The merging of community ecology and phylogenetic biology

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2009, Volume and Issue: 12(7), P. 693 - 715

Published: May 18, 2009

The increasing availability of phylogenetic data, computing power and informatics tools has facilitated a rapid expansion studies that apply data methods to community ecology. Several key areas are reviewed in which information helps resolve long-standing controversies ecology, challenges previous assumptions, opens new investigation. In particular, ecology have helped reveal the multitude processes driving assembly demonstrated importance evolution process. Phylogenetic approaches also increased understanding consequences interactions for speciation, adaptation extinction. Finally, structure composition holds promise predicting ecosystem impacts global change. Major advancing these remain. determining extent ecologically relevant traits phylogenetically conserved or convergent, over what temporal scale, is critical causes its evolutionary consequences. Harnessing understand forecast changes diversity dynamics communities step managing restoring Earth's biota time

Language: Английский

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Opposing effects of competitive exclusion on the phylogenetic structure of communities

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2010, Volume and Issue: 13(9), P. 1085 - 1093

Published: June 23, 2010

Ecology Letters (2010) 13: 1085–1093 Abstract Though many processes are involved in determining which species coexist and assemble into communities, competition is among the best studied. One hypothesis about competition’s contribution to community assembly that more closely related less likely coexist. empirical evidence for this mixed, it remains a common assumption certain phylogenetic approaches inferring effects of environmental filtering competitive exclusion. Here, we relate modern coexistence theory refine expectations how relatedness influences outcome competition. We argue two types differences determine exclusion with opposing on patterns. Importantly, means can sometimes eliminate different taxa, even when traits underlying relevant phylogenetically conserved. Our argument leads reinterpretation inferred from structure.

Language: Английский

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Three keys to the radiation of angiosperms into freezing environments

Nature, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: 506(7486), P. 89 - 92

Published: Dec. 20, 2013

Language: Английский

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Recent assembly of the Cerrado, a neotropical plant diversity hotspot, by in situ evolution of adaptations to fire

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2009, Volume and Issue: 106(48), P. 20359 - 20364

Published: Nov. 17, 2009

The relative importance of local ecological and larger-scale historical processes in causing differences species richness across the globe remains keenly debated. To gain insight into these questions, we investigated assembly plant diversity Cerrado South America, world's most species-rich tropical savanna. Time-calibrated phylogenies suggest that lineages started to diversify less than 10 Mya, with diversifying at 4 Mya or less, coinciding rise dominance flammable C4 grasses expansion savanna biome worldwide. These show are strongly associated adaptations fire have sister groups largely fire-free nearby wet forest, seasonally dry subtropical grassland, wetland vegetation. findings imply formed situ via recent frequent adaptive shifts resist fire, rather dispersal already adapted fire. location surrounded by a diverse array biomes, apparently modest barrier posed likely contributed its striking richness. add growing evidence origins biomes been idiosyncratic, driven large part unique features regional- continental-scale geohistory different can lead similar levels modern

Language: Английский

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Why are there so many species in the tropics?

Journal of Biogeography, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: 41(1), P. 8 - 22

Published: Dec. 16, 2013

Abstract Known for centuries, the geographical pattern of increasing biodiversity from poles to equator is one most pervasive features life on Earth. A longstanding goal biogeographers has been understand primary factors that generate and maintain high diversity in tropics. Many ‘historical’ ‘ecological’ hypotheses have proposed debated, but there still little consensus. Recent discussions centred around two main phenomena: phylogenetic niche conservatism ecological productivity. These play important roles, accumulating theoretical empirical studies suggest single factor kinetics: temperature dependence evolutionary rates. The relatively temperatures tropics because ‘the Red Queen runs faster when she hot’.

Language: Английский

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Revisiting the Holy Grail: using plant functional traits to understand ecological processes

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 92(2), P. 1156 - 1173

Published: April 22, 2016

ABSTRACT One of ecology's grand challenges is developing general rules to explain and predict highly complex systems. Understanding predicting ecological processes from species' traits has been considered a ‘ H oly G rail’ in ecology. Plant functional are increasingly being used develop mechanistic models that can how communities will respond abiotic biotic perturbations species affect ecosystem function services rapidly changing world; however, significant remain. In this review, we highlight recent work outstanding questions three areas: ( i ) selecting relevant traits; ii describing intraspecific trait variation incorporating into models; iii scaling data community‐ ecosystem‐level processes. Over the past decade, there have advances characterization plant strategies based on relationships, integration multivariate indices community function. However, utility trait‐based approaches ecology benefit efforts demonstrate these influence organismal, community, across vegetation types, which may be achieved through meta‐analysis enhancement databases. Additionally, interactions need incorporated predictive using tools such as Bayesian hierarchical modelling. Finally, existing linking empirically tested for their applicability realized.

Language: Английский

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Woody Plant Diversity, Evolution, and Ecology in the Tropics: Perspectives from Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests

Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics, Journal Year: 2009, Volume and Issue: 40(1), P. 437 - 457

Published: Sept. 2, 2009

This review suggests that the ecology and patchy global distribution of seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) has distinctively structured evolutionary history biogeography woody plant groups are confined to it. SDTFs have few widespread species causing high β-diversity between separate areas forests. These contain geologically old, monophyletic clades endemic often geographically intraspecific genetic variation. patterns diversity, endemism, phylogeny indicate a stable, dispersal-limited SDTF system. tend belong larger this vegetation, exemplifying phylogenetic niche conservatism, we argue is evidence metacommunity (biome) for clades. That phylogenetic, population genetic, biogeographic, community ecological differ in plants from rain forests savannas hypothesis broad settings strongly influence diversification tropics.

Language: Английский

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Plant DNA barcodes and a community phylogeny of a tropical forest dynamics plot in Panama

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2009, Volume and Issue: 106(44), P. 18621 - 18626

Published: Oct. 20, 2009

The assembly of DNA barcode libraries is particularly relevant within species-rich natural communities for which accurate species identifications will enable detailed ecological forensic studies. In addition, well-resolved molecular phylogenies derived from these sequences have the potential to improve investigations mechanisms underlying community and functional trait evolution. To date, no studies effectively applied barcodes sensu strictu in this manner. report, we demonstrate that a three-locus when 296 woody trees, shrubs, palms found 50-ha Forest Dynamics Plot on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama, resulted >98% correct identifications. These are also used reconstruct robust phylogeny employing supermatrix method 281 plant plot. data were sufficient reliably evolutionary relationships among taxa plot congruent with broadly accepted flowering plants (APG II). Earlier work phylogenetic structure BCI forest dynamics less resolved reveals significant differences inferences compared our suggests unresolved may increased type I II errors. results illustrate how highly based sequence enhance research focused interface between ecology

Language: Английский

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MODELING STABILIZING SELECTION: EXPANDING THE ORNSTEIN-UHLENBECK MODEL OF ADAPTIVE EVOLUTION

Evolution, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 66(8), P. 2369 - 2383

Published: March 13, 2012

Comparative methods used to study patterns of evolutionary change in a continuous trait on phylogeny range from Brownian motion processes models where the is assumed evolve according an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck (OU) process. Although these have proved useful variety contexts, they still do not cover all scenarios biologists want examine. For based OU process, model complexity restricted current implementations by assuming that rate stochastic and strength selection vary among selective regimes. Here, we expand adaptive evolution include variously relax assumption constant selection. In its most general form, described here can assign each regime separate optimum, parameter, parameter for We use simulations show our detect meaningful differences especially with larger sample sizes. also illustrate method using empirical example genome size within large flowering plant clade.

Language: Английский

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Tracing the impact of the Andean uplift on Neotropical plant evolution

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2009, Volume and Issue: 106(24), P. 9749 - 9754

Published: May 23, 2009

Recent phylogenetic studies have revealed the major role played by uplift of Andes in extraordinary diversification Neotropical flora. These studies, however, typically considered Andean as a single, time-limited event fostering evolution highland elements. This contrasts with geological reconstructions indicating that occurred discrete periods from west to east and it affected different regions at times. We introduce an approach for integrating tectonics biogeographic plants, using coffee family (Rubiaceae) model group. The distribution this spans montane habitats well tropical lowlands Central South America, thus offering unique opportunity study influence on entire Our results suggest Rubiaceae originated Paleotropics used boreotropical connection reach America. patterns found corroborate existence long-lasting dispersal barrier between Northern Andes, "Western Portal." Eastern Cordillera ended barrier, allowing lineages South, but gave rise huge wetland system ("Lake Pebas") western Amazonia prevented situ speciation floristic least 6 million years. Here, we provide evidence these events plants.

Language: Английский

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