Dias M. S. auteur aut IRD Oberdorff Thierry auteur aut IRD Hugueny Bernard auteur aut IRD Leprieur F. auteur aut IRD Jézéquel Céline auteur aut IRD Cornu Jean-François auteur aut IRD Brosse S. auteur aut IRD Grenouillet G. auteur aut IRD Tedesco Pablo auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access The relative importance of contemporary and historical processes is central for understanding biodiversity patterns. While several studies show that past conditions can partly explain the current biodiversity patterns, the role of history remains elusive. We reconstructed palaeo-drainage basins under lower sea level conditions (Last Glacial Maximum) to test whether the historical connectivity between basins left an imprint on the global patterns of freshwater fish biodiversity. After controlling for contemporary and past environmental conditions, we found that palaeo-connected basins displayed greater species richness but lower levels of endemism and beta diversity than did palaeo-disconnected basins. Palaeo-connected basins exhibited shallower distance decay of compositional similarity, suggesting that palaeo-river connections favoured the exchange of fish species. Finally, we found that a longer period of palaeo-connection resulted in lower levels of beta diversity. These findings reveal the first unambiguous results of the role played by history in explaining the global contemporary patterns of biodiversity. specialized Alpha diversity beta diversity endemism freshwater fish global scale history Quaternary climate changes richness sea-level changes species turnover 036 021 020 17 9 1130-1140 2014 1461-023X https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010062459 10.1111/ele.12319 1461-023X [F B010062459] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010062459 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2014/09/010062459.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2014-10-02 2017-08-23 fdi:010062459 fre