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Research Staff

  2. Research
  3. Research Staff
  4. Dr Daniel C. THOMAS

Dr Daniel C. THOMAS

Image of SBG Researcher Dr Daniel

 

Email Address: DANIEL_THOMAS@NPARKS.GOV.SG

 

Research Interests

I work on the systematics, evolution and historical biogeography of tropical flowering plants with current taxonomic focus on Annonaceae, Begoniaceae, and Lauraceae. I am interested in the use of dated phylogenies, fossils, and various other disparate data sources to investigate the impact of historical processes on current patterns of species distributions and diversity in the Southeast Asian tropics. Another research focus is on integrated approaches using occurrence data and environmental layers for conservation status assessments of tropical rainforest taxa. I dedicate substantial time to field and taxonomic work underpinning this research.

 

Current Research

1) Phylogenomics of Annonaceae: systematics, character evolution and diversification

2) Treatments of Goniothalamus and Uvaria (Annonaceae) for the Flora of Singapore

3) Treatments of Alseodaphne, Dehaasia and Nothaphoebe (Lauraceae) for the Flora of Singapore

4) Phylogenomics of Begonia (Begoniaceae): diversification and historical biogeography of a mega-diverse genus

5) A revision and conservation assessments of Begonia (Begoniaceae) from Sulawesi, Indonesia

 

Selected Publications [View full list]

Thomas, D.C., Ardi, W.H., Chong, Y.H. et al. (2024) Conservation status assessments of species-rich tropical taxa in the face of data availability limitations: insights from Sulawesi Begonia. Scientific Reports 14, 14007.
Begonia Phylogeny Group (2022). Resolving Phylogenetic and Taxonomic Conflict in Begonia. Edinburgh Journal of Botany 79, 1928.
Chen, J., Thomas, D.C., & Saunders, R.M. (2020). Correlated evolution of diaspore traits and potential frugivore-mediated selection in a fleshy-fruited tropical lineage (Artabotrys, Annonaceae). Evolution 74.9: 2020–2032.
Thomas, D.C. & Ardi, W.H. (2020). Synopsis of Begonia (Begoniaceae) of southwest Sulawesi and the Selayar Islands, Indonesia, including one new species. Phytotaxa 437(2): 73–96.
Merckx, V.S.F.T. et al. (2015). Evolution of endemism on a young tropical mountain. Nature 524: 347–350.
Thomas, D.C., Chatrou, L.W., Stull, G.W., Johnson, D.M., Harris, D.J., Thongpairoj, U. & Saunders, R.M.K. (2015). The historical origins of palaeotropical intercontinental disjunctions in the pantropical flowering plant family Annonaceae. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 17(1): 1–16.

 

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