Article
Ecology
Xue Yin, Scott Jarvie, Wen-Yong Guo, Tao Deng, Lingfeng Mao, Minhua Zhang, Chengjin Chu, Hong Qian, Jens-Christian Svenning, Fangliang He
Summary: The study reveals niche conservatism among plant species sharing ancestors in eastern Asia and eastern North America, with significant negative relationships between niche overlap and divergence times. Herbaceous plants exhibit higher niche conservatism compared to woody plants.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Guilin Wu, John J. Wiens
Summary: Explaining geographic patterns of species richness is a major goal in ecology and evolutionary biology. This study examines the relationships between climate, colonization times, diversification rates, and species richness in Chinese angiosperms. The results show that earlier colonization leads to higher species richness, while the relationships between diversification rates and richness are often nonsignificant or negative. This suggests that the underlying explanation for richness patterns may be rooted in phylogenetic history rather than just climate factors.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Erica K. Baken, Lauren E. Mellenthin, Dean C. Adams
Summary: The study investigated the historical transitions of lungless salamanders into and out of arboreal microhabitats, revealing that arboreal species tend to inhabit warmer, lower elevation regions compared to terrestrial species. Additionally, the analysis showed that arboreal species exhibit higher niche overlap with other arboreal species than with terrestrial species, suggesting that occupation of arboreal microhabitats may be dependent on specific climatic conditions. The study highlights the importance of micro-environmental conditions in shaping macroevolutionary patterns.
Article
Ecology
Laura A. Nunes, Christopher J. Raxworthy, Richard G. Pearson
Summary: The study demonstrates that biogeographic and ecological processes play crucial roles in driving speciation, rather than solely relying on geographic isolation. Strong bimodal peaks along a niche divergence-conservation spectrum were observed, with most sister pairs exhibiting either niche conservation or divergence.
Article
Plant Sciences
Carmen Benitez-Benitez, Ana Otero, Kerry A. Ford, Pablo Garcia-Moro, Sabina Donadio, Modesto Luceno, Santiago Martin-Bravo, Pedro Jimenez-Mejias
Summary: Carex subgenus Psyllophorae is a fascinating study group with early diversification and disjunct distribution, showing the role of historical geo-climatic events in evolutionary history, particularly in South America. Divergence away from primary Gondwanan vicariance hypotheses and long-distance dispersal-mediated allopatric diversification are key aspects of the group's evolution. The trans-Pacific colonization event and niche conservatism in section Junciformes are also noteworthy findings.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Hong Qian, Yong Cao, Cindy Chu, Daijiang Li, Brody Sandel, Xianli Wang, Yi Jin, Janne Soininen
Summary: This study examined various aspects of beta-diversity patterns in North American freshwater fishes, finding high congruence in geographical patterns of total TBD and PBD, turnover, and nestedness components among neighboring watersheds. The results also highlighted the opposite patterns of basal-weighted PBD compared to tip-weighted PBD, and the stronger influence of geographical distance over climate similarity in determining beta-diversity in freshwater fish assemblages.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Hai Ngoc Ngo, Dennis Roedder, Lee Grismer, Truong Quang Nguyen, Minh Duc Le, Shuo Qi, Thomas Ziegler
Summary: Based on phylogenetic analyses, the first divergence date of Goniurosaurus was estimated to be in the Eocene (approximately 45.3 million years ago). Diversification within four monophyletic species groups began in the mid-Miocene (approximately 13.4 to 7.7 million years ago) and continued until at least the early Pleistocene (approximately 2 million years ago). The ancestral regions of each monophyletic Goniurosaurus species group were predicted to be contiguous continental Eastern Asia. The assessments of their niche evolution can provide insights into vulnerability to climate change and improve conservation measures for Goniurosaurus species in the future.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Rebecca S. L. Lovell, Tim M. Blackburn, Ellie E. Dyer, Alex L. Pigot
Summary: The study found that a method based on environmental resistance can more accurately predict the spread of alien species compared to using ecological niche models. This approach does not require information about the ecological niche of the invading species, but instead uses gradients of biotic similarity to predict spread routes.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Somaye Vaissi, Sahar Rezaei
Summary: The study found that the two regional clades of the Hyrcanian wood frog, WRC and ERC, have undergone substantial niche divergence and are constrained by a unique set of climatic and macro-environmental conditions. This research based on phylogenetic data provides new insights into species diversification processes in the Hyrcanian forests.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Pablo Fernando Cuervo, Fernando Sebastian Flores, Jose Manuel Venzal, Santiago Nava
Summary: This study investigated the ecological niches of the Amblyomma maculatum group of ticks, revealing evidence of niche differentiation among closely related taxa leading to geographical variation. It suggests niche conservatism for some pairs traditionally associated with allopatric speciation, while incipient niche divergence is observed in other comparisons, supporting the hypothesis of habitat conditions driving tick evolution.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Courtney J. Marneweck, Todd E. Katzner, David S. Jachowski
Summary: The study indicates that climate has a significant impact on the diversity of scavenger species, with the highest species richness of scavengers observed in relatively warm and dry winters. Additionally, diversity of scavenger species was highest under drier conditions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Vladimir Remes, Lenka Harmackova
Summary: Allopatric speciation followed by the evolution of range overlap (sympatry) allows the build-up of regional diversity. However, local species richness requires that species co-occur locally (syntopy). Importantly, correct estimates of syntopy must be available to identify ecological traits facilitating it.
Article
Entomology
Paolo Biella, Aleksandar Cetkovic, Andrej Gogala, Johann Neumayer, Miklos Sarospataki, Peter Sima, Vladimir Smetana
Summary: The study found that the bumblebee species Bombus haematurus has naturally expanded to territories encompassing 20% of its historical distribution in 7 European countries, with no major niche shifts observed between newly colonized and historical areas. The range expansion was associated with warming temperatures during winter, suggesting that warmer winters may be linked to the process of natural colonization of new areas.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Lijuan Li, Xiaoting Xu, Hong Qian, Xianhan Huang, Pengju Liu, Jacob B. Landis, Quansheng Fu, Lu Sun, Hengchang Wang, Hang Sun, Tao Deng
Summary: The study on Mount Namjagbarwa revealed a typical hump-shaped pattern of species richness along the elevational gradient, while the phylogenetic structure showed a zig-zag pattern with three elevation segments, each with different formation mechanisms. Temperature tolerance played a key role in species richness and phylogenetic structure across the entire elevational gradient.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Gajaba Ellepola, Marcio R. Pie, Rohan Pethiyagoda, James Hanken, Madhava Meegaskumbura
Summary: This study explores the diversification and evolution of rhacophorid frogs. It finds that the diversification rates are nearly constant but species richness is highly unevenly distributed. Montane regions on islands and some mainland regions have higher species diversity and unique assemblages of taxa. Rhacophorids reached these distant refugia by adapting to new climatic conditions or by dispersing during periods of favorable climate.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Lian Chen, John J. Wiens
Summary: Research shows that multicellularity and sexual reproduction contribute to accelerating species proliferation, with multicellularity having a stronger effect than sexual reproduction. Differences in diversification rates among species are closely related to patterns of species richness.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Peng Li, John J. Wiens
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive comparison of the types of traits that can drive diversification in lizard and snake families. It shows that the rate of range expansion is the most important variable for explaining diversification rates and richness patterns in squamates.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Cristian Roman-Palacios, Daniela Moraga-Lopez, John J. Wiens
Summary: This study reveals the differences in species richness among terrestrial, marine, and freshwater habitats. It finds that freshwater habitats have relatively high species richness and exceptional phylogenetic diversity, but have been understudied. The origins of these differences are related to the ancestral origins and evolution of species, highlighting the conservation importance of freshwater habitats.
Article
Ecology
Zachary Emberts, John J. Wiens
Summary: Conspicuous colors have evolved multiple times in animals, but the function of this coloration varies among species. Some species use it as a sexual signal, while others use it as a warning signal to predators. The evolution of conspicuous coloration is influenced by the ecology of species, both recently and in the ancient past.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rollie M. Grinder, John J. Wiens
Summary: Climate change poses a major threat to global biodiversity, particularly tropical species. This study finds that tropical species are more vulnerable to climate change due to their narrower physiological tolerances, higher frequency of climate-related local extinctions, and narrower thermal niche widths. The study further reveals that niche width and the extent of climate change can predict the frequency of local extinctions, while latitude alone does not significantly predict local extinctions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Guilin Wu, John J. Wiens
Summary: Explaining geographic patterns of species richness is a major goal in ecology and evolutionary biology. This study examines the relationships between climate, colonization times, diversification rates, and species richness in Chinese angiosperms. The results show that earlier colonization leads to higher species richness, while the relationships between diversification rates and richness are often nonsignificant or negative. This suggests that the underlying explanation for richness patterns may be rooted in phylogenetic history rather than just climate factors.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Emily Buckingham, Jeffrey W. W. Streicher, M. Caitlin Fisher-Reid, Tereza Jezkova, John J. J. Wiens
Summary: A study found that formerly sympatric Plethodon cinereus populations on Long Island have separated into different populations, contrary to the conventional speciation scenario.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biology
John J. J. Wiens
Summary: Understanding the origins of different species richness patterns is important in ecology and evolutionary biology. Most studies have focused on spatial and clade-based species richness patterns, but there is a need to also consider trait-based richness patterns. Trait-based richness patterns are relevant to various ecological and evolutionary topics and are most often explained by the age of states within a group, rather than differences in transition rates or diversification rates. There is a lack of understanding and emphasis on trait-based richness patterns, and further research is needed to address unanswered questions.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kristen E. E. Saban, Yan-Fu Qu, John J. J. Wiens
Summary: By comparing patterns of phylogenetic conservatism among 10 niche variables in major clades of land vertebrates, we found that phylogenetic signal of niche variables does not disappear over deep timescales. Additionally, alpha niche traits are more conservative and exhibit slower rates of evolution than beta niche variables.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniel M. Portik, Jeffrey W. Streicher, David C. Blackburn, Daniel S. Moen, Carl R. Hutter, John J. Wiens
Summary: The data available for reconstructing molecular phylogenies are highly disparate, with some studies having high genetic marker data for few species, while others have low data availability across many taxa. In this study, the researchers show that it is possible to integrate these two types of data to address relationships among hundreds of species using frog data. By combining phylogenomic and supermatrix datasets, they were able to successfully reconstruct a well-supported tree among families, even with high amounts of missing data.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kim L. Holzmann, Ramona L. Walls, John J. Wiens
Summary: Climate change has already caused local extinction in many plants and animals, and as it accelerates, the pace of extinction may also speed up. This study examined this hypothesis in a montane lizard and found that the rates of local extinction have tripled in the past 7 years compared to the previous 42 years. Genomic data played a role in predicting populations that survived and those that went extinct.
Article
Ecology
Zachary Emberts, Ummat Somjee, John J. Wiens
Summary: Allometry refers to the scaling relationship between a trait and body size, which can explain morphological variation within and among species. In a study of giant mesquite bugs, it was found that large males with large weapons successfully secured mates, while small males with small weapons could also access mates. These two patterns together contribute to the evolution of the allometric slope of the sexually selected weapon.
Article
Ecology
Melissa Van Kleeck-Hann, John J. Wiens
Summary: The study analyzes weapon evolution in chamaeleonid lizards, finding that all 11 weapons have evolved multiple times and that their origins are generally more frequent than losses. The study also identifies hotspots for weapon evolution associated with larger male body size.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniel M. Portik, Jeffrey W. Streicher, John J. Wiens
Summary: Large-scale, time-calibrated phylogenies from supermatrix studies are crucial for evolutionary and ecological studies. Anuran amphibians face issues with existing supermatrix estimates due to limited loci, leading to discordant relationships. A new combined matrix with 5,242 species and 307 markers showed generally concordant higher-level relationships with phylogenomic analyses, despite extensive missing data.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gen Morinaga, John J. Wiens, Daniel S. Moen
Summary: The contribution of adaptive radiation to the diversity of species and phenotypes in a major group has not been well studied. This study analyzes data from 1226 frog species across 43 families and finds that less than half of the frog families resemble adaptive radiations. However, these adaptive-radiation-like families contain a significant proportion of both morphological and species diversity.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
