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Macroevolutionary Processes and Biomic Specialization: Testing the Resource-use Hypothesis

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Abstract

The resource-use hypothesis predicts that generalist species have lower speciation and extinction rates than specialists. In this work we test several subsidiary predictions of the resource-use hypothesis using the biomic specialization index (BSI) for each African large mammal species, which is based on its geographical range within different climate zones. This index can be used globally allowing intercontinental and intertaxa comparisons. Our results are consistent with the axioms of the resource-use hypothesis theory, which predicts (1) a high frequency of stenobiomic species, (2) carnivores are more eurybiomic than herbivore clades (particularly, Artiodactyla and Primates), (3) the higher incidence of these biomic specialists in the tropical rainforest and desert biomes, and (4) the fact that certain combinations of inhabited biomes occur more frequently among species than do others. We also found that the tropical deciduous woodland is an important source of new species, and that there is a macroevolutionary segregation between extreme eurybiomic species (inhabitants of five or more biomes) and ‘semi-eurybiomic’ species (inhabitants of 2–5 biomes). These results can also be explained within the premises of the resource-use hypothesis. Finally, we discuss the relevance of our results to the understanding of the latitudinal gradient in species richness.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Geophysics, Kline Geology Laboratory, Yale University, P.O. Box 208109, New Haven, CT, 06520-8109, USA

    Manuel Hernández fernández & Elisabeth S. Vrba

  2. Departamento de Paleobiología, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid

    Manuel Hernández fernández

  3. Departamento de Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias Geológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Manuel Hernández fernández

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  1. Manuel Hernández fernández
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  2. Elisabeth S. Vrba
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Correspondence to Manuel Hernández fernández.

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Co-ordinating editor: N. Chr. Stenseth

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Hernández fernández, M., Vrba, E. Macroevolutionary Processes and Biomic Specialization: Testing the Resource-use Hypothesis. Evol Ecol 19, 199–219 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-004-8152-7

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