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Phylogenetic Paleoecology: Tree-Thinking and Ecology in Deep Time
James C Lamsdell1, Curtis R Congreve2, Melanie J Hopkins3
1Department of Geology and Geography, West Virginia University, 98 Beechurst Avenue, Brooks Hall, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA; Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, USA.
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
|April 3, 2017
Summary
Phylogenetic paleoecology uses evolutionary history to understand past biodiversity changes. This emerging field offers new insights into evolutionary biology, from species interactions to extinction events.
Area of Science:
- Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
- Phylogenetic Paleoecology
Background:
- Phylogenetic paleoecology is an emerging field that uses evolutionary relationships to study past ecological changes.
- Advancements in understanding fossil species' evolutionary connections are driving progress in this area.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how phylogenetic relationships can explain temporal and spatial shifts in species diversity, abundance, and distribution.
- To apply phylogenetic methods to longstanding questions in evolutionary biology regarding character change, ecology, and evolutionary rates.
- To investigate the role of phylogenetic signals in ecological selectivity during extinctions and radiations.
Main Methods:
- Leveraging phylogenetic trees and fossil data.
- Analyzing temporal and spatial patterns of species diversity and abundance.
- Integrating ecological data with evolutionary relationships.
Main Results:
- Phylogenetic paleoecology provides a framework for understanding deep-time ecological dynamics.
- The approach can illuminate the interplay between evolution, ecology, and environmental change.
- Insights into the drivers of biodiversity patterns across geological time scales.
Conclusions:
- Phylogenetic paleoecology is a rapidly advancing field with significant potential to address key questions in evolutionary biology.
- This approach enhances our understanding of ecological selectivity and biodiversity dynamics during major evolutionary events.
- Future research will benefit from expanding knowledge of fossil species' evolutionary relationships.