Absence of phylogenetic signal in the niche structure of meadow plant communities

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
J SilvertownKonrad Dolphin

Abstract

A significant proportion of the global diversity of flowering plants has evolved in recent geological time, probably through adaptive radiation into new niches. However, rapid evolution is at odds with recent research which has suggested that plant ecological traits, including the beta- (or habitat) niche, evolve only slowly. We have quantified traits that determine within-habitat alpha diversity (alpha niches) in two communities in which species segregate on hydrological gradients. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of these data shows practically no evidence of a correlation between the ecological and evolutionary distances separating species, indicating that hydrological alpha niches are evolutionarily labile. We propose that contrasting patterns of evolutionary conservatism for alpha- and beta-niches is a general phenomenon necessitated by the hierarchical filtering of species during community assembly. This determines that species must have similar beta niches in order to occupy the same habitat, but different alpha niches in order to coexist.

References

Dec 1, 1986·Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health·K SkeggB W McDonald
Aug 24, 1999·Science·A T PetersonV Sanchez-Cordero
Mar 18, 2000·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·R Tofts, J Silvertown
Apr 30, 1996·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·J Francisco-OrtegaA Santos-Guerra
Nov 13, 2001·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·A PrinzingR Brandl
Apr 15, 2003·Nature·Brian J McGill
Jun 6, 2003·Nature·James S Clark, Jason S McLachlan
Jul 5, 2003·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Joseph FargioneDavid Tilman
Aug 2, 2003·Nature·Jonathan B LososAllan Larson
Feb 7, 2004·Science·Mark B BushDunia H Urrego
Feb 10, 2004·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·T Jonathan DaviesVincent Savolainen
Oct 1, 1994·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Pierre LegendrePhilippe Casgrain

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

May 10, 2012·Oecologia·Hui LiuColin P Osborne
Jul 16, 2013·Oecologia·Claire A BaldeckJames W Dalling
Mar 16, 2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Jean H Burns, Sharon Y Strauss
Apr 10, 2008·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Marcel CardilloAndy Purvis
May 21, 2010·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Jamie R McEwen, Jana C Vamosi
Jun 26, 2007·Science·Hafiz Maherali, John N Klironomos
Oct 29, 2008·The American Naturalist·Robert E Ricklefs
Apr 5, 2011·The American Naturalist·Richard J WatermanAnton Pauw
Sep 18, 2007·The American Naturalist·Nathan J B KraftDavid D Ackerly
Oct 1, 2008·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Brent C Emerson, Rosemary G Gillespie
Jul 17, 2007·Current Opinion in Plant Biology·Eric B Holub
Feb 14, 2007·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Marc T J Johnson, John R Stinchcombe
Aug 19, 2007·Molecular Ecology·Georgina M Mace, Andy Purvis
Jun 19, 2008·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Jon R Haloin, Sharon Y Strauss
Jan 30, 2007·Ecology Letters·Peter B AdlerJonathan M Levine
Aug 30, 2008·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Dan L WarrenMichael Turelli
Jan 1, 2013·Ecography·Cristina RoquetSébastien Lavergne
Mar 19, 2013·The New Phytologist·Simon ScheiterSteven I Higgins
Jan 24, 2014·Ecology and Evolution·Charlotte NdiribeNicolas Salamin
Oct 19, 2013·Ecology Letters·Simon T SegarJames M Cook
Feb 22, 2008·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Peter B PearmanChristophe F Randin
Apr 22, 2015·PloS One·Şerban ProcheşTimothy Wiggill
Aug 23, 2006·Ecology·Jonathan SilvertownKevin McConway
May 22, 2018·Ecology·Caroline M TuckerWilliam D Pearse
Dec 1, 2017·Ecology and Evolution·Ting-Wen ChenStefan Scheu
Aug 11, 2018·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Qin LiAmy L Angert

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.