G. Besnard

Nuclear phylogenomics of grasses (Poaceae) supports current classification and reveals repeated reticulation

This study constructs a nuclear phylogeny of grasses using genome-scale data, showing agreement with plastome phylogeny and evidence for repeated reticulation events.

African bush pigs exhibit porous species boundaries and appeared in Madagascar concurrently with human arrival

This study analyzes whole genomes of African bushpigs and Malagasy bushpigs, revealing recent divergence and gene flow, challenging species boundaries and linking their arrival in Madagascar to human migration.

Genetic variation in Loudetia simplex supports the presence of ancient grasslands in Madagascar

This study uses genetic analysis of Loudetia simplex to infer ancient grassland distribution in Madagascar and assesses the utility of target-enrichment data for population genetics.

Hybridisation boosts dispersal of two contrasted ecotypes in a grass species

The paper investigates hybridisation in Alloteropsis angusta, showing it facilitates the dispersal of ecotypes across Africa by enabling nuclear genome exchange via pollen and subsequent habitat-driven allele sorting.

Physiological diversity enhanced by recurrent divergence and secondary gene flow within a grass species

The paper traces the evolutionary history of photosynthetic traits in Alloteropsis semialata, showing how secondary gene flow and divergence contributed to physiological diversity.

Phylogenomics supports a Cenozoic rediversification of the "living fossil" Isoetes

The paper uses genomic data and fossil records to date the origin of extant Isoetes species, finding their diversification occurred in the mid-Paleogene, not the Triassic.

Evolutionary forces affecting synonymous variations in plant genomes

The paper investigates the evolutionary forces shaping synonymous variations in plant genomes, finding that GC-biased gene conversion is more prevalent and stronger than selection in most species.