The Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution buffered ants against extinction

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Jouault, Corentin; Condamine, Fabien L.; Legendre, Frederic; Perrichot, Vincent
• 署名单位: Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN); Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS); CNRS - Institute of Ecology & Environment (INEE); Universite PSL; Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE); Sorbonne Universite; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS); Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD); Universite de Montpellier; Universite de Rennes; Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS); CNRS - National Institute for Earth Sciences & Astronomy (INSU)
• 刊物名称: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0027-10944
• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2317795121
• 发表日期: 2024-03-11
• 关键词: hymenoptera-formicidae; mass extinctions; fossil ants; red-queen; diversification; diversity; rise; AGE; EVOLUTION; rates

摘要

With -14,000 extant species, ants are ubiquitous and of tremendous ecological importance. They have undergone remarkable diversification throughout their evolutionary history. However, the drivers of their diversity dynamics are not well quantified or understood. Previous phylogenetic analyses have suggested patterns of diversity dynamics associated with the Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution (ATR), but these studies have overlooked valuable information from the fossil record. To address this gap, we conducted a comprehensive analysis using a large dataset that includes both the ant fossil record (-24,000 individual occurrences) and neontological data (-14,000 occurrences), and tested four hypotheses proposed for ant diversification: co- diversification, competitive extinction, hyper- specialization, and buffered extinction. Taking into account biases in the fossil record, we found three distinct diversification periods (the latest Cretaceous, Eocene, and Oligo- Miocene) and one extinction period (Late Cretaceous). The competitive extinction hypothesis between stem and crown ants is not supported. Instead, we found support for the co- diversification, buffered extinction, and hyper- specialization hypotheses. The environmental changes of the ATR, mediated by the angiosperm radiation, likely played a critical role in buffering ants against extinction and favoring their diversification by providing new ecological niches, such as forest litter and arboreal nesting sites, and additional resources. We also hypothesize that the decline and extinction of stem ants during the Late Cretaceous was due to their hyper- specialized morphology, which limited their ability to expand their dietary niche in changing environments. This study highlights the importance of a holistic approach when studying the interplay between past environments and the evolutionary trajectories of organisms.