Microevolutionary processes impact macroevolutionary patterns

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Jingchun Li¹  L. Lacey Knowles²  Jen-Pen Huang³  Jeet Sukumaran⁴ 

[1] Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, USA;Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum, Chicago, USA;Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, USA;Museum of Zoology, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA

关键词: Protracted speciation;    Speciation duration;    Birth-death model;    Latitudinal gradient;    Microevolution;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12862-018-1236-8

学科分类：生物科学（综合）

来源: BioMed Central

【 摘 要 】

Macroevolutionary modeling of species diversification plays important roles in inferring large-scale biodiversity patterns. It allows estimation of speciation and extinction rates and statistically testing their relationships with different ecological factors. However, macroevolutionary patterns are ultimately generated by microevolutionary processes acting at population levels, especially when speciation and extinction are considered protracted instead of point events. Neglecting the connection between micro- and macroevolution may hinder our ability to fully understand the underlying mechanisms that drive the observed patterns. In this simulation study, we used the protracted speciation framework to demonstrate that distinct microevolutionary scenarios can generate very similar biodiversity patterns (e.g., latitudinal diversity gradient). We also showed that current macroevolutionary models may not be able to distinguish these different scenarios. Given the compounded nature of speciation and extinction rates, one needs to be cautious when inferring causal relationships between ecological factors and macroevolutioanry rates. Future studies that incorporate microevolutionary processes into current modeling approaches are in need.

【 授权许可】

CC BY