TY - JOUR
T1 - The rise of baobab trees in Madagascar
AU - Wan, Jun-Nan
AU - Wang, Sheng-Wei
AU - Leitch, Andrew R.
AU - Leitch, Ilia J.
AU - Jian, Jian-Bo
AU - Wu, Zhang-Yan
AU - Xin, Hai-Ping
AU - Rakotoarinivo, Mijoro
AU - Onjalalaina, Guy Eric
AU - Gituru, Robert Wahiti
AU - Dai, Can
AU - Mwachala, Geoffrey
AU - Bai, Ming-Zhou
AU - Zhao, Chen-Xi
AU - Wang, Hong-Qi
AU - Du, Sheng-Lan
AU - Wei, Neng
AU - Hu, Guang-Wan
AU - Chen, Si-Chong
AU - Chen, Xiao-Ya
AU - Wan, Tao
AU - Wang, Qing-Feng
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - The baobab trees (genus Adansonia) have attracted tremendous attention because of their striking shape and distinctive relationships with fauna1. These spectacular trees have also influenced human culture, inspiring innumerable arts, folklore and traditions. Here we sequenced genomes of all eight extant baobab species and argue that Madagascar should be considered the centre of origin for the extant lineages, a key issue in their evolutionary history2,3. Integrated genomic and ecological analyses revealed the reticulate evolution of baobabs, which eventually led to the species diversity seen today. Past population dynamics of Malagasy baobabs may have been influenced by both interspecific competition and the geological history of the island, especially changes in local sea levels. We propose that further attention should be paid to the conservation status of Malagasy baobabs, especially of Adansonia suarezensis and Adansonia grandidieri, and that intensive monitoring of populations of Adansonia za is required, given its propensity for negatively impacting the critically endangered Adansonia perrieri.
AB - The baobab trees (genus Adansonia) have attracted tremendous attention because of their striking shape and distinctive relationships with fauna1. These spectacular trees have also influenced human culture, inspiring innumerable arts, folklore and traditions. Here we sequenced genomes of all eight extant baobab species and argue that Madagascar should be considered the centre of origin for the extant lineages, a key issue in their evolutionary history2,3. Integrated genomic and ecological analyses revealed the reticulate evolution of baobabs, which eventually led to the species diversity seen today. Past population dynamics of Malagasy baobabs may have been influenced by both interspecific competition and the geological history of the island, especially changes in local sea levels. We propose that further attention should be paid to the conservation status of Malagasy baobabs, especially of Adansonia suarezensis and Adansonia grandidieri, and that intensive monitoring of populations of Adansonia za is required, given its propensity for negatively impacting the critically endangered Adansonia perrieri.
U2 - 10.1038/s41586-024-07447-4
DO - 10.1038/s41586-024-07447-4
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 38750363
SN - 0028-0836
VL - 629
SP - 1091
EP - 1099
JO - Nature
JF - Nature
ER -