Geographic structure in taxonomic distribution, trait distribution and evolutionary patterns have been shown by both ecological and phylogenetic studies. In this symposium, we plan to explore phylogenetic patterns with a specific focus on trait evolution. Talks will centre around comparative analyses of specific traits within organisms and will discuss trait evolution under a phylogenetic framework. One of the critical questions is to explore why tropics are hyperdiverse and if within this hyperdiverse space, there are new emerging speciation patterns that are being recognized or which has not been explored to date. The first goal of this symposium is to bring researchers from different fields together and hear from them about patterns that they discovered in the tropics. The second goal is to identify areas where more attention is needed and where novel patterns are expected to emerge.

Researchers have been selected and approached also based on their contributions to the tropics. We will try to maintain a gender balance, career-stage balance and regional balance in the invited speakers as well as in the abstracts that we may accept outside of the invited talks. Speakers have been identified who are experts in paleobiology, plants, vertebrates, and invertebrates. Based on the submission of abstracts and speakers we hope to propose a special issue in Biotropica as an outcome of this symposium which will focus on trait evolution in the tropics - patterns and processes.