Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T15:32:58.822Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Variation between groups in evolutionary rates: a statistical test of significance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2016

David M. Raup  and
Larry G. Marshall
David M. Raup
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois, 60605
Larry G. Marshall
Affiliation:
Department of Geology, Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois, 60605
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The statistical significance of differences in evolutionary rate between major taxonomic groups is evaluated using conventional chi-square techniques on stratigraphic range data. Romer's (1966) compilation of stratigraphic ranges of fossil mammals is used to determine whether orders differ significantly from each other in generic origination and extinction rates. The evolutionary histories of 2180 genera (primarily Cenozoic in age) are analyzed. Chi-square testing shows that significantly high or low (P ≥ 0.99) extinction or origination occurs in 15% of the testable cases. Significantly high or low evolutionary turnover in a taxon (orders in this case) we term taxotely. Significantly high turnover rate is equivalent to Simpson's tachytely and significantly low turnover is equivalent to his bradytely.

In the mammal data set, taxotely is largely attributable to the influence of South American endemics. Some of the effect is interpreted as an artifact of biases in the fossil record (or its study) and some is attributed to real biological aspects of mammalian evolution.

Type
Articles
Information
Paleobiology , Volume 6 , Issue 1 , Winter 1980 , pp. 9 - 23
Copyright
Copyright © The Paleontological Society 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

Anderson, S. and Jones, J. K. Jr. eds. 1967. Recent Mammals of the World—a Synopsis of Families. 453 pp. Ronald Press; New York.Google Scholar
Lasker, H. 1976. Effects of differential preservation on the measurement of taxonomic diversity. Paleobiology. 2:84–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marshall, L. G. 1977. Evolution of the carnivorous adaptive zone in South America. Pp. 709–721. In: Hecht, M. K., Goody, P. C., and Hecht, B. M., eds. Major Patterns in Vertebrate Evolution. 908 pp.Plenum Press; New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marshall, L. G. 1979. A model for South American cricetine (Rodentia) paleobiogeography. Paleobiology. 5:126–132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marshall, L. G., Hoffstetter, R., and Pascual, R. 1980. Geochronology of the continental mammal-bearing Tertiary of South America. In: Woodburne, M. O., ed. Vertebrate Paleontology as a Discipline in Geochronology. Univ. Calif. Publ. Geol. Sci. In press.Google Scholar
Patterson, B. and Pascual, R. 1972. The fossil mammal fauna of South America. Pp. 247–309. In: Keast, A., Erk, F. C., and Glass, B., eds. Evolution, Mammals, and Southern Continents. 543 pp.State Univ. N.Y. Press; Albany, New York.Google Scholar
Raup, D. M. 1978a. Cohort analysis of generic survivorship. Paleobiology. 4:1–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raup, D. M. 1978b. Approaches to the extinction problem. J. Paleontol. 52:517–523.Google Scholar
Romer, A. S. 1966. Vertebrate Paleontology. 468 pp. Univ. Chicago Press; Chicago.Google Scholar
Schopf, T. J. M. 1979. Evolving paleontological views on deterministic and stochastic approaches. Paleobiology. 5:337–352.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simpson, G. G. 1944. Tempo and Mode in Evolution. 237 pp. Columbia Univ. Press; New York.Google Scholar
Simpson, G. G. 1953. The Major Features of Evolution. 412 pp. Columbia Univ. Press; New York.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stanley, S. M. 1973. Effects of competition on evolution, with special reference to bivalve molluscs and mammals. Syst. Zool. 22:486–506.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Valen, L. 1973. A new evolutionary law. Evol. Theory. 1:1–30.Google Scholar
Webb, S. D. 1969. Extinction-origination equilibria in Late Cenozoic land mammals of North America. Evolution. 23:688–702.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Webb, S. D. 1978. Evolution of Savanna Vertebrates in the New World. Pt. II. Annu. Rev. Ecol. and Syst. 9:393–426.CrossRefGoogle Scholar