Rapid Radiations: Key to Earth's Biodiversity

A study highlights that a majority of Earth's biodiversity stems from a handful of groups with high diversification rates. Researchers examined species richness across various clades, revealing that over 80% of species belong to these prolific groups, uncovering traits linked to rapid radiations.

A recent study has revealed that the majority of the world's biodiversity is rooted in a small number of species groups that experienced rapid diversification. Researchers in the US scrutinized rates of species richness and diversification across 'clades'—groups of related species descended from a common ancestor.

John J Wiens, a professor at the University of Arizona, co-authored the study published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. He highlighted that more than 80% of known species belong to a minority of groups with exceptionally high diversification rates, such as beetles among insects and passerines in birds.

The study's findings suggest that certain key traits, like multicellularity and the emergence of flowers, may explain these rapid radiations. These insights are crucial for understanding evolution and ecology, positing a concentration of species within a few prolific groups might be universal.

(With inputs from agencies.)