PIBiLab - Laboratório de Pesquisa Integrativa em Biodiversidade / Integrative Research on Biodiversity Lab, Federal University of Sergipe, Aracajú, State of Sergipe, Brazil.
Department of Biology, Federal University of Sergipe, Aracajú, State of Sergipe, Brazil.
PLoS One. 2018 Mar 28;13(3):e0194725. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194725. eCollection 2018.
Historically, studies aimed at prospecting and analyzing paleontological and neontological data to investigate species distribution have developed separately. Research at the interface between paleontology and biogeography has shown a unidirectional bias, mostly focusing on how paleontological information can aid biogeography to understand species distribution through time. However, the modern suit of techniques of ecological biogeography, particularly species distribution models (SDM), can be instrumental for paleontologists as well, improving the biogeography-paleontology interchange. In this study, we explore how to use paleoclimatic data and SDMs to support paleontological investigation regarding reduction of taxonomic uncertainty. Employing current data from two neotropical species (Lagostomus maximus and Myocastor coipus), we implemented SDMs and performed model validation comparing hindcasts with dated fossil occurrences (~14k and ~20k years back present, respectively). Finally, we employed the hindcasting process for two South American fossil records of a misidentified species of caiman (Caiman sp.) to show that C. latirostris is the most likely species identity of these fossils (among four candidate species: C. latirostris, C. yacare, C. crocodilus, and Melanosuchus niger). Possible limitations of the approach are discussed. With this strategy, we have shown that current developments in biogeography research can favour paleontology, extending the (biased) current interchange between these two scientific disciplines.
从历史上看，旨在勘探和分析古生物学和现代生物学数据以研究物种分布的研究是分开进行的。古生物学和生物地理学之间的研究表明存在单向偏见，主要集中在古生物学信息如何通过时间帮助生物地理学了解物种分布。然而，生态生物地理学的现代技术套件，特别是物种分布模型 (SDM)，对古生物学家也很有用，可以改善生物地理学与古生物学的交流。在这项研究中，我们探讨了如何利用古气候数据和 SDM 来支持古生物学调查，以减少分类学不确定性。我们使用来自两个新热带物种（Lagostomus maximus 和 Myocastor coipus）的当前数据，实施了 SDM 并进行了模型验证，比较了回溯与有日期的化石出现（分别为14k 和20k 年前）。最后，我们对南美的两个化石记录的凯门鳄属物种（Caiman sp.）的错误鉴定进行了回溯预测，表明 C. latirostris 是这些化石最可能的物种身份（四个候选物种：C. latirostris、C. yacare、C. crocodilus 和 Melanosuchus niger）。讨论了该方法的可能限制。通过这种策略，我们表明生物地理学研究的最新进展可以有利于古生物学，从而扩展这两个科学学科之间（有偏见的）当前交流。
