What is the purpose of comparing molecular phylogenies with paleoclimatic records?
Answer
To test hypotheses about environmental forcing driving diversification.
Molecular phylogenies map out the branching history and timing of diversification events among water beetle families. By overlaying this evolutionary timeline onto established paleoclimatic records (data detailing past global temperatures, humidity, and aridity), researchers can test correlations. If a major diversification event aligns with a known period of widespread warming and expansion of specific water body types, it provides evidence supporting the hypothesis that climate actively shaped the evolution and adaptation of these insect lineages by altering their available habitats.
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