BACKGROUND: The @entity579 genus (Oryza) contains many wild genetic resources that are vital to the well-being of @entity1 . However, little is known about the process by which the genus diversified or the factors that drove its speciation. Here, we integrated the phylogenetic, molecular dating and biogeographic methods to investigate the spatial-temporal patterns of Oryza diversification, and used a series of model tests to examine whether intercontinental @entity4222 and/or key innovations were associated with significant changes in diversification rates in the genus. RESULTS: Oryza became differentiated in tropical Asia in the Miocene. There were two @entity4222 from the ancestral area into Africa and Australia during the Miocene. We inferred at least 10 migration events out of tropical Asia since the Pleistocene, mainly involving the species adapting open habitat. A rapid increase in diversification rates of the whole Oryza occurred during the Pleistocene. Intercontinental @entity4222 from tropical Asia to other tropical regions were positively correlated with shift in habitat, but not with changes in life history. A habitat preference shift from shade tolerant to open habitat predated the burst in diversification rates. CONCLUSIONS: @entity579 species may have been pre-adapted to invade open habitat. Significant increase in diversification rates occurred during the Pleistocene and is associated with range expansion and habitat shift, but not with life history. The @entity579 genus provides an excellent case supporting the idea that range expansion and invasion of novel habitats can drive the diversification of a group.

Range expansion and habitat shift triggered elevated diversification of the XXXX genus (Oryza, Poaceae) during the Pleistocene.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['humans'] @entity4222 :: ('MESH:D014085', 'Disease') :: ['migrations'] @entity579 :: ('4530', 'Species') :: ['rice', 'Rice']
@entity579 :: (4530,Species) :: ['rice']
