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A Practical Guide to Phylogenetics for Nonexperts
Published on: February 6, 2014
Phylogenetic biome conservatism on a global scale.
Michael D Crisp1, Mary T K Arroyo, Lyn G Cook
1School of Botany and Zoology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200, Australia. mike.crisp@anu.edu.au
Nature
|February 17, 2009
Summary
Organisms tend to stay in their ancestral biomes, with biome shifts being rare over millions of years. This ecological conservatism influences species distribution and colonization, impacting evolutionary potential amid climate change.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Biology
- Biogeography
- Ecology
Background:
- Understanding organism distribution is central to evolutionary biology.
- Ecological conservatism is known at local/regional scales, but long-term, continental-scale evidence is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the extent of ecological conservatism over geological timescales and across continents.
- To investigate the role of biome stasis versus biome shifts in speciation and colonization.
Main Methods:
- Inferred ancestral biomes for over 11,000 plant species across the Southern Hemisphere.
- Analyzed biome conservatism during speciation and transoceanic colonization.
Main Results:
- Biome stasis at speciation occurred at a ratio of over 25:1 compared to biome shifts.
- Ecological conservatism was also prevalent in species colonizing new landmasses across oceans.
- Suitable biome availability significantly influenced intercontinental establishment.
Conclusions:
- Ecological conservatism is a dominant force shaping species distributions over evolutionary time.
- Limited capacity for biome shifts may compromise evolutionary potential under climate change-induced biome contraction.
- The rarity of inter-biome transitions influences biome taxonomic composition.
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