title: The origins of C4 grasslands: integrating evolutionary and ecosystem science.
abstract: The evolution of grasses using C4 photosynthesis and their sudden rise to ecological dominance 3 to 8 million years ago is among the most dramatic examples of biome assembly in the geological record. A growing body of work suggests that the patterns and drivers of C4 grassland expansion were considerably more complex than originally assumed. Previous research has benefited substantially from dialog between geologists and ecologists, but current research must now integrate fully with phylogenetics. A synthesis of grass evolutionary biology with grassland ecosystem science will further our knowledge of the evolution of traits that promote dominance in grassland systems and will provide a new context in which to evaluate the relative importance of C4 photosynthesis in transforming ecosystems across large regions of Earth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA. erika_edwards@brown.edu
authors.forename: Erika J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Colin P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Osborne
authors.forename: Caroline A E
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Strömberg
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Bond
authors.forename: Pascal-Antoine
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Christin
authors.forename: Asaph B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Cousins
authors.forename: Melvin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Duvall
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Freckleton
authors.forename: Oula
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ghannoum
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hartwell
authors.forename: Yongsong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Janis
authors.forename: Jon E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Keeley
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Kellogg
authors.forename: Alan K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.forename: Andrew D B
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Leakey
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Jeffery M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Saarela
authors.forename: Rowan F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Sage
authors.forename: Osvaldo E
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salamin
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Still
authors.forename: Brett
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tipple
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002980:Climate; D017753:Ecosystem; D005580:Fossils; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D005843:Geography; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010802:Phylogeny; D006109:Poaceae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature; D014197:Trees
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide