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The Role Of Antarctica In Biogeographical Reconstruction: A Point Of View, Manuel De La Estrella, Sven Buerki, Thais Vasconcelos, Eve J. Lucas, Félix Forest

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Premise of research. The opening of the Drake Passage in the Miocene (disconnecting Antarctica and South America and resulting in the establishment of the Circumpolar Current preventing warm waters from the north to reach the polar continent) has led to the formation of the ice sheets and the retreat of the temperate to tropical vegetation that had covered Antarctica for millions of years. With only two current native vascular plant species, Antarctica has been virtually ignored in biogeographical reconstructions and, when considered, only a posteriori invoked as a route of dispersal to reconcile inferred disjunct biogeographical patterns.

Methodology. Here, we …