 | Condor 104(3), 564–573

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[Commentary] Biodiversity hotspots and beyond: the need for preserving environmental transitions

Smith, T. B.; Kark, S.; Schneider, C. J.; Wayne, R. K.; Moritz, C.

Published Work 2001 | Trends in Ecology and Evolution 16(8), 431

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Seasonal variation in the feeding ecology of the grey-cheeked mangabay (Lophecebus albigena) in Cameroon

Poulsen, J. R.; Clark, C. J.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2001 | American Journal of Primatology 54(2), 91–105

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Breeding characteristics of the Akohekohe on east Maui

VanGelder, E.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2001 | Studies in Avian Biology 22, 194–201

Refugial isolation vs. ecological gradients: Testing alternative mechanisms of evolutionary divergence in four rainforest vertebrates

Smith, T. B.; Schneider, C. J.; Holder, K.

Published Work 2001 | Genetica 112, 383–398

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Using High-Definition Satellite Imagery to Assess the Loss of Ecotone Habitats in the Congo Basin, 1999-2000

Saatchi, S.; Graham, C.; Smith, T.B.

Progress Report 2000

Diversification of rainforest faunas: An integrated molecular approach

Moritz, C.; Patton, J.; Schneider, C.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 2000 | Annual Reviews of Ecology and Systematics 31, 533–563

A test of alternative models of diversification in tropical rainforest: ecological gradients vs. rainforest refugia

Schneider, C.; Smith, T. B.; Larison, B.; Moritz, C.

Published Work 1999 | roceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 96(24), 13869–13873

Biotic Surveys of Bioko and Rio Muni, Equatorial Guinea, 1999

Larison, B.; Smith, T.B.; Girman, D.; Stauffer, D.; Mila, B.; Drewes, R.C.; Griswold, C.E.; Vindum, J.V.; Ubick, D., O'Keefe, K.; Nguema, J., Henwood, L.

Progress Report 1999

Ecology and speciation

Orr, M. R.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 1998 | Trends in Ecology and Evolution 13(12), 502–506

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Seed dispersal by Ceratogymna hornbills in the Dja Reserve of Cameroon

Whitney, K.; Fogiel, M.; Lamperti, A.; Holbrook, K.; Stauffer, D.; Hardesty, B.D.; Parker, V.; Smith, T. B.

Published Work 1998 | Journal of Tropical Ecology 14(3), 351–371

A role for ecotones in generating rainforest biodiversity

Smith, T. B.; Wayne, R. K.; Girman, D.; Bruford, M. W.

Published Work 1997 | Science 276(5320), 1855–1857

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Faunal Surveys of Selected Montane and Lowland Areas of Cameroon, 1996

Larison, B.; Smith, T.B.; McNiven, D.; Fotso, R.; Bruford, M.; Holbrook, K.; Lamperti, A.

Progress Report 1996

An overview of the issues

Mace, G.; Smith, T. B.; Bruford, M. W.; Wayne, R. K.

Published Work 1996 | Molecular Genetic Approaches in Conservation 1-21

The preservation of process: the missing element of conservation programs

Smith, T. B.; Bruford, M. W.; Wayne, R. K.

Published Work 1993 | Biodiversity Letters 1(6), 164–167