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Accelerated rates of climatic-niche evolution underlie rapid species diversification
Article first published online: 28 SEP 2010
DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01530.x
© 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS
Additional Information
How to Cite
Kozak, K. H. and Wiens, J. J. (2010), Accelerated rates of climatic-niche evolution underlie rapid species diversification. Ecology Letters, 13: 1378–1389. doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01530.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 19 OCT 2010
- Article first published online: 28 SEP 2010
- Editor, Arne Mooers Manuscript received 17 August 2010 Manuscript accepted 19 August 2010
Keywords:
- Amphibians;
- climate change;
- diversification;
- diversity;
- niche conservatism;
- niche evolution;
- phylogeny;
- Plethodontidae;
- salamanders;
- speciation;
- species interactions;
- species richness
Ecology Letters (2010) 13: 1378–1389
Abstract
A major goal of ecology is to explain differences in species richness between regions and among clades. The diversification rate of clades is a key parameter for understanding both patterns. Here, we combine phylogenetic and climatic data for 250 species of plethodontid salamanders and show for the first time that rapid species diversification is associated with accelerated climatic-niche evolution among species. Both rates are particularly rapid in tropical regions, and where few clades geographically overlap. These results offer a surprising ecological explanation for why diversification rates are often higher in the tropics: rapid shifts between climatic regimes, rather than specific environmental conditions (e.g. high productivity, energy) drive higher diversity. They also suggest that climatic-niche evolution may be particularly rapid in regions where climate is particularly stable. Finally, these results indicate that evolutionary conservatism in climatic niches may be influenced by interactions between species and clades, rather than physiological tolerances alone.