DOCSLIB.ORG

Similarity of Mammalian Body Size Across the Taxonomic Hierarchy and Across Space and Time Felisa A

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Similarity of Mammalian Body Size Across the Taxonomic Hierarchy and Across Space and Time Felisa A University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository Biology Faculty & Staff ubP lications Scholarly Communication - Departments 5-1-2004 Similarity of Mammalian Body Size across the Taxonomic Hierarchy and across Space and Time Felisa A. Smith James H. Brown John P. Haskell S. Kathleen Lyons John Alroy See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalrepository.unm.edu/biol_fsp Part of the Biology Commons Recommended Citation Smith, Felisa A.; James H. Brown; John P. Haskell; S. Kathleen Lyons; John Alroy; Eric L. Charnov; Tamar Dayan; Brian J. Enquist; S.K. Morgan Ernest; Elizabeth A. Hadly; David Jablonski; Kate E. Jones; Dawn M. Kaufman; Pablo A. Marquet; Brian A. Maurer; Karl J. Niklas; Warren P. Porter; Kaustuv Roy; Bruce Tiffney; and Michael R. Willig. "Similarity of Mammalian Body Size across the Taxonomic Hierarchy and across Space and Time." 163, 5 (2004). http://digitalrepository.unm.edu/biol_fsp/82 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Scholarly Communication - Departments at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Biology Faculty & Staff ubP lications by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Authors Felisa A. Smith, James H. Brown, John P. Haskell, S. Kathleen Lyons, John Alroy, Eric L. Charnov, Tamar Dayan, Brian J. Enquist, S.K. Morgan Ernest, Elizabeth A. Hadly, David Jablonski, Kate E. Jones, Dawn M. Kaufman, Pablo A. Marquet, Brian A. Maurer, Karl J. Niklas, Warren P. Porter, Kaustuv Roy, Bruce Tiffney, and Michael R. Willig This article is available at UNM Digital Repository: http://digitalrepository.unm.edu/biol_fsp/82 vol. 163, no. 5 the american naturalist may 2004 ൴ Similarity of Mammalian Body Size across the Taxonomic Hierarchy and across Space and Time Felisa A. Smith,* James H. Brown,† John P. Haskell,‡ S. Kathleen Lyons,§ John Alroy,k Eric L. Charnov,# Tamar Dayan,** Brian J. Enquist,†† S. K. Morgan Ernest,‡‡ Elizabeth A. Hadly,§§ David Jablonski,kk Kate E. Jones,## Dawn M. Kaufman,*** Pablo A. Marquet,††† Brian A. Maurer,‡‡‡ Karl J. Niklas,§§§ Warren P. Porter,kkk Kaustuv Roy,### Bruce Tiffney,**** and Michael R. Willig†††† National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Working examined across the taxonomic hierarchy. Moreover, little is known Group on Body Size in Ecology and Paleoecology, Santa Barbara, about the variation or consistency of body size patterns across geo- California 93101-5504 graphic space or evolutionary time. Here, we draw from a data set of terrestrial, nonvolant mammals to quantify and compare patterns Submitted August 30, 2001; Accepted December 16, 2003; across the body size spectrum, the taxonomic hierarchy, continental Electronically published XX space, and evolutionary time. We employ a variety of statistical tech- niques including “sib-sib” regression, phylogenetic autocorrelation, Online enhancements: appendix tables, figures. and nested ANOVA. We find an extremely high resemblance (heri- tability) of size among congeneric species for mammals over ∼18 g; the result is consistent across the size spectrum. However, there is no significant relationship among the body sizes of congeneric species for mammals under ∼18 g. We suspect that life-history and ecological abstract: Although it is commonly assumed that closely related parameters are so tightly constrained by allometry at diminutive size animals are similar in body size, the degree of similarity has not been that animals can only adapt to novel ecological conditions by mod- ifying body size. The overall distributions of size for each continental * Corresponding author. Address for correspondence: Department of Biology, fauna and for the most diverse orders are quantitatively similar for University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131; e-mail: North America, South America, and Africa, despite virtually no over- [email protected]. National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis Web lap in species composition. Differences in ordinal compositionappear site: http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu to account for quantitative differences between continents. For most † E-mail: [email protected]. mammalian orders, body size is highly conserved, although there is ‡ E-mail: [email protected]. extensive overlap at all levels of the taxonomic hierarchy. The body § E-mail: [email protected]. size distribution for terrestrial mammals apparently was established k early in the Tertiary, and it has remained remarkably constant over E-mail: [email protected]. the past 50 Ma and across the major continents. Lineages have di- # E-mail: [email protected]. versified in size to exploit environmental opportunities but only ** E-mail: [email protected]. within limits set by allometric, ecological, and evolutionary †† E-mail: [email protected]. constraints. ‡‡ E-mail: [email protected]. Keywords: heritability, macroecology, evolution, Cenozoic, niche §§ E-mail: [email protected]. differentiation. kk E-mail: [email protected]. ## E-mail: [email protected]. *** E-mail: [email protected]. ††† E-mail: [email protected]. For there is a limit of size in all animals. ‡‡‡ E-mail: [email protected]. (Aristotle, De Generatione Animalium) §§§ E-mail: [email protected]. kkk E-mail: [email protected]. ### E-mail: [email protected]. Body size is the most obvious and fundamental charac- **** E-mail: [email protected]. teristic of an organism and accordingly has long been a †††† E-mail: [email protected]. subject of interest. At least since the time of Aristotle, Am. Nat. 2004. Vol. 163, pp. 000–000. ᭧ 2004 by The University of Chicago. scientists and philosophers alike have been intrigued by 0003-0147/2004/16305-10312$15.00. All rights reserved. the enormous variation in the body size of living organisms Thursday Mar 25 2004 02:16 PM/10312/dxm PROOF 2 The American Naturalist spanning some 24 orders of magnitude (Peters 1983; selection has produced breeds of dogs and horses that Schmidt-Nielsen 1984; Niklas 1994). The influence of an differ in body mass by about two orders of magnitude. organism’s size goes beyond its physical footprint in the Moreover, given sufficient time and genetic variation, ran- ecosystem, however; many fundamental features of life dom drift could also lead to disparate sizes even among history, ecology, and evolution scale nonlinearly with size closely related species (Falconer 1989). Thus variation in (Peters 1983; Calder 1984; Schmidt-Nielsen 1984). In re- body size might increase over time as random or selected cent years, considerable research has gone into describing changes accumulate while lineages speciate and diversify. allometric relationships and into developing a theoretical Second, we investigated the influence of body size on underpinning to explain them (Charnov 1993; West et al. the degree of resemblance among congeners. Mammals at 1997, 1999). either end of the body mass spectrum (e.g., !10 g or 1106 Although scientists now have a clearer understanding g) may be approaching physiological and/or biomechan- of the consequences of being a certain size, we have yet ical limits on size, shape, and life-history processes (Peters to understand how the complex interactions between in- 1983; Calder 1984; Schmidt-Nielsen 1984; Charnov 1993; trinsic structure and function, environment, and historical West et al. 1997, 1999). These biomechanical, thermoreg- and/or phylogenetic evolution interact to result in partic- ulatory, and other fundamental constraints on the very ular body sizes. Certainly the range and mode of body size smallest and very largest mammals may restrict the direc- of a taxonomic or functional group must reflect underlying tion of evolutionary alterations in body size or shape. The allometric, ecological, and evolutionary constraints. Just high metabolic rate characteristic of extremely small mam- what these constraints are, however, and how pervasive mals, for example, necessitates a more or less continuous they are over evolutionary time or how consistent over supply of high-quality food. Consequently, most small geographic space remains unclear. Here we describe a mammals are insectivores, specializing on a ubiquitous study undertaken to investigate the influence of environ- and high-energy food source. Other trophic strategies may mental conditions and historical and/or evolutionary con- not be viable without substantial modifications of body straints on body size. We examine the repeatability (or shape and size. Hence we might expect to see more tightly heritability) of body size across a variety of spatial, tem- constrained body size in these animals leading to greater poral, and taxonomic scales. Our study focuses on mam- similarity among congeners than for mammals of inter- mals because body size is easily characterized and data can mediate size. be compiled readily, and moreover, taxonomic relation- Third, we examine the influence of mammalian phy- ships for the entire class have been established (Wilson logeny on the pattern and similarity of body size. By ex- and Reeder 1993). amining the similarity of congeners within and across the We first determine the repeatability or heritability of taxonomic hierarchy, we characterize the body size “space” body size within the taxonomic hierarchy. How similar in occupied by mammalian genera, families, and orders. Spe- body size are species within a genus or families within an cifically, we ask whether taxa tend to occupy narrowly order? Several
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 12/04 CURRICULUM VITAE Karl W
    12/04 CURRICULUM VITAE Karl W. Flessa Department of Geosciences University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona 85721 (520) 621-7336 FAX (520) 621-2672 [email protected] Personal Data Birth Date: August 3, 1946 Place of Birth: Nürnberg, Germany Citizenship: U.S.A. (since 1950) Education and Degrees Ph.D., Geological Sciences, 1973. Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island A.B., Geology, 1968. Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania Principal Administrative Appointments Head, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1997-1999 Project Director, Research Training Group: Analysis of Biological Diversification, 1992-1994 Program Director, National Science Foundation, 1988-1990 Director, University of Arizona Geology Field Camp; 1983, 1985-1988 Academic Appointments Fellow, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, 2002-2003 Professor of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 1987-present Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1997-present Visiting Professor, Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, México, 1999 Research Associate, Smithsonian Institution, 1988-1991 Associate Professor, University of Arizona; 1981-1987 Humboldt Fellow, Universität Tübingen, Germany, and University of Birmingham, U.K.; 1983- 1984 Research Associate, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; 1978-present Assistant Professor, University of Arizona; 1977-1981 Assistant Professor, State University of New York at Stony Brook; 1972-1977 Senior Assistant, Marine Biological Laboratory; 6/72-8/72 Lecturer, Case Western Reserve University; 1/71-6/71 Research Interests Current research interests focus on 1) the environmental history and conservation biology of the Colorado River Delta, 2) the taphonomy and paleoecology of Recent and Pleistocene invertebrates in the Gulf of California, 3) the quality of the fossil record, and 4) the biogeography of Recent bivalve mollusks.
    [Show full text]
  • PRISCUM the Newsletter of the Paleontological Society Volume 13, Number 2, Fall 2004
    PRISCUM The Newsletter of the Paleontological Society Volume 13, Number 2, Fall 2004 Paleontological PRESIDENT’S Society Officers COLUMN: Inside... President Treasurer’s Report 2 William I. Ausich WE NEED YOU! GSA Information 2 President-Elect by William I. Ausich Reviews of PS- David Bottjer Sponsored Sessions 3 Past-President Why are you a member of The Paleontology Portal 5 Patricia H. Kelley The Paleontological Society? In PS Lecture Program 6 Secretary the not too distance past, the Books for Review 9 Roger D. K. Thomas only way to receive a copy of the Journal of Book Reviews 9 Treasurer Paleontology and Paleobiology was to pay your dues Conference Announce- and belong to the Society. I suppose one could Mark E. Patzkowsky have borrowed a copy from a friend or wander over ments 14 JP Managing Editors to the library. However, this was probably done Ann (Nancy) F. Budd with a heavy burden of guilt. Now, as we move Christopher A. Brochu into the digital age of scientific journal publishing, Jonathan Adrain one can have copies of the Journal of Paleontology and Paleobiology transmitted right to your Paleobiology Editors computer. It actually may arrive faster than the Tomasz Baumiller U.S. mail, you do not have to pay anything, and Robyn Burnham you do not even have to walk over to the library. Philip Gingerich No need for shelf space, no hassle, no dues, no Program Coordinator guilt – isn’t the Web great? The Web is great, but the Society needs dues-paying members in order Mark A. Wilson to continue to publish in paper, digitally, or both.
    [Show full text]
  • Using the Price Equation to Quantify Species Selection and Other Macroevolutionary Forces in Cretaceous Molluscs
    University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository Graduate Studies The Vault: Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2019-08-12 Using the Price Equation to Quantify Species Selection and Other Macroevolutionary Forces in Cretaceous Molluscs Jordan, Katherine J. Jordan, K. J. (2019). Using the Price Equation to Quantify Species Selection and Other Macroevolutionary Forces in Cretaceous Molluscs (Unpublished master's thesis). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB. http://hdl.handle.net/1880/110722 master thesis University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission. Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY Using the Price Equation to Quantify Species Selection and Other Macroevolutionary Forces in Cretaceous Molluscs by Katherine J. Jordan A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES CALGARY, ALBERTA AUGUST, 2019 © Katherine J. Jordan 2019 Abstract Species selection and other macroevolutionary forces are challenging processes to study and quantify when using fossil data. Here, I used the Price equation to analyze changes in geographic range sizes prior to and during a mass extinction event to estimate the relative contribution of three macroevolutionary processes (species selection, anagenesis, and immigration). I also tested the hypothesis that larger geographic range size increases a group’s survivability during mass extinctions.
    [Show full text]
  • "Diversity of Life Through Time"
    Diversity of Life through Introductory article Time Article Contents . Diversification of Life Carl Simpson, Museum fu¨rNaturkunde,Berlin,Germany . Calibrating Global Diversity Trends . Patterns – Marine and Terrestrial Wolfgang Kiessling, Museum fu¨rNaturkunde,Berlin,Germany . What Causes Global-Scale Biotic Transitions? Based in part on the previous version of this Encyclopedia of Life Sciences . Limits to Diversity – Equilibrium and Expansion Models (ELS) article, Diversity of Life through Time by Arnold I Miller. Local and Regional Patterns . Sources of Biodiversity . Radiations Online posting date: 15th November 2010 Global diversity is the total number of taxa living in the biodiversity changes in the past will help us to understand present day or at any time in the geological past. Recon- fate of biodiversity in the face of human-induced changes structing the trajectory of global diversity by compiling to the planet. Many human-induced changes to the Earth data from the fossil record has been a major research have natural analogues in the geological past (e.g. intervals of global warming or ocean acidification); analyses of past agenda for palaeontologists for decades. The goal is to biodiversity during times of known environmental change produce an accurate reconstruction of the pattern of can help us predict how diversity will be affected by current global diversity that will ultimately allow us to under- environmental changes. Researchers seeking to determine stand the causes of diversity increases, decreases and whether the Earth is currently experiencing a mass extinc- transitions in the composition of the biota. The Paleo- tion of species have looked at the history of biodiversity biology Database, a new large-scale database based on for insights into levels of diversification and extinction individual collections of fossil taxa, allows palaeontolo- expected ‘naturally’, in a world not influenced unduly by gists to standardise sampling, thereby controlling for Homo sapiens.
    [Show full text]
  • UTILIZING the PALEOBIOLOGY DATABASE to PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES for UNDERGRADUATES Rowan Lockwood William and Mary Phoebe A
    Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. Williams College Library, on 01 Mar 2019 at 18:07:48, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108681667 Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. Williams College Library, on 01 Mar 2019 at 18:07:48, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108681667 Elements of Paleontology UTILIZING THE PALEOBIOLOGY DATABASE TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERGRADUATES Rowan Lockwood William and Mary Phoebe A. Cohen Williams College Mark D. Uhen George Mason University Katherine Ryker University of South Carolina Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. Williams College Library, on 01 Mar 2019 at 18:07:48, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108681667 University Printing House, Cambridge CB2 8BS, United Kingdom One Liberty Plaza, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10006, USA 477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia 314–321, 3rd Floor, Plot 3, Splendor Forum, Jasola District Centre, New Delhi – 110025, India 79 Anson Road, #06–04/06, Singapore 079906 Cambridge University Press is part of the University of Cambridge. It furthers the University’s mission by disseminating knowledge in the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence. www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9781108717908 DOI: 10.1017/9781108681667 © The Paleontological Society 2018 This publication is in copyright.
    [Show full text]
  • Curriculum Vitae
    Carl Simpson 1 CU Museum of Natural History Phone (USA): +1 303-735-5323 University of Colorado, 265 UCB [email protected] Boulder, CO, 8039-0265 http://simpson-carl.github.io @simpson carl Current Position Assistant Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder. Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology, CU Museum, University of Colorado, Boulder. Education Ph.D. Department of Geophysical Sciences, 2006 University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA B.A. College of Creative Studies (Biology), June 2000 University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA Professional Experience 2015 - 2016 Springer Fellow, Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution 2012-2015 Abbott Fellow, Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural His- tory, Smithsonian Institution. 2012 Visiting Scholar, Cooperation and Evolution of Multicellularity program. Kavli In- stitute for Theoretical Physics. 2011 Visiting Scholar Fellowship, National Evolutionary Synthesis Center. 2008-2012 Postdoctoral Researcher, Museum f¨ur Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evo- lution and Biodiversity at the Humbolt University, Berlin. 2006-2008 Research Associate, Department of Biology, Duke University. 2004 Research assistant for John Alroy, the Paleobiology Database, National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis. 2001 Santa Fe Institute Complex Systems Summer School; Budapest, Hungary. 2001 Comparative Invertebrate Embryology. Friday Harbor Marine Laboratories. Fellowships & Grants • Springer Fellowship, \Quantifying the stochastic and deterministic aspects of macroevo- lution" Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History 2015-2016. • NSF ELT Collaborative Research: \Investigating the Biotic and Paleoclimatic Con- sequences of Dust in the Late Paleozoic." 2013-2017. with Gerilyn Soreghan, Linda Hinnov, Sarah Aciego, and Nicholas Heavens. • Abbott Postdoctoral Fellowship, \The Macroevolution of Bryozoan Polymorphism" Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History.
    [Show full text]
  • CURRICULUM VITAE Karl W. Flessa Department of Geosciences
    2/21 CURRICULUM VITAE Karl W. Flessa Department of Geosciences University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona 85721 (520) 621-7336 FAX (520) 621-2672 [email protected] Personal Data Place of Birth: Nürnberg, Germany Citizenship: U.S.A. (since 1949) Education and Degrees Ph.D., Geological Sciences, 1973. Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island A.B., Geology, 1968. Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania Principal Administrative Appointments Chief Scientist, Minute 323 Monitoring Science Team, Colorado River Delta, 2018-present Co-Chief Scientist, Minute 319 Monitoring Plan for the Colorado River Delta, 2014-2017 Founding Director, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona, 2009-2013 Head, Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 2007 - 2012 Project Director, Research Coordination Network: Colorado River Delta, 2005-2013 Head, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1997-1999 Project Director, Research Training Group: Analysis of Biological Diversification, 1992-1994 Program Director, National Science Foundation, 1988-1990 Director, University of Arizona Geology Field Camp; 1983, 1985-1988 Academic Appointments Professor Emeritus of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 2019-present Professor of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 1987-present Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1997-present Visiting Professor, University of Vienna, April 2016 Distinguished Visiting Scientist, CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 2013-2014 Core
    [Show full text]
  • Understanding the Dynamics of Trends Within Evolving Lineages
    Paleobiology, 26(3), 2000, pp. 319±329 MATTERS OF THE RECORD Understanding the dynamics of trends within evolving lineages John Alroy National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, 735 State Street, Santa Barbara, California 93101. E-mail: [email protected] Accepted: 3 May 2000 Introduction between underlying hypotheses and methods for testing these hypotheses has sometimes The study of evolutionary trends is one of been weak. Although paleontologists have the oldest and most intriguing topics in evo- long since embraced the use of null models, lutionary biology and paleobiology (McNa- they still do not employ a single, straightfor- mara 1990). Workers since Cuvier, Lyell, and ward de®nition of ``randomness'' (Eble 1999). Owen have wanted to know if the fossil record As a result, different authors use different null demonstrates ``progression'' within temporal hypotheses, and depending on their concep- sequences of related organisms. Regardless of tual outlooks they may interpret the same whether changes in the average values of mor- kinds of patterns as either con®rming or re- phological characters are progressive in any futing the existence of trends. Considering the meaningful sense, these changes are still of volume of literature and the century-long ge- great interest. In practice, questions about nealogy of the subject, this lingering panoply trends are most commonly framed by pale- of viewpoints may come as a surprise. ontologists in terms of ``complexity'' (however Two points of confusion are responsible for de®ned) or body size (McShea 1998a). the lack of agreement. First, it has been rec- Research on evolutionary trends has inten- ognized for more than two decades now that si®ed over the last few years, bringing several morphological trends may result from pro- fundamental conceptual issues to a head.
    [Show full text]
  • A New Picture of Life's History on Earth
    Commentary A new picture of life’s history on Earth Mark Newman* Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501 hen most people think of paleon- his primary source (2, 3). Other compila- database is as exhaustive as possible, sub- Wtology, they picture the field pale- tions also have been published (4, 5), but stantial biases are introduced. For exam- ontologist digging up fossils with a tooth- Sepkoski’s database has received more ple, it is quite feasible that the increase in brush and publishing descriptions of the attention by far than any other. Sepkoski’s diversity toward recent times seen in Fig. anatomies of uncovered specimens in the database was simple in structure: it re- 1 is a result primarily of the greater vol- trade literature. New discoveries of dino- corded the first and last known occur- ume of rock available from recent times, saurs even make the national headlines. rences in the fossil record of more than and the greater amount of effort that has For many decades the discovery and de- 30,000 marine invertebrate genera in been put into studying these rocks. A scription of a previously unknown fossil about 4,000 families. Marine invertebrates number of studies over the years have species was the calling card that gained have been the focus of most statistical presented evidence showing that apparent would-be paleontologists professional ac- studies, because preservation is much diversity is closely correlated with the ceptance. However, in the last quarter of more reliable in marine environments and intensity with which different periods of a century or so, many of the most intrigu- invertebrates are much more numerous geologic time have been sampled (6, 7).
    [Show full text]
  • The Extinction of the Multituberculates Outside North America: a Global Approach to Testing the Competition Model
    The Extinction of the Multituberculates Outside North America: a Global Approach to Testing the Competition Model Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree, Master of Science in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By D. Joseph Wood, B.S. Graduate Program in Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology The Ohio State University 2010 Thesis Committee: John Hunter, Advisor William Ausich Laura Kubatko Copyright by D. Joseph Wood 2010 Abstract The hypothesis that the extinction of the Multituberculata largely resulted from competition with early members of the Rodentia, based mainly on fossil-rich sequences in North America, features prominently in the history of early mammals. In this study, I expand the scope of investigation into this subject to include the other two continents where multituberculates made up a significant portion of the community, Europe and Asia. I used diversity measures, percentage richness, taxonomic rates of origination and extinction, and estimates of body size overlap to compare and contrast the replacement patterns on the three continents. In addition to testing hypotheses of multituberculate extinction, I also tested how closely this extinction conforms to the predictions of the incumbent replacement model of competitive faunal replacement. I conclude in this study that, especially in the light of new data, competitive interaction stands as the most likely explanation for the disappearance of the Multituberculata in Europe and North America. I base this conclusion largely on the fact that I observe correlated rates of origination (rodents) and extinction (multituberculates) on both continents. The incumbent replacement model predicts this result and thus provides the best conceptual framework for understanding the global extinction of the multituberculates.
    [Show full text]
  • History Is Written by the Victors: the Effect of the Push of the Past on the Fossil Record
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/194753; this version posted October 13, 2017. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission. History is written by the victors: the effect of the push of the past on the fossil record Graham E. Budd1 and Richard P. Mann2 1 Dept of Earth Sciences, Palaeobiology, Uppsala University, Villavägen 16, Uppsala, Sweden, SE 752 36. [email protected] 2Department of Statistics, School of Mathematics, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom. [email protected] Abstract Phylogenies may be modelled using “birth-death” models for speciation and extinc- tion, but even when a homogeneous rate of diversification is used, survivorship biases can generate remarkable rate heterogeneities through time. One such bias has been termed the “push of the past”, by which the length of time a clade has survived is conditioned on the rate of diversification that happened to pertain at its origin. This creates the illusion of a secular rate slow-down through time that is, rather, a reversion to the mean. Here we model the controls on the push of the past, and the effect it has on clade origination times, and show that it largely depends on underly- ing extinction rates. Crown group origins tend to become later and more dispersed as the size of the push of the past increases. An extra effect increasing early rates in lineages is also seen in large clades. The push of the past is an important but relatively neglected bias that affects many aspects of diversification patterns, such as diversification spikes after mass extinctions and at the origins of clades; it also influences rates of fossilisation, changes in rates of phenotypic evolution and even molecular clocks.
    [Show full text]
  • CURRICULUM VITAE Karl W. Flessa Department of Geosciences
    6/2012 CURRICULUM VITAE Karl W. Flessa Department of Geosciences University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona 85721 (520) 621-6000 FAX (520) 621-2672 [email protected] Personal Data Place of Birth: Nürnberg, Germany Citizenship: U.S.A. (since 1949) Education and Degrees Ph.D., Geological Sciences, 1973. Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island A.B., Geology, 1968. Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania Principal Administrative Appointments Founding Director, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona, 2009-present Head, Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 2007 - 2012 Project Director, Research Coordination Network: Colorado River Delta, 2005-present Head, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1997-1999 Project Director, Research Training Group: Analysis of Biological Diversification, 1992-1994 Program Director, National Science Foundation, 1988-1990 Director, University of Arizona Geology Field Camp; 1983, 1985-1988 Academic Appointments Professor of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 1987-present Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, 1997-present Core Faculty, Shoals Marine Laboratory, Cornell University, 2007-2009 Fellow, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy, 2002-2003 Visiting Scientist, Sonoran Institute, Tucson, AZ, 2007 Mary K. Upson Visiting Professor, Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell University, 2006 Visiting Professor, Facultad de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Ensenada, México,
    [Show full text]