Data from: Bridging inter- and intraspecific trait evolution with a hierarchical Bayesian approach

The evolution of organisms is crucially dependent on the evolution of intraspecific variation. Its interactions with selective agents in the biotic and abiotic environments underlie many processes, such as intraspecific competition, resource partitioning and, eventually, species formation. Nevertheless, comparative models of trait evolution neither allow explicit testing of hypotheses related to the evolution of intraspecific variation, nor do they simultaneously estimate rates of trait evolution by accounting for both trait mean and variance. Here, we present a model of phenotypic trait evolution using a hierarchical Bayesian approach that simultaneously incorporates interspecific and intraspecific variation. We assume that species-specific trait means evolve under a simple Brownian motion process, while species-specific trait variances are modeled with Brownian or Ornstein-Uhlenbeck processes. After evaluating the power of the method through simulations, we examine whether life-history traits impact evolution of intraspecific variation in the Eriogonoideae (buckwheat family, Polygonaceae). Our model is readily extendible to more complex scenarios of the evolution of inter- and intraspecific variation and presents a step towards more comprehensive comparative models for macroevolutionary studies.

生物的演化进程在极大程度上依赖于种内变异（intraspecific variation）的演化。种内变异与生物和非生物环境中的选择因子（selective agents）之间的相互作用，构成了诸多演化过程的基础，例如种内竞争、资源划分，乃至最终的物种形成。然而，现有的性状进化比较模型，既无法显式检验与种内变异演化相关的假说，也无法同时通过兼顾性状均值与性状方差来估算性状进化速率。
为此，我们提出一种基于分层贝叶斯方法（hierarchical Bayesian approach）的表型性状演化模型，该模型可同时整合种间与种内变异。我们假定，物种特异性的性状均值遵循简单的布朗运动（Brownian motion）过程演化，而物种特异性的性状方差则通过布朗运动或奥恩斯坦-乌伦贝克（Ornstein-Uhlenbeck）过程进行建模。
在通过模拟实验评估该方法的性能后，我们以蓼亚科（Eriogonoideae，荞麦科Polygonaceae）类群为研究对象，检验了生活史性状（life-history traits）是否会对种内变异的演化产生影响。
本模型可便捷地拓展至种间与种内变异演化的更复杂场景，为宏观进化（macroevolutionary）研究中构建更全面的比较模型迈出了关键一步。