Article, 2024
The rise of baobab trees in Madagascar
Nature,
ISSN
0028-0836,
1476-4687,
Volume 629,
8014,
Pages 1091-1099,
10.1038/s41586-024-07447-4
Contributors
Wan, Jun-Nan
0000-0003-2450-1291
[1]
[2]
Wang, Sheng-Wei
0000-0002-8785-5065
[1]
[2]
Leitch, Andrew Rowland
0000-0001-8574-302X
[3]
Leitch, Ilia Judith
0000-0002-3837-8186
[4]
Jian, Jian-Bo
0000-0003-2187-5490
[5]
[6]
Wu, Zhang-Yan
[6]
Xin, Hai-Ping
0000-0002-4652-1683
[2]
Rakotoarinivo, Mijoro
0000-0001-6644-5107
[7]
Onjalalaina, Guy Eric
0000-0001-6614-2309
[7]
Gituru, Robert Wahiti
[1]
[8]
Dai, Can
0000-0003-3914-2041
[9]
Mwachala, Geoffrey
0000-0001-5334-0744
[10]
Bai, Ming-Zhou
0000-0001-5666-8200
[5]
[6]
Zhao, Chen-Xi
[6]
Wang, Hong-Qi
[6]
Du, Sheng-Lan
[2]
Wei, Neng
0000-0002-0313-3912
[1]
[2]
Hu, Guang-Wan
0000-0001-7728-7976
[1]
[2]
Chen, Si-Chong
[1]
[2]
Chen, Xiao-Ya
0000-0002-2909-8414
[1]
[11]
Wan, Tao
0000-0001-9345-8624
(Corresponding author)
[1]
[2]
Wang, Qing-Feng
0000-0001-9143-8849
(Corresponding author)
[1]
[2]
Affiliations
- [1]
Chinese Academy of Sciences
[NORA names:
China; Asia, East];
- [2]
Wuhan Botanical Garden
[NORA names:
China; Asia, East];
- [3]
Queen Mary University of London
[NORA names:
United Kingdom; Europe, Non-EU; OECD];
- [4]
Royal Botanic Gardens
[NORA names:
United Kingdom; Europe, Non-EU; OECD];
- [5]
Technical University of Denmark
[NORA names:
DTU Technical University of Denmark; University; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD];
(... more)
- [6]
BGI Group (China)
[NORA names:
China; Asia, East];
- [7]
University of Antananarivo
[NORA names:
Madagascar; Africa];
- [8]
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
[NORA names:
Kenya; Africa];
- [9]
Hubei University
[NORA names:
China; Asia, East];
- [10]
National Museums of Kenya
[NORA names:
Kenya; Africa];
- [11]
Shanghai Chenshan Plant Science Research Center
[NORA names:
China; Asia, East]
(less)
Abstract
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 Adansoniasuarezensis and Adansoniagrandidieri, and that intensive monitoring of populations of Adansoniaza is required, given its propensity for negatively impacting the critically endangered Adansoniaperrieri.
Keywords
Adansonia,
Madagascar,
Malagasy,
analysis,
art,
attention,
baobab,
baobab species,
baobab tree,
centre,
centre of origin,
changes,
competition,
conservation,
conservation status,
criticism,
culture,
diversity,
ecological analysis,
fauna1,
folklore,
genome,
genus,
genus Adansonia,
geological history,
history,
human culture,
intensive monitoring,
interspecific competition,
islands,
issues,
levels,
lineages,
local sea level,
origin,
propensity,
relationship,
reticulate evolution,
sea level,
sequenced genomes,
shape,
species,
species diversity,
status,
tradition,
trees
Funders
Data Provider: Digital Science