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Interspecific geographic range size–body size relationship and the diversification dynamics of Neotropical furnariid birds
Author(s) -
InostrozaMichael Oscar,
Hernández Cristián E.,
RodríguezSerrano Enrique,
AvariaLlautureo Jorge,
Rivadeneira Marcelo M.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.84
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1558-5646
pISSN - 0014-3820
DOI - 10.1111/evo.13481
Subject(s) - biology , macroevolution , range (aeronautics) , genetic algorithm , interspecific competition , diversification (marketing strategy) , macroecology , ecology , evolutionary biology , biogeography , phylogenetics , biochemistry , materials science , marketing , gene , business , composite material
Among the earliest macroecological patterns documented, is the range and body size relationship, characterized by a minimum geographic range size imposed by the species’ body size. This boundary for the geographic range size increases linearly with body size and has been proposed to have implications in lineages evolution and conservation. Nevertheless, the macroevolutionary processes involved in the origin of this boundary and its consequences on lineage diversification have been poorly explored. We evaluate the macroevolutionary consequences of the difference (hereafter the distance) between the observed and the minimum range sizes required by the species’ body size, to untangle its role on the diversification of a Neotropical species‐rich bird clade using trait‐dependent diversification models. We show that speciation rate is a positive hump‐shaped function of the distance to the lower boundary. The species with highest and lowest distances to minimum range size had lower speciation rates, while species close to medium distances values had the highest speciation rates. Further, our results suggest that the distance to the minimum range size is a macroevolutionary constraint that affects the diversification process responsible for the origin of this macroecological pattern in a more complex way than previously envisioned.