美国斯坦福大学Andrew B. Leslie研究团队提出生殖创新和植物复杂性的脉冲式上升。相关论文于2021年9月17日发表于国际顶尖学术期刊《科学》杂志上。

在这项研究中，他们使用一种基于零件类型数量的简单方法来分析形态复杂性随时间的变化。他们发现，在相隔约 2.5 亿年的停滞期的两个脉冲中，生殖复杂性增加，包括随着维管植物的辐射在泥盆纪的初始上升和在白垩纪晚期的显著增加，这反映了开花植物的多样化。

这些脉冲与增加功能多样性的创新有关，这表明复杂性的变化与功能的变化有关，无论它们发生在维管植物历史的早期还是晚期。

据悉，形态复杂性是多细胞生命的一个显著特征，尽管它是逐渐进化还是在早期爆发尚不清楚。维管植物生殖结构，如花，是复杂形态的常见例子。

附：英文原文

Title: Reproductive innovations and pulsed rise in plant complexity

Author: Andrew B. Leslie, Carl Simpson, Luke Mander

Issue&Volume: 2021-09-17

Abstract: Morphological complexity is a notable feature of multicellular life, although whether it evolves gradually or in early bursts is unclear. Vascular plant reproductive structures, such as flowers, are familiar examples of complex morphology. In this study, we use a simple approach based on the number of part types to analyze changes in complexity over time. We find that reproductive complexity increased in two pulses separated by ~250 million years of stasis, including an initial rise in the Devonian with the radiation of vascular plants and a pronounced increase in the Late Cretaceous that reflects flowering plant diversification. These pulses are associated with innovations that increased functional diversity, suggesting that shifts in complexity are linked to changes in function regardless of whether they occur early or late in the history of vascular plants.

DOI: abi6984

Source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abi6984