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• This study introduces a taxonomically revised and credible occurrence dataset of Stachytarpheta in Brazil, including 4843 different specimens covering 90 species. • Stachytarpheta exhibit remarkable species richness and endemism particularly in the campos rupestres and savannas of the Espinhaço Range and Chapada dos Veadeiros. • A strong correlation exists between specimen occurrences and proximity to roads. Rarefaction curves show ongoing potential for species discovery in Tocantins state. • Temporal analysis shows an upward trend in occurrence records from 1970 to 2010 but declines in funding for scientific initiatives may have impeded recent collection efforts. Stachytarpheta (Verbenaceae) encompasses approximately 120 species distributed throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, with Brazil boasting the highest species richness (90 spp.) and endemism (82 spp.). This study introduces an updated, taxonomically revised, and credible occurrence dataset focusing on Stachytarpheta species in Brazil, comprising 4,843 records. This dataset results from expert revision of herbarium collections and integration with global repositories alongside national repositories in Brazil. It facilitates a thorough exploration of the temporal, geographical, and taxonomic patterns of Stachytarpheta across diverse regions and landscapes in Brazil. Stachytarpheta species and their occurrence records are concentrated in the states of Minas Gerais, Bahia, and Goiás, particularly in the campo rupestre and savanna formations of the Espinhaço Range and Chapada dos Veadeiros. Analysis of potential biases within our dataset revealed a correlation between specimen occurrences and proximity to roads. Rarefaction curves indicate ongoing potential for species discovery within the Cerrado and Caatinga domains, with the Tocantins state emerging as a particularly promising area for novel findings; therefore, presenting opportunities for exploration. The majority of the specimens are housed in Brazilian herbaria, particularly at RB, HUEFS, and CESJ. Temporal analysis of occurrence records showed an upward trend during the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century, which can be attributed to the efforts of generalist collectors working mostly in Eastern and Central Brazil. Most collection efforts were carried out through Brazilian and European initiatives, often supported by local funding, especially during the mid-20th century. However, funding for scientific initiatives in Brazil has waned since the mid-2010s, potentially affecting recent trends in species recording. Our dataset serves as a resource enabling subsequent analysis delving into the systematics, biogeography, and conservation of this remarkable genus from open vegetation formations in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Understanding the variation in community composition and species abundances (i.e., β‐diversity) is at the heart of community ecology. A common approach to examine β‐diversity is to evaluate directional variation in community composition by measuring the decay in the similarity among pairs of communities along spatial or environmental distance. We provide the first global synthesis of taxonomic and functional distance decay along spatial and environmental distance by analysing 148 datasets comprising different types of organisms and environments. Location: Global. Time period: 1990 to present. Major taxa studied: From diatoms to mammals. Method: We measured the strength of the decay using ranked Mantel tests (Mantel r) and the rate of distance decay as the slope of an exponential fit using generalized linear models. We used null models to test whether functional similarity decays faster or slower than expected given the taxonomic decay along the spatial and environmental distance. We also unveiled the factors driving the rate of decay across the datasets, including latitude, spatial extent, realm and organismal features. Results: Taxonomic distance decay was stronger than functional distance decay along both spatial and environmental distance. Functional distance decay was random given the taxonomic distance decay. The rate of taxonomic and functional spatial distance decay was fastest in the datasets from mid‐latitudes. Overall, datasets covering larger spatial extents showed a lower rate of decay along spatial distance but a higher rate of decay along environmental distance. Marine ecosystems had the slowest rate of decay along environmental distances. Main conclusions: In general, taxonomic distance decay is a useful tool for biogeographical research because it reflects dispersal‐related factors in addition to species responses to climatic and environmental variables. Moreover, functional distance decay might be a cost‐effective option for investigating community changes in heterogeneous environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premise: Lantana and Lippia (Verbenaceae) are two large Linnean genera whose classification has been based on associated fruit traits: fleshy vs. dry fruits and one vs. two seed‐bearing units. We reconstruct evolutionary relationships and the evolution of the two fruit traits to test the validity of these traits for classification. Methods: Previous studies of plastid DNA sequences provided limited resolution for this group. Consequently, seven nuclear loci, including ITS, ETS, and five PPR loci, were sequenced for 88 accessions of the Lantana/Lippia clade and three outgroups. Results: Neither Lantana nor Lippia is monophyletic. Burroughsia, Nashia, Phyla, and several Aloysia species are included within the clade comprising Lantana and Lippia. We provide a hypothesis for fruit evolution and biogeographic history in the group and their relevance for classification. Conclusions: Fleshy fruits evolved multiple times in the Lantana/Lippia clade and thus are not suitable taxonomic characters. Several sections of Lantana and Lippia and the small genera are monophyletic, but Lippia section Zappania is broadly paraphyletic, making circumscription of genera difficult. Lippia sect. Rhodolippia is a polyphyletic group characterized by convergence in showy bracts. Species of Lantana sect. Sarcolippia, previously transferred to Lippia, are not monophyletic. The clade originated and diversified in South America, with at least four expansions into both Central America and the Caribbean and two to Africa. The types species of Lantana and Lippia occur in small sister clades, rendering any taxonomy that retains either genus similar to its current circumscription impossible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Location Time Period Major Taxa Studied Methods Results Main Conclusions We map global patterns of taxonomic and functional change between past (pre‐human impacts) and present (after anthropogenic extinctions and introductions) in large oceanic island bird assemblages and investigate if these patterns can be explained by island characteristics and anthropogenic factors.Sixty‐four oceanic islands (>100 km2).Late Holocene.Terrestrial and freshwater bird species.We compiled information on extinct, extant native and introduced bird species for all islands and used a probabilistic hypervolume approach to build a multi‐dimensional trait space and calculate several functional diversity metrics before and after extinctions and introductions. We identified which islands are global hotspots of human‐induced transformation by mapping multiple facets of biotic change and investigated intrinsic island characteristics and anthropogenic factors as drivers for these observed patterns.The Hawaiian and Mascarene islands stand out as hotspots of taxonomic and functional change, but all islands changed taxonomically and functionally, mostly gaining species but losing functional richness. Taxonomic and functional changes vary across islands but are often consistent within the same archipelago. Island isolation and surface can explain some of the observed variations, but anthropogenic factors, namely human occupation, also shaped both taxonomic and functional changes. Islands with higher human pressure, as well as larger islands with high elevation ranges, tended to have greater losses in functional richness.Most biodiversity change assessments are still largely based exclusively on taxonomic diversity, which is particularly worrying in the case of oceanic islands given that the magnitude of functional diversity change is often considerably larger. We call for comprehensive assessments of changes in both taxonomic and functional diversity across oceanic islands in order to better understand the drivers of these changes and, in turn, predict future trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]