Species interactions have predictable impacts on diversification

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Biodiversity Science

Background:

• Ecology seeks general principles governing species interactions (competition, mutualism, predation).
• Explaining vast differences in species richness across taxa is a key ecological challenge.
• Understanding the link between species interactions and diversification is crucial for biodiversity science.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between different types of species interactions and species diversification rates.
• To determine if local-scale interactions predict large-scale patterns of species richness.
• To unify the study of ecological interactions and macroevolutionary patterns.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a systematic review of species interactions across diverse clades.
• Analyzed the impact of interactions with positive and negative fitness effects on diversification rates.
• Sampled clades included all animals and land plants, representing 90% of described species.

Main Results:

• Species interactions with positive fitness effects (e.g., pollination) generally increase diversification rates.
• Interactions with negative fitness effects (e.g., predation, competition) generally decrease diversification rates.
• These findings demonstrate a predictable link between interaction type and clade diversification.

Conclusions:

• Local-scale species interactions predictably influence large-scale patterns of species diversification.
• The type of species interaction is a significant driver of macroevolutionary patterns and biodiversity.
• This research provides a unifying framework for understanding ecological interactions and richness.