Evolutionary history biases inferences of ecology and environment from δ13C but not δ18O values. Issue 1 (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Edgar, Kirsty; Hull, Pincelli; Ezard, Thomas
• Is Part Of: Nature communications. Volume 8:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 9
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Biology -- Periodicals; Physical sciences -- Periodicals; 505
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01154-7
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2041-1723

Abstract

Abstract Closely related taxa are, on average, more similar in terms of their physiology, morphology and ecology than distantly related ones. How this biological similarity affects geochemical signals, and their interpretations, has yet to be tested in an explicitly evolutionary framework. Here we compile and analyze planktonic foraminiferal size-specific stable carbon and oxygen isotope values (δ13 C and δ18 O, respectively) spanning the last 107 million years. After controlling for dominant drivers of size-δ13 C and size-δ18 O trends, such as geological preservation, presence of algal photosymbionts, and global environmental changes, we identify that shared evolutionary history has shaped the evolution of species-specific vital effects in δ13 C, but not in δ18 O. Our results lay the groundwork for using a phylogenetic approach to correct species δ13 C vital effects through time, thereby reducing systematic biases in interpretations of long-term δ13 C records—a key measure of holistic organismal biology and of the global carbon cycle. The effects of biological similarity on geochemical signals recorded in planktonic foraminiferal tests used in paleo-reconstructions remains unclear. Here, the authors embed species-specific vital effect offsets in evolutionary models and show how shared evolutionary history shapes δ13 C, but not δ18 O values.