Abstract
Aim We develop a conceptual framework for integrating evolutionary history and ecological processes into studies of biotic assembly. Location Global. Methods We use theoretical and empirical examples to demonstrate that species distributions are non‐random outcomes of first‐order processes of biotic evolution: allopatry (isolation of populations), speciation and dispersion of biotas across landscapes. We then outline generalizable steps for integrating methods of phylogenetic and historical biogeographical analyses into studies of biotic assembly. Results We present a framework that can be applied to any biotic assemblage amenable to phylogenetic and historical biogeographical analyses, can accommodate changes in spatial extent and temporal scale, and will facilitate comparison of assembly processes across biotas. Additionally, we demonstrate the utility of an historical approach for providing context to ecological influences on evolutionary processes, such as trait evolution. Main conclusions By focusing on reconstructing the histories of individual lineages, an historical approach to assembly analysis can reveal the timing and underlying processes guiding biotic assembly, making it possible to disentangle the roles of history and ecology in the assembly process.