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SUMMARY:What we (un)know about Neotropical montane species of butterflies 
 - Karina Lucas Da Silva Brandao\, Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodive
 rsitätswandels
DTSTART:20250513T120000Z
DTEND:20250513T130000Z
UID:TALK231940@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Henry North
DESCRIPTION:A third of all terrestrial species on Earth are found in mount
 ain habitats\, which are hotspots for biodiversity mainly because of topog
 raphic variety\, soil type heterogeneity\, altitudinal gradients\, and cli
 matic variability. The great level of specialisation that montane organism
 s frequently display within limited temperature ranges is demonstrated by 
 invertebrate montane species. Furthermore\, it is anticipated that upslope
  migrations will reduce their possible area of occupancy and make them mor
 e susceptible to the stochastic extinctions that are typical of small popu
 lations. Climate change is a potential danger to the survival of these spe
 cies that inhabit mountainous regions. This is especially true for the Bra
 zilian Atlantic Forest\, which has a high level of biodiversity but is now
  losing just 12% of its original vegetation due to habitat fragmentation b
 rought on by urbanisation and human activity. Actinote butterflies (Nympha
 lidae\, Heliconiinae\, Acraeini) compose a small genus which has a highly 
 distinctive wing pattern. The hindwing of every species has the similar st
 riped pattern\, yet different mimicry groups may be distinguished by colou
 rs and tones. Numerous Actinote species can be found in the mountains of t
 he Brazilian Atlantic Forest\, which is situated between 15° and 30° Sou
 th and is primarily covered by tropical or subtropical forests. The climat
 e varies in the interior (semi-deciduous forests with physiological drough
 t and low mean temperature) to the interior (ombrophilous dense forests)\,
  which have no dry season. Montane speciation has been envisioned as a mec
 hanism occurring through the evolution of the genus in this region. In ord
 er to find a broad pattern of evolutionary mechanisms on these environment
 s\, we examined the population genomics patterns of two Actinote closely r
 elated highland species. Rather\, we uncovered two disparate historical tr
 ends. Despite having a short\, overlapping distribution that is thought to
  be connected to a chilly\, humid environment\, both butterfly species exh
 ibit notable ecological differentiation: whereas one of them is found in w
 et forests above 1200 meters\, has a slightly wider range\, and feeds excl
 usively on one species of asteraceous vine\, the other is found mostly abo
 ve 1400 meters\, prefers wet forests and contact zones with high altitude 
 grasslands\, and feeds on a few species of closely related shrubs. Despite
  the fact that both species exhibit a higher number of SNPs flagged for th
 e LGM climate and it is thought likely that they expanded their range duri
 ng cold and wet periods\, the ecological specialisation indicates that the
  two species' detailed responses have likely differed and may have followe
 d local microclimates\, vegetation responses\, or host plant responses. Mo
 re in-depth conclusions are difficult since\, of the hundreds of SNPs know
 n for these species\, only a very small number appear to be linked to clim
 ate.
LOCATION:Part II Lecture Theatre\, Department of Zoology
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