Diversification in evolutionary arenas—Assessment and synthesis
Ecology and Evolution, vol. 10, pp. 6163–6182
Abstract
Abstract Understanding how and why rates of evolutionary diversification vary is a key issue in evolutionary biology, ecology, and biogeography. Evolutionary rates are the net result of interacting processes summarized under concepts such as adaptive radiation and evolutionary stasis. Here, we review the central concepts in the evolutionary diversification literature and synthesize these into a simple, general framework for studying rates of diversification and quantifying their underlying dynamics, which can be applied across clades and regions, and across spatial and temporal scales. Our framework describes the diversification rate ( d ) as a function of the abiotic environment ( a ), the biotic environment ( b ), and clade‐specific phenotypes or traits ( c ); thus, d ~ a,b,c . We refer to the four components ( a – d ) and their interactions collectively as the “Evolutionary Arena.” We outline analytical approaches to this framework and present a case study on conifers, for which we parameterize the general model. We also discuss three conceptual examples: the Lupinus radiation in the Andes in the context of emerging ecological opportunity and fluctuating connectivity due to climatic oscillations; oceanic island radiations in the context of island formation and erosion; and biotically driven radiations of the Mediterranean orchid genus Ophrys . The results of the conifer case study are consistent with the long‐standing scenario that low competition and high rates of niche evolution promote diversification. The conceptual examples illustrate how using the synthetic Evolutionary Arena framework helps to identify and structure future directions for research on evolutionary radiations. In this way, the Evolutionary Arena framework promotes a more general understanding of variation in evolutionary rates by making quantitative results comparable between case studies, thereby allowing new syntheses of evolutionary and ecological processes to emerge.
Authors 18
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Nicolai M. Nürk corresponding
Affiliation as printed
Department of Plant Systematics Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER) University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
Department of Plant Systematics, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Systematic & Evolutionary Botany University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
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German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research
Affiliation as printed
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐Leipzig Leipzig Germany
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Botany University of Otago Dunedin New Zealand
Department of Botany, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Systematic & Evolutionary Botany University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
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University of Hohenheim · University of Zurich
Affiliation as printed
Department of Botany University of Hohenheim Stuttgart Germany
Department of Systematic & Evolutionary Botany University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
Department of Botany, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Botany University of Hohenheim Stuttgart Germany
Department of Botany, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
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Luís Valente Aachen Naturalis Biodiversity Center Understanding Evolution Group Leiden The Netherlands Naturalis Biodiversity Center Understanding Evolution Group
Naturalis Biodiversity Center · University of Groningen
Affiliation as printed
Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
Naturalis Biodiversity Center Understanding Evolution Group Leiden The Netherlands
Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Understanding Evolution Group, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Biogeography Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER) University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
Department of Biogeography, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
School of Geography University of Nottingham Nottingham UK
School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Yale University New Haven Connecticut
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Yale University New Haven Connecticut
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
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Affiliation as printed
School of Geography University of Nottingham Nottingham UK
School of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Biological Sciences University of Bergen Bergen Norway
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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Affiliation as printed
Plant Ecology University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
Plant Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Disturbance Ecology Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER) University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
Department of Disturbance Ecology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Plant Systematics Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER) University of Bayreuth Bayreuth Germany
Department of Plant Systematics, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
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Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz · University of Bergen
Affiliation as printed
Johannes Gutenberg‐Universität Mainz Germany
University Museum University of Bergen Bergen Norway
University Museum, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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