On the origin of phylogenetic structure in competitive metacommunities

Summary, in English

Question: Under what circumstances are local communities and metacommunities phylogenetically clustered, overdispersed or random assemblages in terms of phylogenetic relatedness? Methods: An individual-based eco-evolutionary model was used to explain the link between system properties, ecological and evolutionary processes, and phylogenetic patterns in a spatially explicit competitive metacommunity. We simulated adaptive radiation dictated by local ecological dynamics (intra- and inter-specific competition) and dispersal. Phylogenies were constructed from the resulting metacommunities and phylogenetic community structure was analysed. Conclusions: Phylogenetic clustering, dictated by the relative rate between eco-evolutionary processes such as colonization, invasion, and local radiation, are more likely if both intra- and inter-habitat heterogeneity is high. The amount of dispersal between habitats is also an important structuring parameter, but mainly so if intra-habitat heterogeneity is high and inter-habitat heterogeneity is low. Our results are based on a more rigorous and quantitative analysis of the ecological and evolutionary conditions dictating the phylogenetic signal and explain the continuous variability of phylogenetic clustering and overdispersion found in natural systems.

• Författare: Mikael Pontarp; Jörgen Ripa; Per Lundberg
• Avdelning/ar: Evolutionär ekologi; Teoretisk populationsekologi och evolution
• Publiceringsår: 2012
• Språk: Engelska
• Sidor: 269-284
• Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie: Evolutionary Ecology Research
• Volym: 14
• Issue: 3
• Dokumenttyp: Artikel i tidskrift
• Förlag: Evolutionary Ecology Ltd
• Ämne: Biological Sciences
• Nyckelord: assembly; community; competition; ecology; evolution; phylogenetic; structure
• Status: Published
• Forskningsgrupp: Theoretical Population Ecology and Evolution Group
• ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt: ISSN: 1522-0613