Analyses of evolutionary dynamics depend on how phylogenetic data are time-scaled. Most analyses extant taxa assume a purely bifurcating model, where nodes calibrated using the daughter lineage with older first occurrence in fossil record. This contrasts budding, younger occurrence. Here, we use extensive record bivalve molluscs for large-scale evaluation branching models affect macroevolutionary analyses. We time-calibrated 91% nodes, ranging age from 2.59 to 485 Ma, phylogeny 97 families....

Marine bivalves are important components of ecosystems and exploited by humans for food across the world, but intrinsic vulnerability bivalve species to global changes is poorly known. Here, we expand list shallow-marine known be worldwide, with 720 added beyond 81 in United Nations FAO Production Database, investigate their diversity, distribution extinction using a metric based on ecological traits evolutionary history. The shift richness hotspot from northeast Atlantic west Pacific, 55%...

Cross-fostering experiments are widely used by quantitative geneticists to study genetics and behavioral ecologists the effects of prenatal investment. Generally, genes investment confounded interpretation given such is largely dependent on interests researcher. Using a large-scale well-controlled experiment wild population blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), we able partition variation in body mass across ontogeny into between-clutch egg characteristics. We show that although important early...

Whether ecological differences between species evolve in parallel with lineage diversification is a fundamental issue evolutionary biology. These processes might be connected if conditions that favor the proliferation of species, such as release from competitors, facilitate evolution novel relationships. Despite this, phylogenetic studies do not consistently identify connection. Conversely, higher diversity caused to become increasingly specialized ecologically, then dissociated...

For two centuries evolutionary biologists have sought to explain elevated biodiversity in the Neotropics. Although different process are known be important, it is still not uncommon for researchers emphasize a single mechanism. Recently, arguments highlighted importance of dispersal shaping community structure and evolution across region. We examine this hypothesis by visualizing spatial variation majority South American passerines (Aves) northern half America. By sampling over contiguous...

There is abundant evidence in many taxa for positive directional selection on body size, and yet little microevolutionary change. In species, variation size partly determined by the actions of parents, so a proposed explanation stasis presence negative genetic correlation between direct parental effects. Consequently, selecting genes increased would result correlated decline effects, reducing following generation. We show that these arguments implicitly assume care cost free, including...

The relative age of an individual's siblings is a major cause fitness variation in many species. In Blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), we show that hierarchies are predominantly caused by incubation preclutch completion, such last laid eggs hatch later than early eggs. However, after statistically controlling for behavior late shown to more quickly reducing the amount asynchrony. By experimentally switching and between nests on day they were laid, controlled effect differential found faster...

Modular evolution, the relatively independent evolution of body parts, may promote high morphological disparity in a clade. Conversely, integrated via stronger covariation parts limit disparity. However, integration can also by channelling along lines least resistance—a process that be particularly important accumulation many invertebrate systems having accretionary growth. We use time-calibrated phylogenetic hypothesis and high-density, three-dimensional semilandmarking to analyse...

Both the Cambrian explosion, more than half a billion years ago, and its Ordovician aftermath some 35 Myr later, are often framed as episodes of widespread ecological opportunity, but not all clades originating during this interval showed prolific rises in morphological or functional disparity. In direct analysis disparity, instead commonly used proxy we find that functions Class Bivalvia arose concordantly with even lagged behind taxonomic diversification, rather early-burst pattern...

A diversity of selective pressures and stochastic processes have likely created substantial variation in song structure, creating difficulties quantifying the influence specific ecological factors. This problem is further compounded by differences study taxa methods data analysis between studies. Large comparative studies offer potential to mitigate some these methodological maximizing power statistical analyses minimizing probability misidentifying magnitude direction relationships...

Identifying relationships between variables in ecological systems is challenging due to the large number of interacting factors. One system studied detail avian reproduction, where molecular analyses have revealed dramatic variation rates extra-pair paternity—the frequency with which broods contain individuals sired by different males. Despite attention topic has received, identification predictors observed remains elusive. In this study we evaluate how structural equation modeling—which...

Macroevolutionary patterns, often inferred from metrics of community relatedness, are used to ascertain major evolutionary processes shaping communities. These patterns have been shown be informative biogeographic barriers, habitat suitability and invasibility (especially with regard environmental filtering), regions that function as cradles (i.e., sources diversification) or museums reduced extinction). Here, we analyzed continental datasets mammal bird distributions identify primary...

Unravelling why species richness shows such dramatic spatial variation is an ongoing challenge. Common to many theories that increasing (e.g. with latitude) requires a compensatory trade-off on axis of species' ecology. Spatial in may also affect genetic diversity if large numbers coexisting, related result smaller population sizes.Here, we test whether results differential occupation morphospace by the constituent species, or decreases diversity. We for two potential mechanisms...

The middle-late Eocene of Antarctica was characterized by dramatic change as the continent became isolated from other southern landmasses and Antarctic Circumpolar Current formed. These events were crucial to formation permanent ice cap, affecting both regional global climate change. Our best insight into how life in high latitudes responded this climatic shift is provided fossil record Seymour Island, near eastern coast Peninsula. While extensive collections have been made La Meseta...

Abstract Aim Whether species co‐occur with closely related taxa has long been thought to influence both the rate of formation and maximum clade diversity. However, it is unclear whether these processes act concordantly across entire clades between disparate dispersal life history strategies. Quantifying patterns will yield a better understanding factors regulating biodiversity. I investigate allopatry promotes lineage diversification leading greater richness. also test slowdowns in family...

Abstract Siphons in bivalves have been postulated as a key adaptive trait, enabling modes of life inaccessible to asiphonate lineages, that afford better protection from predation and dislodgement, thereby enhancing their taxonomic diversification. To test the impact siphons on diversity, we compared two bivalve clades with similar shell forms positions differ presence/absence this supposed trait: Archiheterodonta (origin ~ 420 Myr ago) siphonate Veneridae 170 ago). We measured three...

Determining the factors that shape temporal variation in species diversity is an ongoing challenge. One theory exhibiting lower rates of phenotypic evolution should be more likely to go extinct as they are susceptible changing environmental conditions. However, little work has been done assess whether this process shapes comparatively few lineages, or a common mechanism shaping changes diversity. Here, I analyse correlation between morphological and extinction at level using six published...

Incorporating extinct taxa in phylogenetic comparative methods is rapidly becoming invaluable studies of character evolution. An increasing number have evaluated the effects taxa, and different numbers on model selection parameter estimation. Body mass a well-studied phenotype, but individual estimates may vary dramatically depending particular measurement used. Here, we perform an analysis body evolution large clade principally arboreal birds, incorporating 76 species. We evaluate how for...