Title |
Molecular evolutionary rates are not correlated with temperature and latitude in Squamata: an exception to the metabolic theory of ecology?
|
---|---|
Published in |
BMC Ecology and Evolution, May 2016
|
DOI | 10.1186/s12862-016-0666-4 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Jonathan Rolland, Oriane Loiseau, Jonathan Romiguier, Nicolas Salamin |
Abstract |
The metabolic theory of ecology stipulates that molecular evolutionary rates should correlate with temperature and latitude in ectothermic organisms. Previous studies have shown that most groups of vertebrates, such as amphibians, turtles and even endothermic mammals, have higher molecular evolutionary rates in regions where temperature is high. However, the association between molecular evolutionary rates and temperature or latitude has never been tested in Squamata. We used a large dataset including the spatial distributions and environmental variables for 1,651 species of Squamata and compared the contrast of the rates of molecular evolution with the contrast of temperature and latitude between sister species. Using major axis regressions and a new algorithm to choose independent sister species pairs, we found that temperature and absolute latitude were not associated with molecular evolutionary rates. This absence of association in such a diverse ectothermic group questions the mechanisms explaining current pattern of species diversity in Squamata and challenges the presupposed universality of the metabolic theory of ecology. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Switzerland | 1 | 50% |
Unknown | 1 | 50% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 1 | 50% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 1 | 50% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 2 | 4% |
Unknown | 55 | 96% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Master | 18 | 32% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 13 | 23% |
Researcher | 9 | 16% |
Student > Bachelor | 6 | 11% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 2 | 4% |
Other | 4 | 7% |
Unknown | 5 | 9% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 38 | 67% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 6 | 11% |
Environmental Science | 5 | 9% |
Philosophy | 1 | 2% |
Earth and Planetary Sciences | 1 | 2% |
Other | 1 | 2% |
Unknown | 5 | 9% |