Origen y evolución de la fotosíntesis C4 en el género Cyperus (Cyperaceae)

The C4EVO project investigates the evolution of C4 photosynthesis, a key innovation that, although present in only 3% of angiosperms, accounts for 25% of terrestrial primary productivity. Focusing on the genus Cyperus, which contains the largest number of C4 species, the study seeks to understand when, where, and how this photosynthetic pathway arose, and what evolutionary implications it has had. To this end, it combines anatomical, biochemical, transcriptomic, and ecological data with modeling tools and phylogenetic analysis to reconstruct the evolutionary history, ancestral niches, and diversification patterns of these species globally.