@ARTICLE{TreeBASE2Ref22812,
author = {Aelys M. Humphreys and Timothy G. Barraclough},
title = {The evolutionary reality of higher taxa in mammals},
year = {2014},
keywords = {adaptive radiation, Artiodactyla, Carnivora, diversification, Lagomorpha, Perissodactyla},
doi = {10.1098/rspb.2013.2750},
url = {http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/281/1783/20132750.abstract},
pmid = {24695424},
journal = {Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences},
volume = {281},
number = {1783},
pages = {},
abstract = {Species are generally regarded as a fundamental unit of biodiversity. In contrast, higher taxa such as genera and families, while widely used as biodiversity metrics and for classification and communication, are generally not believed to be shaped by shared evolutionary processes in the same way as species. We use simulations to show that processes that are important for emergence of evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) at the species level, namely geographical isolation and ecological divergence, can generate evolutionary independence above the species level and thereby lead to emergence of discrete phylogenetic clusters (higher ESUs). Extending phylogenetic approaches for delimiting evolutionarily significant species to broader phylogenetic scales, we find evidence for the existence of higher ESUs in mammals. In carnivores, euungulates and lagomorphs the hierarchical level of units detected corresponds, on average, to the level of family or genus in traditional taxonomy. The units in euungulates are associated with divergent patterns of body mass, consistent with occupation of distinct ecological zones. Our findings demonstrate a new framework for studying biodiversity that unifies approaches at species and higher levels, thus potentially restoring higher taxa to their historical status as natural entities.}
}
Citation for Study 15307
Citation title:
"The evolutionary reality of higher taxa in mammals".
Study name:
"The evolutionary reality of higher taxa in mammals".
This study is part of submission 15307
(Status: Published).
Citation
Humphreys A.M., & Barraclough T. 2014. The evolutionary reality of higher taxa in mammals. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 281(1783).
Authors
-
Humphreys A.M.
(submitter)
-
Barraclough T.
Abstract
Species are generally regarded as a fundamental unit of biodiversity. In contrast, higher taxa such as genera and families, while widely used as biodiversity metrics and for classification and communication, are generally not believed to be shaped by shared evolutionary processes in the same way as species. We use simulations to show that processes that are important for emergence of evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) at the species level, namely geographical isolation and ecological divergence, can generate evolutionary independence above the species level and thereby lead to emergence of discrete phylogenetic clusters (higher ESUs). Extending phylogenetic approaches for delimiting evolutionarily significant species to broader phylogenetic scales, we find evidence for the existence of higher ESUs in mammals. In carnivores, euungulates and lagomorphs the hierarchical level of units detected corresponds, on average, to the level of family or genus in traditional taxonomy. The units in euungulates are associated with divergent patterns of body mass, consistent with occupation of distinct ecological zones. Our findings demonstrate a new framework for studying biodiversity that unifies approaches at species and higher levels, thus potentially restoring higher taxa to their historical status as natural entities.
Keywords
adaptive radiation, Artiodactyla, Carnivora, diversification, Lagomorpha, Perissodactyla
External links
About this resource
- Canonical resource URI:
http://purl.org/phylo/treebase/phylows/study/TB2:S15307
- Other versions:
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- Show BibTeX reference
@ARTICLE{TreeBASE2Ref22812,
author = {Aelys M. Humphreys and Timothy G. Barraclough},
title = {The evolutionary reality of higher taxa in mammals},
year = {2014},
keywords = {adaptive radiation, Artiodactyla, Carnivora, diversification, Lagomorpha, Perissodactyla},
doi = {10.1098/rspb.2013.2750},
url = {http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/281/1783/20132750.abstract},
pmid = {24695424},
journal = {Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences},
volume = {281},
number = {1783},
pages = {},
abstract = {Species are generally regarded as a fundamental unit of biodiversity. In contrast, higher taxa such as genera and families, while widely used as biodiversity metrics and for classification and communication, are generally not believed to be shaped by shared evolutionary processes in the same way as species. We use simulations to show that processes that are important for emergence of evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) at the species level, namely geographical isolation and ecological divergence, can generate evolutionary independence above the species level and thereby lead to emergence of discrete phylogenetic clusters (higher ESUs). Extending phylogenetic approaches for delimiting evolutionarily significant species to broader phylogenetic scales, we find evidence for the existence of higher ESUs in mammals. In carnivores, euungulates and lagomorphs the hierarchical level of units detected corresponds, on average, to the level of family or genus in traditional taxonomy. The units in euungulates are associated with divergent patterns of body mass, consistent with occupation of distinct ecological zones. Our findings demonstrate a new framework for studying biodiversity that unifies approaches at species and higher levels, thus potentially restoring higher taxa to their historical status as natural entities.}
}
- Show RIS reference
TY - JOUR
ID - 22812
AU - Humphreys,Aelys M.
AU - Barraclough,Timothy G.
T1 - The evolutionary reality of higher taxa in mammals
PY - 2014
KW - adaptive radiation
KW - Artiodactyla
KW - Carnivora
KW - diversification
KW - Lagomorpha
KW - Perissodactyla
UR - http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/281/1783/20132750.abstract
N2 - Species are generally regarded as a fundamental unit of biodiversity. In contrast, higher taxa such as genera and families, while widely used as biodiversity metrics and for classification and communication, are generally not believed to be shaped by shared evolutionary processes in the same way as species. We use simulations to show that processes that are important for emergence of evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) at the species level, namely geographical isolation and ecological divergence, can generate evolutionary independence above the species level and thereby lead to emergence of discrete phylogenetic clusters (higher ESUs). Extending phylogenetic approaches for delimiting evolutionarily significant species to broader phylogenetic scales, we find evidence for the existence of higher ESUs in mammals. In carnivores, euungulates and lagomorphs the hierarchical level of units detected corresponds, on average, to the level of family or genus in traditional taxonomy. The units in euungulates are associated with divergent patterns of body mass, consistent with occupation of distinct ecological zones. Our findings demonstrate a new framework for studying biodiversity that unifies approaches at species and higher levels, thus potentially restoring higher taxa to their historical status as natural entities.
L3 - 10.1098/rspb.2013.2750
JF - Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
VL - 281
IS - 1783
ER -
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