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EVOLUTIONARY RATES AND SPECIES DIVERSITY IN FLOWERING PLANTS
Author(s) -
Barraclough Timothy G.,
Savolainen Vincent
Publication year - 2001
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/j.0014-3820.2001.tb00803.x
Subject(s) - biology , genetic algorithm , phylogenetic tree , rate of evolution , molecular evolution , neutral theory of molecular evolution , evolutionary biology , genetic diversity , molecular clock , phylogenetics , plant evolution , gene , genetics , genome , population , demography , sociology
Genetic change is a necessary component of speciation, but the relationship between rates of speciation and molecular evolution remains unclear. We use recent phylogenetic data to demonstrate a positive relationship between species numbers and the rate of neutral molecular evolution in flowering plants (in both plastid and nuclear genes). Rates of protein and morphological evolution also correlate with the neutral substitution rate, but not with species numbers. Our findings reveal a link between the rate of neutral molecular change within populations and the evolution of species diversity.