Abstract
Adaptive radiations are bursts of evolutionary species diversification that have contributed to much of the species diversity on Earth. An exception is modern Europe, where descendants of ancient adaptive radiations went extinct, and extant adaptive radiations are small, recent and narrowly confined. However, not all legacy of old radiations has been lost. Subterranean environments, which are dark and food-deprived, yet buffered from climate change, have preserved ancient lineages. Here we provide evidence of an entirely subterranean adaptive radiation of the amphipod genus Niphargus, counting hundreds of species. Our modelling of lineage diversification and evolution of morphological and ecological traits using a time-calibrated multilocus phylogeny suggests a major adaptive radiation, comprised of multiple subordinate adaptive radiations. Their spatio-temporal origin coincides with the uplift of carbonate massifs in South-Eastern Europe 15 million years ago. Emerging subterranean environments likely provided unoccupied, predator-free space, constituting ecological opportunity, a key trigger of adaptive radiation. This discovery sheds new light on the biodiversity of Europe.
Highlights
Adaptive radiations are bursts of evolutionary species diversification that have contributed to much of the species diversity on Earth
Using spatio-temporal correlations between diversification events and the geological uplift of large carbonate massifs, we suggest that the formation of caves and subterranean habitats created a multitude of ecological opportunities, the quintessential condition for adaptive radiation[24]
We found that the genus Niphargus originated in the Middle
Summary
Our modelling of lineage diversification and evolution of morphological and ecological traits using a timecalibrated multilocus phylogeny suggests a major adaptive radiation, comprised of multiple subordinate adaptive radiations Their spatio-temporal origin coincides with the uplift of carbonate massifs in South-Eastern Europe 15 million years ago. Emerging subterranean environments likely provided unoccupied, predator-free space, constituting ecological opportunity, a key trigger of adaptive radiation This discovery sheds new light on the biodiversity of Europe. Adaptive radiations are large bursts of speciation from single ancestors, accompanied by extensive ecological diversification[1,2,3,4,5] They have played a significant role in the origin of extant diversity in many major clades across the globe[3,5,6]. Using spatio-temporal correlations between diversification events and the geological uplift of large carbonate massifs, we suggest that the formation of caves and subterranean habitats created a multitude of ecological opportunities, the quintessential condition for adaptive radiation[24]
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