The temporal dynamics of species diversity are shaped by variations in the rates speciation and extinction, there is a long history inferring these using first last appearances taxa fossil record. Understanding critically depends on unbiased estimates unobserved times extinction for all lineages, but inference parameters challenging due to complex nature available data. Here, we present new probabilistic framework jointly estimate species-specific underlying birth-death process based allowed...

The Cape region of South Africa is one the most remarkable hotspots biodiversity with a flora comprising more than 9000 plant species, almost 70% which are endemic, within an area only ± 90,000 km2. Much diversity due to exceptionally large contribution just few clades that radiated substantially this region, but little known about causes these radiations. Here, we present comprehensive analysis diversification, using near complete species-level phylogenies four major (more 470 species):...

Summary Despite the advancement of phylogenetic methods to estimate speciation and extinction rates, their power can be limited under variable in particular for clades with high rates small number extant species. Fossil data provide a powerful alternative source information investigate diversification processes. Here, we present PyRate, computer program temporal dynamics from fossil occurrence data. The are inferred Bayesian framework comparable those estimated trees. We describe how PyRate...

Abstract Aim Our objective is to analyse global‐scale patterns of mountain biodiversity and the driving forces leading observed patterns. More specifically, we test ‘mountain geobiodiversity hypothesis’ (MGH) which based on assumption that it not mountain‐uplift alone drives evolution biodiversity, but rather combination geodiversity Neogene Pleistocene climate changes. We address following questions: (a) Do areas high in mountains overlap, can predict biodiversity? (b) What role change...

The Cape region of South Africa is a hotspot flowering plant biodiversity. However, the reasons why levels diversity and endemism are so high remain obscure. Here, we reconstructed phylogenetic relationships among species in genus Protea, which has its center richness Cape, but also extends through tropical as far Eritrea Angola. Contrary to previous views, identified ancestral area for radiation extant lineages: most subtropical derived from single invasion that region. Moreover,...

Patterns of species diversity are the result speciation and extinction processes, molecular phylogenetic data can provide valuable information to derive their variability through time across clades. Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo methods offer a promising framework incorporate uncertainty when estimating rates diversification. We introduce new approach estimate diversification in over distribution trees under various constant variable rate birth-death pure-birth models, test it on...

The karst areas in the Dinaric region of Western Balkan Peninsula are a hotspot freshwater biodiversity. Many investigators have examined diversification subterranean fauna these systems. However, surface-water remains largely unexplored. We assessed local and regional species systems asked whether patterns population differentiation could be explained by dispersal-diversification processes or allopatric following karst-related microscale vicariance. analyzed mitochondrial cytochrome c...

Significance Our study links diversity dynamics of fossil large mammals through time to primary productivity, i.e. net production plant biomass. Spatial patterns extant terrestrial animals are often correlated with present-day but it is unclear whether the relationship holds throughout geological past. Here we show that higher productivity was consistently associated mammalian period Neogene, supporting hypothesis energy flow from plants consumers a key factor determining level biodiversity....

A large number of taxa have undergone evolutionary radiations in mountainous areas, rendering alpine systems particularly suitable to study the extrinsic and intrinsic factors that shaped diversification patterns plants. The species-rich genus Saxifraga L. is widely distributed throughout Northern Hemisphere, with high species numbers regions adjacent Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) particular Hengduan Mountains Himalayas. Using a dataset 297 (representing at least 60% extant species), we...

Abstract Aim To evaluate the evolutionary dynamics of ecological niche by quantifying modes and rates evolution (with a particular focus on climatic parameters) species diversification. Location Greater C ape Floristic Region, southern A frica. Methods Using genus B abiana ( I ridaceae) from flora, S outh frica, we study niche, which includes characterization an assessment phylogenetic signal, comparisons different macroevolutionary models, estimation (and their variation within between...

Current biodiversity patterns are considered largely the result of past climatic and tectonic changes. In an integrative approach, we combine taxonomic phylogenetic hypotheses to analyze temporal geographic diversification epigean (Carychium) subterranean (Zospeum) evolutionary lineages in Carychiidae (Eupulmonata, Ellobioidea). We explicitly test three hypotheses: 1) morphospecies encompass unrecognized lineages, 2) limited dispersal results a close genetic relationship geographical...

Abstract Questions Which environmental variables influence grass diversity in West Africa? What are the effects of climate and functional traits on spatial patterns (richness abundance) clades Andropogoneae, Paniceae Chloridoideae? Location Africa, demarcated by Atlantic Ocean west south (20° W 4° N), Sahara desert north (25° N) border between Niger Chad east E). Methods Based 38 912 georeferenced occurrence records, we modelled distribution 302 species (51% African diversity). We integrated...

• Premise of the Study: Climatic and geological changes have been considered as major drivers biological diversification. However, it has generally assumed that lineages retain common environmental affinities, suggesting a limited capacity to switch their climatic niche. We tested this assumption with study evolution niches in Neotropical tree genus Cedrela (Meliaceae). Methods: combined distribution models extant dated molecular phylogeny based on one nuclear (ITS) three plastid markers (...

Abstract Encompassing some of the major hotspots biodiversity on Earth, large mountain systems have long held attention evolutionary biologists. The region Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP) is considered a biogeographic source for multiple colonization events into adjacent areas including northern Palearctic. faunal exchange between QTP and regions could thus represent one‐way street (“out of” QTP). However, immigration has so far received only little attention, despite its potential to shape...

Abstract Aim We examined differences in the architecture of A frican and ustralian savanna trees. sought to attribute variation tree current environments, wood density phylogeny, thereby elucidate relative importance biogeographic idiosyncrasies versus factors underpinning architectural differences. Location frica ustralia. Methods compiled canopy diameters stem from 4867 trees 97 species heights 10,786 155 a range ecosystems climates. Using B ayesian methods we first estimated...

A plethora of studies investigating the origin and evolution diverse mountain taxa has assumed a causal link between geological processes (orogenesis) biological response (diversification). Yet, substantial delay (up to 30 Myr) start orogenesis diversification is often observed. Evolutionary biologists should therefore identify alternative drivers maintenance biodiversity in systems. Using phylogenetic, biogeographic, rate analyses, we could two independent that most likely explain diversity...

Significance The continued high rates of using antibiotics in healthcare and livestock, without sufficient new compounds reaching the market, has led to a dramatic increase antimicrobial resistance, with multidrug-resistant bacteria emerging as major public health threat worldwide. Because vast majority antiinfectives are natural products or have originated from them, we assessed predictive power plant molecular phylogenies species distribution modeling search for clades areas which promise...

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Geological and climatic changes associated with the uplift of Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau (QTP) have been suggested as drivers for biological diversification locally in neighboring regions. To test this hypothesis, we investigated niche evolution Tripterospermum (Gentianaceae) related Asian genera through time. METHODS: We conducted Species Distribution Modeling using Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt). Furthermore, performed stochastic character mapping produced disparity‐through‐time...

Ecometric patterning is community-level sorting of functional traits along environmental gradients that arises historically by geographic sorting, trait evolution, and extinction. We developed a stochastic model to explore how ecometric patterns clade dynamics emerge from microevolutionary processes. Strong selection, high probability extirpation, heritability led strong patterning, but rates dispersal weak selection do not. Phylogenetic structuring arose only when intensity, dispersal,...

The driving forces behind evolutionary radiations in mountain ecosystems are only poorly understood. Using the species-rich alpine taxon Saxifraga section Ciliatae, which occurs predominantly region of Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, we explore elevated diversification rates previously observed one three subclades Ciliatae (clade 3). We use species distribution models to test for an influence topographical heterogeneity on diversity and investigate characteristics climatic niches this section. In...

Lumnitzera littorea and racemosa are mangrove species distributed widely along the Indonesian coasts. Besides their ecological importance, both of interest owing to wealth natural products, some which constitute potential sources for medicinal applications. We aimed discover characterize new anti-infective compounds, based on population-level sampling from across Archipelago. Root metabolites were investigated by TLC, hyphenated LC-MS/MS isolation, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region...