The phylogenetic signature of species interactions

Background/Question/Methods

Species interactions - including predation, competition, and mutualism - shape both ecology and evolution. However, coevolutionary studies of species interactions often ignore the phylogenetic relationships among species, effectively assuming that species diverge simultaneously from a common ancestor. Similarly, phylogenetic models of trait evolution commonly ignore coevolutionary interactions between species evolving in the tree. Here we present a general model for coevolutionary interactions on phylogenetic trees.

Results/Conclusions

Our model shows that both facilitative and competitive interactions leave a clear signal in species’ traits. The model also makes novel and sometimes counterintuitive predictions of the effects of species interactions and phylogenetic relatedness together on ecosystem functioning. Our approach provides a unified understanding of the interaction between common ancestry and coevolution in determining species’ traits, community structure, and the functioning of ecosystems.