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A Technical Perspective in Modern Tree-ring Research - How to Overcome Dendroecological and Wood Anatomical Challenges

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How Ecology and Landscape Dynamics Shape Phylogenetic Trees.

Fanny Gascuel¹, Régis Ferrière², Robin Aguilée³

¹Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, CNRS UMR 7241, Collège de France, Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS UMR 7625, Laboratoire Écologie et Évolution, Paris, France; Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS UMR 8197, École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA; Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS UMR 5174, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France; and Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS UMR 7599, Laboratoire Probabilités et Modèles Aléatoires, Paris, France Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, CNRS UMR 7241, Collège de France, Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS UMR 7625, Laboratoire Écologie et Évolution, Paris, France; Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS UMR 8197, École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA; Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS UMR 5174, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France; and Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS UMR 7599, Laboratoire Probabilités et Modèles Aléatoires, Paris, France Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, CNRS UMR 7241, Collège de France, Paris, France; Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS UMR 7625, Laboratoire Écologie et Évolution, Paris, France; Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS UMR 8197, École Normale Supérieure, Paris, France; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ USA; Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, CNRS UMR 5174, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France; and Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS UMR 7599, Laboratoire Probabilités et Modèles Aléatoires, Paris, France fanny.gascuel@college-de-france.fr.

Systematic Biology

|March 16, 2015

Summary

Biotic and abiotic factors shape clade diversification. Ecological speciation models reveal that while biotic factors influence tree shape, landscape dynamics and resource availability cause significant variation, necessitating caution in phylogenetic interpretation.

Keywords:

Macroevolution adaptive radiation allopatric speciation competition eco-evolutionary feedbacks ecological speciation geographic isolation phylogeny

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Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin

Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin

Published on: August 14, 2018

Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Macroevolutionary Theory
Phylogenetics

Background:

Long-standing debate on biotic vs. abiotic drivers of clade diversification.
Phylogenetic imbalance and branching slowdown often attributed to biotic factors like niche filling.
Lack of integrated models assessing relative roles of biotic and abiotic factors.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate temporal diversification patterns using an individual-based model.
Model ecological speciation within a stochastically fluctuating geographic landscape.
Analyze how biotic and abiotic factors influence phylogenetic tree shape over time.

Main Methods:

Developed an individual-based model simulating ecological speciation.
Incorporated stochastic geographic landscape dynamics.
Generated and analyzed simulated phylogenies to assess shape evolution.

Main Results:

Ecological saturation can lead to species turnover, stabilizing tree shape.
Initial allopatric radiation results in unbalanced trees with branching slowdown.
Landscape dynamics can increase tree balance and branching tempo; branching acceleration observed under narrow competition or local catastrophes.

Conclusions:

Phylogenetic patterns like branching slowdown are contingent on competition width, landscape heterogeneity, and catastrophe frequency.
Ecological heterogeneity does not always cause unbalanced trees; biotic factors strongly influence phylogenies.
Significant variation across simulation replicates underscores the need for caution when interpreting real-world phylogenies.