Spatial Phylogenetic and Functional Diversity in Africa—A Case Study of the Cyperaceae (Poales)

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ABSTRACT Aim Understanding the mechanisms that influence the patterns of diversification and spatiotemporal distribution of biodiversity requires integrating species, functional and phylogenetic data. In this study, we assembled, generated and integrated trait data of native plants in Cyperaceae across Africa with their known occurrences and a pruned phylogeny to map the centres of diversity and diversification in Africa. Location Africa and adjacent Oceanic Islands. Methods We assembled 144,001 occurrence records for 643 species of Cyperaceae in Africa that are represented on a chronogram phylogeny, 10 functional traits for these species, and 10 environmental variables. We calculated taxonomic and phylogenetic alpha and beta diversity measures, mapped centres of neo‐ and paleo‐endemism and seven functional diversity measures using a grid of 1° × 1° cells across Africa. Results Our study found areas of high species and phylogenetic diversity in the Okavango Basin, while endemism was the highest in the Mediterranean southern Africa and Madagascar. We also observed centres of paleo‐endemism in closed habitats of West Tropical Africa, while mixed and super‐endemism hotspots are pronounced in the Cape and Madagascar. Beta diversity identified three clusters spatially distributed along climatic zones, thus indicating shared lineages. Functional richness was the highest in the Congolian region, while evenness, divergence and dispersion were mostly high and broadly distributed across the continent. Main Conclusions Spatial patterns of phylogenetic clustering and overdispersion of sedges in Africa indicate varying biogeographical processes across the continent, leading to species with distinct evolutionary histories. The southern region shows high endemism but low functional richness, indicating in situ diversification and functional redundancy among Cyperaceae adapted to extreme conditions. Conversely, the rainforest region exhibits high functional richness due to variability in leaf traits and photosynthetic pathways in response to diverse habitat conditions. This study underscores the eco‐evolutionary mechanisms influencing plant biogeographical patterns in Africa.

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