Key innovations and the ecology of macroevolution

摘要: Abstract The origin or evolutionary `success' of taxa is often attributed to key innovations—aspects organismal phenotype that promote diversification. Different ways delimiting and measuring (i.e. number longevity species, morphological variety differential control energy) give rise different ideas how innovations might operate. Key may enhance competitive ability, relax adaptive trade-offs permit exploitation a new productive resource base. Recent innovation studies comparing species richness in extant sister clades miss important observations possible only with consideration the fossil record, traditional higher phenotypic diversity.