Tempo and mode of morphological evolution are decoupled from latitude in birds

Drury, J.P.; Clavel, J.; Rolland, J.; Sheard, C.; Tobias, J.A.; Morlon, H.

Abstract

The latitudinal diversity gradient is one of the most striking patterns in nature yet its implications for morphological evolution are poorly understood. In particular, it has been proposed that an increased intensity of species interactions in tropical biota may either promote or constrain trait evolution, but which of these outcomes predominates remains uncertain. Here, we develop tools for fitting phylogenetic models of phenotypic evolution in which the impact of species interactions—namely, competition—can vary across lineages. Deploying these models on a global avian trait dataset to explore differences in trait divergence between tropical and temperate lineages, we find that the effect of latitude on the mode and tempo of morphological evolution is weak and clade- or trait-dependent. Our results indicate that species interactions do not disproportionately impact morphological evolution in tropical bird families and question the validity of previously reported patterns of slower trait evolution in the tropics.

Citation

Drury, J., Clavel, J., Rolland, J., Sheard, C., Tobias, J., & Morlon, H. (2021). Tempo and mode of morphological evolution are decoupled from latitude in birds. PLoS Biology, 19(8), Article e3001270. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001270

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 7, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Aug 24, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021-08
• Deposit Date: May 11, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: May 11, 2021
• Journal: PLoS Biology
• Print ISSN: 1544-9173
• Electronic ISSN: 1545-7885
• Publisher: Public Library of Science
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 8
• Article Number: e3001270
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001270