Francisco Velásquez Puentes

For my doctoral thesis I am studying the macro and micro evolutionary dynamics on selected groups of neotropical seasonal dry forest species of legumes (Fabaceae). Many tropical dry forests species display complex phenologies and varying pollination and dispersal syndromes, as well as an amazing set of adaptations to resist severe drought, all of those features tightly related to the harsh conditions during the long dry season. Beside the harsh dry season, tropical dry forests must also endure severe anthropogenic threats, which has led to high forest degradation and fragmentation. Thus, it is important and urgent to gain as much knowledge as possible on the eco-evolutionary dynamics and resiliency of this biome to better predict how it may respond and adapt in a changing future.

Bacon C. D., Velásquez-Puentes F.J., Hoorn C., Antonelli A. 2018.Iriarteeae Palms Tracked the Uplift of the Andean Cordilleras. Journal of Biogeography. 45 (7), 1653 – 1663.

Bacon C. D., Velásquez-Puentes F.J., Hinojosa L. F., Schwartz T., Oxelman B., Pfeil B., Arroyoe M. T.K., Wanntorpf L. , Antonelli A. 2018. Evolutionary persistence in Gunnera and the contribution of southern plant groups to the tropical Andes biodiversity hotspot. PeerJ. (DOI: 10.7717/peerj.4388)

Bacon, C.D., Velásquez-Puentes, F., Florez-Rodriguez, A.,Balslev, H., Galeano, G., Bernal, R., Antonelli, A. 2016. Phylogeny of Iriarteeae (Arecaceae), cross-Andean disjunctions, and convergence of clustered infructescence morphology in Wettinia. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 182, 272-286. (DOI: 10.1111/boj.12421).

Restrepo-Correa, Z., Núñez-Avellaneda, L.A., González, S., Velásquez-Puentes, F.J. , Bacon, C.D. 2016. Exploring palm – pollinator interactions across geographic and environmental gradients. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 182, 389-397. (DOI: 10.1111/boj.12443).

Velásquez-Puentes,F.J., Bacon, C.D. 2016. Una introducción a la estructura filogenética de comunidades: un caso de estudio en palmas de Bolivia. Ecología en Bolivia. 51(2), 126-140.

Velásques-Puentes F. J. 2008. Patrones de diversificación y diferenciación genética en Myadestes ralloides (Passeriformes, Turdidae) a lo largo del complejo andino. Revista Ornitología Colombiana. Resúmenes de tesis. Nr. 6.