Cooney, C.R. orcid.org/0000-0002-4872-9146, Tobias, J.A., Weir, J.T. et al. (2 more authors) (2017) Sexual selection, speciation and constraints on geographical range overlap in birds. Ecology Letters, 20 (7). pp. 863-871. ISSN 1461-023X
Abstract
The role of sexual selection as a driver of speciation remains unresolved, not least because we lack a clear empirical understanding of its influence on different phases of the speciation process. Here, using data from 1306 recent avian speciation events, we show that plumage dichromatism (a proxy for sexual selection) does not predict diversification rates, but instead explains the rate at which young lineages achieve geographical range overlap. Importantly, this effect is only significant when range overlap is narrow (< 20%). These findings are consistent with a 'differential fusion' model wherein sexual selection reduces rates of fusion among lineages undergoing secondary contact, facilitating parapatry or limited co-existence, whereas more extensive sympatry is contingent on additional factors such as ecological differentiation. Our results provide a more mechanistic explanation for why sexual selection appears to drive early stages of speciation while playing a seemingly limited role in determining broad-scale patterns of diversification.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS. This is an author-produced version of a paper subsequently published in Ecology Letters. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Differential fusion; plumage dichromatism; sexual selection; speciation; species co-existence; sympatry |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > School of Biosciences (Sheffield) > Department of Animal and Plant Sciences (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 30 May 2017 13:26 |
Last Modified: | 03 Aug 2023 13:09 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/ele.12780 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:116997 |