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Diversification of flowering plants in space and time

Author

Listed:
  • Dimitar Dimitrov

    (Peking University
    University Museum of Bergen, University of Bergen
    University of Copenhagen
    University of Oslo)

  • Xiaoting Xu

    (Peking University
    University of Copenhagen
    Sichuan University)

  • Xiangyan Su

    (Peking University
    Ministry of Natural Resources)

  • Nawal Shrestha

    (Peking University
    Lanzhou University)

  • Yunpeng Liu

    (Peking University)

  • Jonathan D. Kennedy

    (University of Copenhagen
    University of Copenhagen
    University of Sheffield)

  • Lisha Lyu

    (Peking University
    Peking University)

  • David Nogués-Bravo

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • James Rosindell

    (Imperial College London)

  • Yong Yang

    (Nanjing Forestry University)

  • Jon Fjeldså

    (University of Copenhagen
    University of Oslo)

  • Jianquan Liu

    (Sichuan University)

  • Bernhard Schmid

    (University of Zurich)

  • Jingyun Fang

    (Peking University)

  • Carsten Rahbek

    (University of Copenhagen
    University of Copenhagen
    University of Southern Denmark)

  • Zhiheng Wang

    (Peking University
    University of Copenhagen)

Abstract

The rapid diversification and high species richness of flowering plants is regarded as ‘Darwin’s second abominable mystery’. Today the global spatiotemporal pattern of plant diversification remains elusive. Using a newly generated genus-level phylogeny and global distribution data for 14,244 flowering plant genera, we describe the diversification dynamics of angiosperms through space and time. Our analyses show that diversification rates increased throughout the early Cretaceous and then slightly decreased or remained mostly stable until the end of the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction event 66 million years ago. After that, diversification rates increased again towards the present. Younger genera with high diversification rates dominate temperate and dryland regions, whereas old genera with low diversification dominate the tropics. This leads to a negative correlation between spatial patterns of diversification and genus diversity. Our findings suggest that global changes since the Cenozoic shaped the patterns of flowering plant diversity and support an emerging consensus that diversification rates are higher outside the tropics.

Suggested Citation

  • Dimitar Dimitrov & Xiaoting Xu & Xiangyan Su & Nawal Shrestha & Yunpeng Liu & Jonathan D. Kennedy & Lisha Lyu & David Nogués-Bravo & James Rosindell & Yong Yang & Jon Fjeldså & Jianquan Liu & Bernhard, 2023. "Diversification of flowering plants in space and time," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-43396-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43396-8
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