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Link to original content: http://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26994100/
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. 2016 Apr;117(5):725-32.
doi: 10.1093/aob/mcw018. Epub 2016 Mar 18.

The significance of developmental robustness for species diversity

Rainer Melzer  1 , Günter Theißen  2
Affiliations

The significance of developmental robustness for species diversity

Rainer Melzer et al. Ann Bot. 2016 Apr.

Abstract

Background: The origin of new species and of new forms is one of the fundamental characteristics of evolution. However, the mechanisms that govern the diversity and disparity of lineages remain poorly understood. Particularly unclear are the reasons why some taxa are vastly more species-rich than others and the manner in which species diversity and morphological disparity are interrelated.

Scope and conclusions: Evolutionary innovations and ecological opportunities are usually cited as among the major factors promoting the evolution of species diversity. In many cases it is likely that these factors are positively reinforcing, with evolutionary innovations creating ecological opportunities that in turn foster the origin of new innovations. However, we propose that a third factor, developmental robustness, is very often essential for this reinforcement to be effective. Evolutionary innovations need to be stably and robustly integrated into the developmental genetic programme of an organism to be a suitable substrate for selection to 'explore' ecological opportunities and morphological 'design' space (morphospace). In particular, we propose that developmental robustness of the bauplan is often a prerequisite for the exploration of morphospace and to enable the evolution of further novelties built upon this bauplan Thus, while robustness may reduce the morphological disparity at one level, it may be the basis for increased morphological disparity and for evolutionary innovations at another level, thus fostering species diversity.

Keywords: basal angiosperm; biodiversity; developmental robustness; disparity; diversity; ecological opportunity; evolutionary innovation; flower development; insect; orchid; plasticity; speciation.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Hypothetical scenario of how developmental robustness may contribute to the origin of species diversity. In (A), the developmental system determining perianth organ number is not very robust and a diversity of organ numbers is observed. When developmental robustness increases during evolution, a certain organ number becomes fixed (B). Superimposed on that fixed organ number, a new ‘dimension’ in the phenotypic space can be explored, i.e. perianth organs with distinct morphologies can evolve (C). Interactions with specific pollinators may stabilize the different morphologies, thus further increasing robustness and eventually contributing to the origin of new species.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Proposed scenario as to how the interplay between evolutionary innovations, developmental robustness and ecological opportunities contributes to the origin of species diversity.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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