Revisiting the origin and diversification of vascular plants through a comprehensive Bayesian analysis of the fossil record.

ABSTRACT: Plants have a long evolutionary history, during which mass extinction events dramatically affected Earth's ecosystems and its biodiversity. The fossil record can shed light on the diversification dynamics of plant life and reveal how changes in the origination-extinction balance have contributed to shaping the current flora. We use a novel Bayesian approach to estimate origination and extinction rates in plants throughout their history. We focus on the effect of the 'Big Five' mass extinctions and on estimating the timing of origin of vascular plants, seed plants and angiosperms. Our analyses show that plant diversification is characterized by several shifts in origination and extinction rates, often matching the most important geological boundaries. The estimated origin of major plant cla

SUBMITTER: Silvestro D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4949670 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature