Joint project
SPP 1127 TP - Radiationen - Genese biologischer Diversität - Teilprojekt: Testing for non-adaptive radiations in European spring snails
Funder: German Research Foundation
Period: 2006-2010
URI: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/27030111
Detailed description:
Recently, there has been an increased interest in the study of radiations. However, whereas one form of radiation ¿ adaptive radiation ¿ has been studied extensively, another form ¿ non-adaptive radiation ¿ is discussed controversially and poorly understood. In fact, the concept of non-adaptive radiation (i.e., diversification not accompanied by adaptation into various niches and resulting in a group of allopatric species) is rejected by some workers. Although specific and testable criteria have been proposed for this radiation, they have never been tested in a comprehensive and rigorous statistical fashion, partly because many radiations in continental animal groups (particularly in Europe) have been largely affected by human impact. A possible exception is the European spring snail genus Bythinella; a large monophyletic group with several proposed radiations that is distributed throughout the continent, yet only little affected by human impact. Moreover, its presumed lack of morphological and niche differentiation makes it an ideal candidate for studying non-adaptive radiations. Based on extensive morphological, genetic, and ecological data, the goals of the current projects are to identify radiations, to test the previously proposed criteria for nonadaptive radiation and to test for potential gradual differences between adaptive and nonadaptive radiations.
Recently, there has been an increased interest in the study of radiations. However, whereas one form of radiation ¿ adaptive radiation ¿ has been studied extensively, another form ¿ non-adaptive radiation ¿ is discussed controversially and poorly understood. In fact, the concept of non-adaptive radiation (i.e., diversification not accompanied by adaptation into various niches and resulting in a group of allopatric species) is rejected by some workers. Although specific and testable criteria have been proposed for this radiation, they have never been tested in a comprehensive and rigorous statistical fashion, partly because many radiations in continental animal groups (particularly in Europe) have been largely affected by human impact. A possible exception is the European spring snail genus Bythinella; a large monophyletic group with several proposed radiations that is distributed throughout the continent, yet only little affected by human impact. Moreover, its presumed lack of morphological and niche differentiation makes it an ideal candidate for studying non-adaptive radiations. Based on extensive morphological, genetic, and ecological data, the goals of the current projects are to identify radiations, to test the previously proposed criteria for nonadaptive radiation and to test for potential gradual differences between adaptive and nonadaptive radiations.
Coordinating organisation / Consortium Leader
- Heinrich Heine Universität Düsseldorf
Cooperation partners with funding
1 of 6
- Australian Museum
- Bavarian Natural History Collections
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Edmund Mach Foundation
- German Oceanographic Museum
