The Neotropics: understanding biogeography and evolution of bees and plants

Environmental Biology Seminar Series online presentation with Dr. Aline Martins, Post-Doctoral Fellow, Univ. de Brasilia

Thursday Feb 4, 2020 online
Seminar 11h30-12h30
Discussion 14h00-15h00

Bees and plants have a strong partnership through pollination process, and this is one of the most remarkable cases of mutualism we can observe in nature. The origin of this mutualism goes back to the Cretaceous when the first eudicots - the most diverse group of plants - arose and changed virtually all terrestrial ecosystems. Presently, while eudicots are widespread, bees are particularly abundant in some hotspots. Contrary to most animal groups that abound in the tropics, bees’ hotspots include temperate xeric and Mediterranean areas. In the Neotropics, stingless bees succeed in rainforests using a series of strategies to protect their nests from humidity and natural enemies. In this talk, we will explore the several geological and climatic events that lead to the evolution of neotropics, specially focusing on bee examples. In summary, intercontinental biotic interchanges and climatic fluctuations, partially influenced by the rise of the Andean Cordillera are the key events on the life evolution scenario in this part of the world. Further, we will explore the role played by the interaction with plants on bee evolution.

To obtain the Zoom link to participate, please contact allison.ford [at] mail.mcgill.ca