Complexity and weak integration promote the diversity of reef fish oral jaws

Major trade-offs often manifest as axes of diversity in organismal functional systems. Overarching trade-offs may result in high trait integration and restrict the trajectory of diversification to be along a single axis. Here, we explore the diversification of the feeding mechanism in coral reef fishes to establish the role of trade-offs and complexity in a spectacular ecological radiation. We show that the primary axis of variation in the measured musculo-skeletal traits is aligned with a trade-off between mobility and force transmission, spanning species that capture prey with suction and those that bite attached prey. We found weak or no covariation between about half the traits, reflecting deviations from the trade-off axis. The dramatic trophic range found among reef fishes occurs along the primary trade-off axis, with numerous departures that use a mosaic of trait combinations to adapt the feeding mechanism to diverse challenges. We suggest that morphological evolution both along and independent of a major axis of variation is a widespread mechanism of diversification in complex systems where a global trade-off shapes major patterns of diversity. Significant additional diversity emerges as systems use weak integration and complexity to assemble functional units with many trait combinations that meet varying ecological demands.

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Publication Details

Journal
Communications Biology
Published
2024-11-04
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-07148-8
Citations
10
Primary Topic
Evolution and Paleontology Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
15.88

Funders

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article

Complexity and weak integration promote the diversity of reef fish oral jaws

Katherine A. Corn, Michael D. Burns, Dylan K. Wainwright, Sarah Williamson et al.
10 citations
Communications Biology
Evolution and Paleontology Studies
15.88
article

Complexity and weak integration promote the diversity of reef fish oral jaws

Katherine A. Corn, Michael D. Burns, Dylan K. Wainwright, Sarah Williamson, Nick Peoples, Darien R. Satterfield, Kylie Russell, HoWan Chan, Michael L. Yuan, Michalis Mihalitsis, Anthony J. Barley, Alexus S. Roberts, Peter C. Wainwright
article en
10 citations

Abstract

Major trade-offs often manifest as axes of diversity in organismal functional systems. Overarching trade-offs may result in high trait integration and restrict the trajectory of diversification to be along a single axis. Here, we explore the diversification of the feeding mechanism in coral reef fishes to establish the role of trade-offs and complexity in a spectacular ecological radiation. We show that the primary axis of variation in the measured musculo-skeletal traits is aligned with a trade-off between mobility and force transmission, spanning species that capture prey with suction and those that bite attached prey. We found weak or no covariation between about half the traits, reflecting deviations from the trade-off axis. The dramatic trophic range found among reef fishes occurs along the primary trade-off axis, with numerous departures that use a mosaic of trait combinations to adapt the feeding mechanism to diverse challenges. We suggest that morphological evolution both along and independent of a major axis of variation is a widespread mechanism of diversification in complex systems where a global trade-off shapes major patterns of diversity. Significant additional diversity emerges as systems use weak integration and complexity to assemble functional units with many trait combinations that meet varying ecological demands.

Communications BiologyVol. 7(1)
University of Bern (CH), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (US), Oregon State University (US), Purdue University West Lafayette (US), Arizona State University (US), Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (CH), Washington State University (US), Rice University (US), University of California, Davis (US), Virginia Tech (US), Grand Valley State University (US)
National Science Foundation, American Association of University Women, Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation, Directorate for Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis, UC Davis College of Biological Sciences
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 1%
Evolution and Paleontology Studies
15.88
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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