Macroevolutionary dynamics in the transition of angiosperms to aquatic environments.

ABSTRACT: Angiosperm lineages in aquatic environments are characterized by high structural and functional diversity, and wide distributions. A long-standing evolutionary riddle is what processes have caused the relatively low diversity of aquatic angiosperms compared to their terrestrial relatives. We use diversification and ancestral reconstruction models with a comprehensive > 10 000 genus angiosperm phylogeny to elucidate the macroevolutionary dynamics associated with transitions of terrestrial plants to water. Our study reveals that net diversification rates are significantly lower in aquatic than in terrestrial angiosperms due to lower speciation and higher extinction. Shifts from land to water started early in angiosperm evolution, but most events were concentrated during the last c. 25 millio

SUBMITTER: Meseguer AS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9320795 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature