Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations
Published on: February 3, 2023
Competition between cryptic species explains variations in rates of lineage evolution
Samuel Alizon1, Michal Kucera, Vincent A A Jansen
1Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Jeffery Hall, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada K7L 3N6. samuel@mast.queensu.ca
Abstract:
Gradual evolution is a common phenomenon in the fossil record of marine microplankton, yet no theoretical model has so far been presented to explain the observed pattern of unidirectionality in trait evolution lasting over tens of millions of generations. Recent molecular genetic data show that the majority of microfossil-producing plankton groups harbors substantial cryptic diversity. Here, we examine the effect of cryptic diversity on apparent rates of lineage evolution. By using a theoretical approach, we show that under resource competition, an increasing number of sibling species within a hypothetical lineage leads to an exponential slowdown of the apparent rate of evolution. This mechanism explains both the remarkable variation in apparent rates of evolution observed in marine plankton, as well as the presence of long gradual evolutionary trends.
More Related Videos
15:00Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
Published on: August 18, 2023
10:23A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles
Published on: July 11, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Speciation Rates
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
In contrast, regions which code...
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
In contrast, regions which code...
The Evidence for Evolution
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
Genetics of Speciation