2012/03/13 by Erica Bree Rosenblum, Brice A. J. Sarver, Joseph W. Brown +7 · 253 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Social Sciences · #Astrobiology #Biology #Culture, Economy, and Development Studies #Diversification (marketing strategy) #Ecology #Ephemeral key #Evolution and Genetic Dynamics #Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation #Genetic algorithm #Geography #Geology #Goldilocks principle
paper · pdf · doi:10.1007/s11692-012-9171-x
published in Evolutionary Biology 39(2), 255-261 (Springer Science+Business Media)
openalex publication_date 2012/03/13 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
Understanding the rate at which new species form is a key question in studying the evolution of life on earth. Here we review our current understanding of speciation rates, focusing on studies based on the fossil record, phylogenies, and mathematical models. We find that speciation rates estimated from these different studies can be dramatically different: some studies find that new species form quickly and often, while others find that new species form much less frequently. We suggest that instead of being contradictory, differences in speciation rates across different scales can be reconciled by a common model. Under the "ephemeral speciation model", speciation is very common and very rapid but the new species produced almost never persist. Evolutionary studies should therefore focus on not only the formation but also the persistence of new species.