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Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
The evolution of critical thermal limits of life on Earth
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Conflicts of Interest
Identified Weaknesses
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Paper Summary
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Can't Take the Heat! Deep-Time Climate Legacies, and Current Climates Shape Thermal Tolerance
Thermal tolerance limits, essential for species' survival, are shaped by contemporary climate conditions, deep-time climate legacies, and evolutionary constraints. Cold tolerance evolves faster than heat tolerance, suggesting limited adaptive potential to cope with rapidly rising temperatures, particularly for tropical ectotherms.
Possible Conflicts of Interest
None identified
Identified Weaknesses
Limited Phylogenetic Resolution
The limited phylogenetic data restricted the scope of the study, hindering a more complete evolutionary analysis, potentially overlooking important factors in the evolution of thermal tolerance. As such, the claim of the existence of a universal upper physiological boundary in heat tolerance should be viewed cautiously.
Proxy Limitations
The paper's reliance on proxies for deep-time climate legacies and current climatic extremes introduces potential inaccuracies and oversimplifications in representing complex evolutionary and ecological processes.
Methodological Inconsistency
The study's use of different thermal tolerance metrics across taxa (lethal and critical thermal limits for ectotherms and plants, TNZ for endotherms) introduces methodological inconsistencies that complicate direct comparisons and may confound evolutionary interpretations.
Sampling Bias
The study acknowledges the potential confounding effect of sampling bias, where variation in data availability across time periods and taxa could influence observed evolutionary trends. This bias, if present, makes it difficult to establish a conclusive causal link between order age and variation in thermal limits.
Rating Explanation
This is a robust study that addresses fundamental questions in evolutionary biology and ecology. It employs extensive data analysis to dissect the factors driving thermal tolerance evolution. Despite certain limitations regarding the use of proxies and methodological inconsistencies, the study's conclusions are valuable and contribute significantly to the field.
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File Information
Original Title:
The evolution of critical thermal limits of life on Earth
File Name:
s41467-021-21263-8.pdf
[download]
File Size:
8.74 MB
Uploaded:
July 14, 2025 at 06:52 AM
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