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© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.

Abstract

Globally threatened dry rainforests are poorly studied and conserved when compared to mesic rainforests. Investigations of dry rainforest communities within Australia are no exception. We assessed the community diversity, distinctiveness and level of conservation in Central Queensland coastal dry rainforest communities. Our three-marker DNA barcode-based phylogeny, based on rainforest species from the Central Queensland Coast, was combined with the phylogeny from Southeast Queensland. The phylogenetic tree and Central Queensland Coast (CQC) community species lists were used to evaluate phylogenetic diversity (PD) estimates and species composition to pinpoint regions of significant rainforest biodiversity. We evaluated the patterns and relationships between rainforest communities of the biogeographical areas of Central Queensland Coast and Southeast Queensland, and within and between Subregions. Subsequently, we identified areas of the highest distinctiveness and diversity in phylogenetically even rainforest communities, consistent with refugia, and areas significantly more related than random, consistent with expansion into disturbed or harsher areas. We found clear patterns of phylogenetic clustering that suggest that selection pressures for moisture and geology were strong drivers of rainforest distribution and species diversity. These results showed that smaller dry rainforests in Central Queensland Coast (CQC) represented areas of regional plant migration but were inadequately protected. To sustain species diversity and distribution under intense selection pressures of moisture availability and substrate type throughout this dry and geologically complex region, the future conservation of smaller patches is essential.

Details

Title
Assessment of the Diversity, Distinctiveness and Conservation of Australia’s Central Queensland Coastal Rainforests Using DNA Barcoding
Author
Howard, Marion 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Pearl, Hilary 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; McDonald, William J F 2 ; Shimizu, Yoko 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Srivastava, Sanjeev Kumar 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Shapcott, Alison 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

 School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs 4556, Australia 
 Queensland Herbarium, Mount Coot-Tha Rd., Toowong 4066, Australia 
First page
378
Publication year
2023
Publication date
2023
Publisher
MDPI AG
e-ISSN
14242818
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2791603150
Copyright
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.