Global imprint of historical connectivity on freshwater fish biodiversity |
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Authors: | Murilo S. Dias Thierry Oberdorff Bernard Hugueny Fabien Leprieur Céline Jézéquel Jean‐François Cornu Sébastien Brosse Gael Grenouillet Pablo A. Tedesco |
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Affiliation: | 1. UMR Biologie des ORganismes et des Ecosystèmes Aquatiques, UMR BOREA, IRD 207‐CNRS 7208‐UPMC‐MNHN, Muséum national d'histoire naturelle, , FR‐75231 Paris cedex, France;2. UMR 5119 ECOSYM, Laboratoire Ecologie des Systèmes Marins C?tiers, Université de Montpellier 2, , 34095 Montpellier cedex, France;3. CNRS, UPS, ENFA, UMR 5174 EDB, Laboratoire évolution et Diversité Biologique, Université Paul Sabatier, , F‐31062 Toulouse, France |
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Abstract: | The relative importance of contemporary and historical processes is central for understanding biodiversity patterns. While several studies show that past conditions can partly explain the current biodiversity patterns, the role of history remains elusive. We reconstructed palaeo‐drainage basins under lower sea level conditions (Last Glacial Maximum) to test whether the historical connectivity between basins left an imprint on the global patterns of freshwater fish biodiversity. After controlling for contemporary and past environmental conditions, we found that palaeo‐connected basins displayed greater species richness but lower levels of endemism and beta diversity than did palaeo‐disconnected basins. Palaeo‐connected basins exhibited shallower distance decay of compositional similarity, suggesting that palaeo‐river connections favoured the exchange of fish species. Finally, we found that a longer period of palaeo‐connection resulted in lower levels of beta diversity. These findings reveal the first unambiguous results of the role played by history in explaining the global contemporary patterns of biodiversity. |
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Keywords: | Alpha diversity beta diversity endemism freshwater fish global scale history Quaternary climate changes richness sea‐level changes species turnover |
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