Bayesian estimation of Ordovician dispersal pathways

by Alycia Stigall

 

Today was an exciting day for the lab.  The paper on Ordovician dispersal pathways led by Adriane Lam which incorporates her primary MS thesis research came out. This paper is exciting for several reasons.  First, it’s always great when a student gets their research published! Second, this is the first use of bayesian biogeographic modeling with Paleozoic taxa.  Third, this project represents an evolution beyond a MS thesis project, through collaboration and improvements with additional authors at other institutions, namely Nick Matzke.  I am really so thrilled with how this paper came out.  It is a landmark is methods and has important implications for understanding Ordovician biogeography.  The only downside…Adriane titled it “Dispersal in the Ordovician” as  play on “Pirates of the Carribean” so I can’t get the Pirates theme song out of my head….

Lam, A.R., Stigall, A.L, Matzke, N.J. 2018. Dispersal in the Ordovician: Speciation patterns and paleobiogeographic analyses of brachiopods and trilobites. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 489: 147-165. Online

Key Points:

  • Bayesian and ML methods were successfully implemented with Ordovician taxa.
  • Founder event speciation was important in the evolution of Paleozoic taxa.
  • Taxa with different larval strategies responded similarly to climate shifts.
  • Ocean currents were key influences on invertebrate dispersal patterns.
  • Results indicate most evolution within clades occurred during climate shifts.