University of Tasmania
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

Evolutionary time drives global tetrapod diversity

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 02:54 authored by Marin, J, Rapacciuolo, G, Costa, GC, Graham, CH, Thomas BrooksThomas Brooks, Young, BE, Radeloff, VC, Behm, JE, Helmus, MR, Hedges, SB
Global variation in species richness is widely recognized, but the explanation for what drives it continues to be debated. Previous efforts have focused on a subset of potential drivers, including evolutionary rate, evolutionary time (maximum clade age of species restricted to a region), dispersal (migration from one region to another), ecological factors and climatic stability. However, no study has evaluated these competing hypotheses simultaneously at a broad spatial scale. Here, we examine their relative contribution in determining the richness of the most comprehensive dataset of tetrapods to our knowledge (84% of the described species), distinguishing between the direct influences of evolutionary rate, evolutionary time and dispersal, and the indirect influences of ecological factors and climatic stability through their effect on direct factors. We found that evolutionary time exerted a primary influence on species richness, with evolutionary rate being of secondary importance. By contrast, dispersal did not significantly affect richness patterns. Ecological and climatic stability factors influenced species richness indirectly by modifying evolutionary time (i.e. persistence time) and rate. Overall, our findings suggest that global heterogeneity in tetrapod richness is explained primarily by the length of time species have had to diversify.

History

Publication title

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Volume

285

Issue

1872

Article number

20172378

Number

20172378

Pagination

1-8

ISSN

0962-8452

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Royal Soc London

Place of publication

6 Carlton House Terrace, London, England, Sw1Y 5Ag

Rights statement

Copyright 2018 The Authors

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC