Jian Wang, Zun Dai, Thibault Kasprzyk, Xue Yao, Anders Hagborg, Lars Söderström, Jian Zhang, Alain Vanderpoorten, Flavien Collart
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background and aims: Like numerous patterns in ecology and evolution, the Latitudinal Diversity Gradient (LDG) varies across phylogenetic levels. Yet, studies that systematically investigate how patterns and processes change at different phylogenetic levels, from the tips to the root, are still relatively scarce. Here, we test the hypothesis that, despite the high long-distance dispersal capacities of liverworts, which would expectedly result in the homogenization of their distributions, an increase of diversity with latitude persists at increasing phylogenetic level due to macroclimatic niche conservatism since the earliest evolutionary history of the group.
Methods: Liverwort distributions were scored for 450 operational geographic units (OGU) world-wide. From the tips to the root, the phylogeny was continuously sliced to examine how taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity correlate with latitude in a standardized way. Taxonomic diversity and Mean Phylogenetic Distance among taxa were computed for each OGU at different phylogenetic levels and correlated with macro-ecological factors using spatial linear models.
Key results: The correlation between taxonomic diversity and latitude progressively shifted from significantly negative at species level to unsignificant and then significantly positive at the highest phylogenetic levels. Taxonomic diversity and MPD were both significantly correlated with macro-climatic factors across all phylogenetic levels.
Conclusions: In contrast with the marked increase of angiosperm family diversity towards the tropics, the latitudinal diversity gradient evidenced at species level in liverworts progressively decayed at increasing phylogenetic level, suggesting that phylogenetic niche conservatism has played a much weaker role in liverworts than in angiosperms. The inverted latitudinal diversity gradient towards the deepest phylogenetic levels lends support to the hypothesis that the earliest lineages diversified in extra-tropical conditions, explaining why, unlike in angiosperms, high species richness in the tropics is not associated with high phylogenetic diversity in liverworts. Our results highlight the extent to which a phylogenetically deconstructive approach allows for a better understanding of the accumulation of biodiversity through time.
期刊介绍:
Annals of Botany is an international plant science journal publishing novel and rigorous research in all areas of plant science. It is published monthly in both electronic and printed forms with at least two extra issues each year that focus on a particular theme in plant biology. The Journal is managed by the Annals of Botany Company, a not-for-profit educational charity established to promote plant science worldwide.
The Journal publishes original research papers, invited and submitted review articles, ''Research in Context'' expanding on original work, ''Botanical Briefings'' as short overviews of important topics, and ''Viewpoints'' giving opinions. All papers in each issue are summarized briefly in Content Snapshots , there are topical news items in the Plant Cuttings section and Book Reviews . A rigorous review process ensures that readers are exposed to genuine and novel advances across a wide spectrum of botanical knowledge. All papers aim to advance knowledge and make a difference to our understanding of plant science.