Faster speciation and reduced extinction in the tropics contribute to the Mammalian latitudinal diversity gradient.

ABSTRACT: The increase in species richness from the poles to the tropics, referred to as the latitudinal diversity gradient, is one of the most ubiquitous biodiversity patterns in the natural world. Although understanding how rates of speciation and extinction vary with latitude is central to explaining this pattern, such analyses have been impeded by the difficulty of estimating diversification rates associated with specific geographic locations. Here, we use a powerful phylogenetic approach and a nearly complete phylogeny of mammals to estimate speciation, extinction, and dispersal rates associated with the tropical and temperate biomes. Overall, speciation rates are higher, and extinction rates lower, in the tropics than in temperate regions. The diversity of the eight most species-rich mammalian

SUBMITTER: Rolland J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3904837 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature