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Evolution of fungal phenotypic disparity
Thomas J Smith1, Philip C J Donoghue2
1Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. tom.james.smith20@gmail.com.
Nature Ecology & Evolution
|August 15, 2022
Summary
Fungal and animal evolution show similar patterns of body plan development. Both exhibit episodic increases in form disparity, suggesting a common evolutionary pathway for multicellular life.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Mycology
- Developmental biology
Background:
- Organismal-grade multicellularity is unique to animals, plants, and fungi.
- Animal body plan evolution is well-studied, but fungal evolution remains less understood.
- Fungal phenotypic diversity is structured into four main morphotypes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary assembly of fungal phenotypic variety (disparity).
- To test the general relevance of animal body plan evolution hypotheses in fungi.
- To compare evolutionary trends in fungal and animal form.
Main Methods:
- Characterized the evolution of fungal phenotypic disparity.
- Analyzed the distribution of fungal morphotypes and temporal trends in disparity.
- Used simulations to assess the role of contingency in evolutionary trends.
- Correlated disparity with organismal complexity, gene number, genome size, and taxonomic diversity.
Main Results:
- Fungal disparity shows episodic increases, particularly with the emergence of multicellularity.
- Extinction events have created discontinuities in the distribution of fungal forms.
- Fungal evolutionary trends are non-random and influenced by hierarchical contingency.
- Organismal complexity, not gene number or genome size, correlates with fungal disparity.
- Fungal and animal evolutionary patterns of disparity are congruent.
Conclusions:
- Fungal and animal multicellular body plan evolution share common modes.
- Episodic increases in disparity and extinction-driven discontinuities are shared characteristics.
- Organismal complexity appears to be a key driver of phenotypic diversification in multicellular eukaryotes.
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