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Related Concept Videos

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The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
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Resurrection of Dormant Daphnia magna: Protocol and Applications
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General statistical model shows that macroevolutionary patterns and processes are consistent with Darwinian

Mark Pagel1, Ciara O'Donovan2, Andrew Meade2

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|March 3, 2022
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Macroevolutionary changes, including abrupt shifts and stasis, can be explained by a new statistical model. This model quantifies directional and evolvability changes, reconciling macroevolution with gradualist microevolutionary concepts.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Phylogenetics
  • Quantitative genetics

Background:

  • Macroevolutionary patterns, such as punctuated equilibrium (long periods of stasis interrupted by abrupt change), challenge traditional gradualist theories of evolution.
  • Previous models struggled to reconcile the observed unevenness of evolutionary change with the concept of incremental modification.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and apply a statistical model that accounts for both directional and evolvability changes in macroevolution.
  • To test whether these distinct evolutionary processes independently contribute to explaining phenotypic diversification in mammals.

Main Methods:

  • Introduction of a novel statistical model to estimate two types of historical evolutionary change: directional (mean phenotype shifts) and evolvability (trait-space exploration capacity).
  • Application of the model to phylogenetic data, specifically focusing on mammalian evolutionary history.
  • Statistical analysis to determine the independent contributions of directional and evolvability changes to macroevolutionary patterns.

Main Results:

  • Both directional and evolvability changes significantly contribute to explaining macroevolutionary patterns in mammals.
  • These two processes were found to operate largely independently, with limited correlation.
  • Periods of increased evolvability ('watershed' moments) were more common than reductions in evolutionary potential.
  • Large or abrupt phenotypic shifts can be statistically explained as biased random walks.

Conclusions:

  • The developed statistical model successfully accommodates uneven evolutionary landscapes, integrating macroevolutionary observations with microevolutionary concepts.
  • Macroevolutionary phenomena necessitate the simultaneous consideration of multiple evolutionary processes, including directional change and shifts in evolvability.
  • Findings suggest that evolutionary potentials can change independently of directional phenotypic trends, offering a more nuanced view of macroevolution.