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Riddell EA, Burger IJ, Tyner-Swanson TL, Biggerstaff J, Muñoz MM, Levy O, Porter CK. Parameterizing mechanistic niche models in biophysical ecology: a review of empirical approaches. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245543. [PMID: 37955347 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Mechanistic niche models are computational tools developed using biophysical principles to address grand challenges in ecology and evolution, such as the mechanisms that shape the fundamental niche and the adaptive significance of traits. Here, we review the empirical basis of mechanistic niche models in biophysical ecology, which are used to answer a broad array of questions in ecology, evolution and global change biology. We describe the experiments and observations that are frequently used to parameterize these models and how these empirical data are then incorporated into mechanistic niche models to predict performance, growth, survival and reproduction. We focus on the physiological, behavioral and morphological traits that are frequently measured and then integrated into these models. We also review the empirical approaches used to incorporate evolutionary processes, phenotypic plasticity and biotic interactions. We discuss the importance of validation experiments and observations in verifying underlying assumptions and complex processes. Despite the reliance of mechanistic niche models on biophysical theory, empirical data have and will continue to play an essential role in their development and implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric A Riddell
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Isabella J Burger
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Tamara L Tyner-Swanson
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Justin Biggerstaff
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Martha M Muñoz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Ofir Levy
- Faculty of Life Sciences, School of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - Cody K Porter
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
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2
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Bolom-Huet R, Pacheco XP, Muñoz-Alonso A, Sunny A. Potential Distribution and Connectivity for Two Plethodontid Salamanders: Conservation Areas and Landscape Corridors for Two Endemic Species of México and Guatemala. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 70:965-977. [PMID: 36038650 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-022-01700-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Habitat loss is one of the most important threats to biodiversity; it alters the habitat connectivity of species and is among the main causes of the global amphibian extinction crisis. Identifying the potential areas of distribution and connectivity of species is of the utmost importance so that informed decisions can be made for the conservation of vulnerable amphibian populations. In this study, we performed species distribution models and used circuit theory to model omnidirectional connectivity for two plethodontid salamanders of conservation concern distributed in the forests of Chiapas, Mexico, and Guatemala (Bolitoglossa franklini and Bolitoglossa lincolni). Potential distribution maps show an affinity for well-preserved montane forests for both species. Likewise, we found that the niches of the species are not similar. The connectivity models show that the main areas of connectivity are in the Meseta Central de Chiapas, Sierra Madre de Chiapas, and the Cordillera Volcánica Guatemalense, in this last range, important areas of connectivity were located, as well as least-cost paths and barriers to the movement of both species. We identified that important areas of climatic suitability and connectivity are not within the protected natural areas and may be threatened by the increasing influence of anthropogenic activities. The results of our study show the importance of preserving the regional forests to ensure the persistence of species with arboreal habits and high sensitivity to habitat transformation, as well as to recognize and prioritize potential areas for management and protection in both southern Mexico and Guatemala.
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Affiliation(s)
- René Bolom-Huet
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Instituto Literario 100, Colonia Centro, 50000, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico.
| | - Xareni P Pacheco
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Instituto Literario 100, Colonia Centro, 50000, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - Antonio Muñoz-Alonso
- El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Periférico Sur s/n, María Auxiliadora, 29290, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico
| | - Armando Sunny
- Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Instituto Literario 100, Colonia Centro, 50000, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico
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3
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Pal R, Panwar A, Goyal SP, Sathyakumar S. Changes in ecological conditions may influence intraguild competition: inferring interaction patterns of snow leopard with co-predators. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14277. [PMID: 36312761 PMCID: PMC9615993 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Large-scale changes in habitat conditions due to human modifications and climate change require management practices to consider how species communities can alter amidst these changes. Understanding species interactions across the gradient of space, anthropogenic pressure, and season provide the opportunity to anticipate possible dynamics in the changing scenarios. We studied the interspecific interactions of carnivore species in a high-altitude ecosystem over seasonal (summer and winter) and resource gradients (livestock grazing) to assess the impact of changing abiotic and biotic settings on coexistence. Methods The study was conducted in the Upper Bhagirathi basin, Western Himalaya, India. We analyzed around 4 years of camera trap monitoring data to understand seasonal spatial and temporal interactions of the snow leopard with common leopard and woolly wolf were assessed in the greater and trans-Himalayan habitats, respectively. We used two species occupancy models to assess spatial interactions, and circadian activity patterns were used to assess seasonal temporal overlap amongst carnivores. In addition, we examined scats to understand the commonalities in prey selection. Results The result showed that although snow leopard and wolves depend on the same limited prey species and show high temporal overlap, habitat heterogeneity and differential habitat use facilitate co-occurrence between these two predators. Snow leopard and common leopard were spatially independent in the summer. Conversely, the common leopard negatively influences the space use of snow leopard in the winter. Limited prey resources (lack of livestock), restricted space (due to snow cover), and similar activity patterns in winter might result in strong competition, causing these species to avoid each other on a spatial scale. The study showed that in addition to species traits and size, ecological settings also play a significant role in deciding the intensity of competition between large carnivores. Climate change and habitat shifts are predicted to increase the spatial overlap between snow leopard and co-predators in the future. In such scenarios, wolves and snow leopards may coexist in a topographically diverse environment, provided sufficient prey are available. However, shifts in tree line might lead to severe competition between common leopards and snow leopards, which could be detrimental to the latter. Further monitoring of resource use across abiotic and biotic environments may improve our understanding of how changing ecological conditions can affect resource partitioning between snow leopards and predators.
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Di Gregorio C, Iannella M, Biondi M. Revealing the role of past and current climate in shaping the distribution of two parapatric European bats, Myotis daubentonii and M. capaccinii. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2021.1918275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- C. Di Gregorio
- Department of Biogeography, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - M. Iannella
- Department of Life, Health & Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
| | - M. Biondi
- Department of Life, Health & Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, L’Aquila, Italy
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5
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Mills PB, Hossie TJ, Murray DL. Niche determinants in a salamander complex: Does hybridism or reproductive parasitism explain patterns of distribution? Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Peter B. Mills
- Department of Biology Trent University 1600 West Bank Drive Peterborough Ontario Canada
| | - Thomas J. Hossie
- Department of Biology Trent University 1600 West Bank Drive Peterborough Ontario Canada
| | - Dennis L. Murray
- Department of Biology Trent University 1600 West Bank Drive Peterborough Ontario Canada
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6
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Armitage DW, Jones SE. Coexistence barriers confine the poleward range of a globally distributed plant. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:1838-1848. [PMID: 33022085 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In the study of factors shaping species' poleward range boundaries, climatic constraints are often assigned greater importance than biotic interactions such as competition. However, theory suggests competition can truncate a species' fundamental niche in harsh environments. We test this by challenging a mechanistic niche model - containing explicit competition terms - to predict the poleward range boundaries of two globally distributed, ecologically similar aquatic plant species. Mechanistic competition models accurately predicted the northern range limits of our study species, outperforming competition-free mechanistic models and matching the predictive ability of statistical niche models fit to occurrence records. Using the framework of modern coexistence theory, we found that relative nonlinearity in competitors' responses to temperature fluctuations maintains their coexistence boundary, highlighting the importance of this fluctuation-dependent mechanism. Our results support a more nuanced, interactive role of climate and competition in determining range boundaries, and illustrate a practical, process-based approach to understanding the determinants of range limits.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Armitage
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, 77005, USA
| | - Stuart E Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
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7
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Caruso NM, Staudhammer CL, Rissler LJ. A demographic approach to understanding the effects of climate on population growth. Oecologia 2020; 193:889-901. [PMID: 32803340 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04731-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Amphibian life history traits are affected by temperature and precipitation. Yet, connecting these relationships to population growth, especially for multiple populations within a species, is lacking and precludes our understanding of amphibian population dynamics and distributions. Therefore, we constructed integral projection models for five populations along an elevational gradient to determine how climate and season affect population growth of a terrestrial salamander Plethodon montanus and the importance of demographic vital rates to population growth under varying climate scenarios. We found that population growth was typically higher at the highest elevation compared to the lower elevations, whereas varying inactive season conditions, represented by the late fall, winter and early spring, produced a greater variation in population growth than varying active season conditions (late spring, summer, and early fall). Furthermore, survival and growth were consistently more important, as measured by elasticity, compared to fecundity, and large females had the greatest elasticity compared to all other body sizes. Our results suggest that changing inactive season conditions, especially those that would affect the survival of large individuals, may have the greatest impact on population growth. We recommend future experimental studies focus on the inactive season to better elucidate the mechanisms by which these conditions can affect survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M Caruso
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA. .,Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, USA.
| | | | - Leslie J Rissler
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA.,Division of Environmental Biology, National Science Foundation, Alexandria, VA, 22314, USA
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8
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Marsh DM, Caffio-Learner A, Daccache AM, Dewing MB, McCreary KL, Richendollar NJ, Skinner FP. Range Limits and Demography of a Mountaintop Endemic Salamander and Its Widespread Competitor. COPEIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1643/ce-19-223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David M. Marsh
- Department of Biology, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia 24450; (DMM) . Send reprint requests to DMM
| | - Alexa Caffio-Learner
- Department of Biology, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia 24450; (DMM) . Send reprint requests to DMM
| | - Anna M. Daccache
- Department of Biology, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia 24450; (DMM) . Send reprint requests to DMM
| | - Margaret B. Dewing
- Department of Biology, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia 24450; (DMM) . Send reprint requests to DMM
| | - Kathryn L. McCreary
- Department of Biology, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia 24450; (DMM) . Send reprint requests to DMM
| | - Nathan J. Richendollar
- Department of Biology, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia 24450; (DMM) . Send reprint requests to DMM
| | - F. Parker Skinner
- Department of Biology, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia 24450; (DMM) . Send reprint requests to DMM
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9
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Sirén APK, Morelli TL. Interactive range-limit theory (iRLT): An extension for predicting range shifts. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:940-954. [PMID: 31758805 PMCID: PMC7187220 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A central theme of range-limit theory (RLT) posits that abiotic factors form high-latitude/altitude limits, whereas biotic interactions create lower limits. This hypothesis, often credited to Charles Darwin, is a pattern widely assumed to occur in nature. However, abiotic factors can impose constraints on both limits and there is scant evidence to support the latter prediction. Deviations from these predictions may arise from correlations between abiotic factors and biotic interactions, as a lack of data to evaluate the hypothesis, or be an artifact of scale. Combining two tenets of ecology-niche theory and predator-prey theory-provides an opportunity to understand how biotic interactions influence range limits and how this varies by trophic level. We propose an expansion of RLT, interactive RLT (iRLT), to understand the causes of range limits and predict range shifts. Incorporating the main predictions of Darwin's hypothesis, iRLT hypothesizes that abiotic and biotic factors can interact to impact both limits of a species' range. We summarize current thinking on range limits and perform an integrative review to evaluate support for iRLT and trophic differences along range margins, surveying the mammal community along the boreal-temperate and forest-tundra ecotones of North America. Our review suggests that range-limit dynamics are more nuanced and interactive than classically predicted by RLT. Many (57 of 70) studies indicate that biotic factors can ameliorate harsh climatic conditions along high-latitude/altitude limits. Conversely, abiotic factors can also mediate biotic interactions along low-latitude/altitude limits (44 of 68 studies). Both scenarios facilitate range expansion, contraction or stability depending on the strength and the direction of the abiotic or biotic factors. As predicted, biotic interactions most often occurred along lower limits, yet there were trophic differences. Carnivores were only limited by competitive interactions (n = 25), whereas herbivores were more influenced by predation and parasitism (77%; 55 of 71 studies). We highlight how these differences may create divergent range patterns along lower limits. We conclude by (a) summarizing iRLT; (b) contrasting how our model system and others fit this hypothesis and (c) suggesting future directions for evaluating iRLT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexej P. K. Sirén
- Department of Interior Northeast Climate Adaptation Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyAmherstMAUSA
- Department of Environmental ConservationUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstMAUSA
| | - Toni Lyn Morelli
- Department of Interior Northeast Climate Adaptation Science CenterU.S. Geological SurveyAmherstMAUSA
- Department of Environmental ConservationUniversity of MassachusettsAmherstMAUSA
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10
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Briscoe Runquist RD, Gorton AJ, Yoder JB, Deacon NJ, Grossman JJ, Kothari S, Lyons MP, Sheth SN, Tiffin P, Moeller DA. Context Dependence of Local Adaptation to Abiotic and Biotic Environments: A Quantitative and Qualitative Synthesis. Am Nat 2020; 195:412-431. [PMID: 32097038 DOI: 10.1086/707322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how spatially variable selection shapes adaptation is an area of long-standing interest in evolutionary ecology. Recent meta-analyses have quantified the extent of local adaptation, but the relative importance of abiotic and biotic factors in driving population divergence remains poorly understood. To address this gap, we combined a quantitative meta-analysis and a qualitative metasynthesis to (1) quantify the magnitude of local adaptation to abiotic and biotic factors and (2) characterize major themes that influence the motivation and design of experiments that seek to test for local adaptation. Using local-foreign contrasts as a metric of local adaptation (or maladaptation), we found that local adaptation was greater in the presence than in the absence of a biotic interactor, especially for plants. We also found that biotic environments had stronger effects on fitness than abiotic environments when ignoring whether those environments were local versus foreign. Finally, biotic effects were stronger at low latitudes, and abiotic effects were stronger at high latitudes. Our qualitative analysis revealed that the lens through which local adaptation has been examined differs for abiotic and biotic factors. It also revealed biases in the design and implementation of experiments that make quantitative results challenging to interpret and provided directions for future research.
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11
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Joyce KL, Hayes MM, Potter J, Guyer C. Phylogeography of the Slimy Salamander Complex (Plethodon: Plethodontidae) in Alabama. COPEIA 2019. [DOI: 10.1643/ch-18-170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kathlene L. Joyce
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35205;
| | - Malorie M. Hayes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36949; (MMH) ; and (CG) . Send reprint requests to CG
| | - Jacqueline Potter
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, Tennessee 37614;
| | - Craig Guyer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36949; (MMH) ; and (CG) . Send reprint requests to CG
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12
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Guyer C, Goetz S, Folt B, Joyce K, Hayes M. Variation in Head Shape and Color at the Range Boundary of Gulf Coastal Slimy Salamanders (Plethodon glutinosus Complex), USA. COPEIA 2019. [DOI: 10.1643/ch-18-169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Craig Guyer
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849; (CG) ; (SG) ; (BF) ; and (MH) . Send reprint requests to CG
| | - Scott Goetz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849; (CG) ; (SG) ; (BF) ; and (MH) . Send reprint requests to CG
| | - Brian Folt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849; (CG) ; (SG) ; (BF) ; and (MH) . Send reprint requests to CG
| | - Kathlene Joyce
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, University of Alabama Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35205;
| | - Malorie Hayes
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849; (CG) ; (SG) ; (BF) ; and (MH) . Send reprint requests to CG
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13
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Smith CC, Weber JN, Mikheyev AS, Roces F, Bollazzi M, Kellner K, Seal JN, Mueller UG. Landscape genomics of an obligate mutualism: Concordant and discordant population structures between the leafcutter ant Atta texana and its two main fungal symbiont types. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:2831-2845. [PMID: 31141257 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Revised: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
To explore landscape genomics at the range limit of an obligate mutualism, we use genotyping-by-sequencing (ddRADseq) to quantify population structure and the effect of host-symbiont interactions between the northernmost fungus-farming leafcutter ant Atta texana and its two main types of cultivated fungus. Genome-wide differentiation between ants associated with either of the two fungal types is of the same order of magnitude as differentiation associated with temperature and precipitation across the ant's entire range, suggesting that specific ant-fungus genome-genome combinations may have been favoured by selection. For the ant hosts, we found a broad cline of genetic structure across the range, and a reduction of genetic diversity along the axis of range expansion towards the range margin. This population-genetic structure was concordant between the ants and one cultivar type (M-fungi, concordant clines) but discordant for the other cultivar type (T-fungi). Discordance in population-genetic structures between ant hosts and a fungal symbiont is surprising because the ant farmers codisperse with their vertically transmitted fungal symbionts. Discordance implies that (a) the fungi disperse also through between-nest horizontal transfer or other unknown mechanisms, and (b) genetic drift and gene flow can differ in magnitude between each partner and between different ant-fungus combinations. Together, these findings imply that variation in the strength of drift and gene flow experienced by each mutualistic partner affects adaptation to environmental stress at the range margin, and genome-genome interactions between host and symbiont influence adaptive genetic differentiation of the host during range evolution in this obligate mutualism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chad C Smith
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Jesse N Weber
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska
| | | | - Flavio Roces
- Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Biozentrum, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Martin Bollazzi
- Section of Entomology, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Katrin Kellner
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, Texas
| | - Jon N Seal
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, Texas
| | - Ulrich G Mueller
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
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14
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Kishani Farahani H, Moghadassi Y, Alford L, van Baaren J. Effect of interference and exploitative competition on associative learning by a parasitoid wasp: a mechanism for ideal free distribution? Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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15
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Caruso NM, Rissler LJ. Demographic consequences of climate variation along an elevational gradient for a montane terrestrial salamander. POPUL ECOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/1438-390x.1005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M. Caruso
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Alabama
| | - Leslie J. Rissler
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Alabama
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16
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Braz AG, Lorini ML, Vale MM. Climate change is likely to affect the distribution but not parapatry of the Brazilian marmoset monkeys (
Callithrix
spp.). DIVERS DISTRIB 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alan Gerhardt Braz
- Department of Ecology Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Maria Lucia Lorini
- Department of Natural Sciences Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
| | - Mariana Moncassim Vale
- Department of Ecology Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro Brazil
- Brazilian Research Network on Global Climate Change (Rede Clima) São José dos Campos Brazil
- Laboratorio Internacional de Cambio Global (LINC‐Global) Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) Madrid Spain
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17
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Aguilera MA, Valdivia N, Jenkins S, Navarrete SA, Broitman B. Asymmetric competitive effects during species range expansion: An experimental assessment of interaction strength between “equivalent” grazer species in their range overlap. J Anim Ecol 2018; 88:277-289. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Moisés A. Aguilera
- Departamento de Biología Marina; Facultad de Ciencias del Mar; Universidad Católica del Norte; Coquimbo Chile
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA); Coquimbo Chile
| | - Nelson Valdivia
- Facultad de Ciencias; Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas; Universidad Austral de Chile; Valdivia Chile
- Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL); Valdivia Chile
| | - Stuart Jenkins
- School of Ocean Sciences; Bangor University; Anglesey UK
| | - Sergio A. Navarrete
- Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas, Las Cruces; LINCGlobal and Center for Applied Ecology and Sustainability; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; Santiago Chile
| | - Bernardo Broitman
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA); Coquimbo Chile
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18
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Hu J, Jiang J. Inferring ecological explanations for biogeographic boundaries of parapatric Asian mountain frogs. BMC Ecol 2018; 18:3. [PMID: 29391060 PMCID: PMC5796512 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-018-0160-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Identifying and understanding the mechanisms that shape barriers to dispersal and resulting biogeographic boundaries has been a longstanding, yet challenging, goal in ecology, evolution and biogeography. Characterized by stable, adjacent ranges, without any intervening physical barriers, and limited, if any, range overlap in a narrow contact zone, parapatric species are an interesting system for studying biogeographic boundaries. The geographic ranges of two parapatric frog species, Feirana quadranus and F. taihangnica, meet in a contact zone within the Qinling Mountains, an important watershed for East Asia. To identify possible ecological determinants of the parapatric range boundaries for two closely related frog species, we quantified the extent of their niche differentiation in both geographical and environmental space combining ecological niche models with an ordination technique. We tested two alternative null hypotheses (sharp environmental gradients versus a ribbon of unsuitable habitat dividing two highly suitable regions) for biogeographic boundaries, against the null expectation that environmental variation across a given boundary is no greater than expected by chance. Results We found that the niches of these two parapatric species are more similar than expected by chance, but not equivalent. No sharp environmental gradient was found, while a ribbon of unsuitable habitat did act as a barrier for F. quadranus, but not for F. taihangnica. Conclusions Integrating our findings with historical biogeographic information, our results suggest that at a contact zone, environmental tolerance restricted F. quadranus from dispersing further north, while interspecific competition most likely prevented the southward expansion of F. taihangnica. This study highlights the importance of both climate and competition in exploring ecological explanations for parapatric range boundaries between ecologically similar frog species, in particular under the effects of changing climate. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12898-018-0160-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Hu
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resource Conservation (China West Normal University), Ministry of Education, Nanchong, 637009, China. .,Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Jianping Jiang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
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Smith AL. Successional changes in trophic interactions support a mechanistic model of post-fire population dynamics. Oecologia 2017; 186:129-139. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-017-4016-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Sosa-López JR, Mennill DJ, Renton K. Sexual differentiation and seasonal variation in response to conspecific and heterospecific acoustic signals. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Roberto Sosa-López
- Estación de Biología Chamela; Instituto de Biología; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; San Patricio-Melaque Jalisco Mexico
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor ON Canada
- CONACYT-Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional Unidad Oaxaca (CIIDIR); Instituto Politécnico Nacional; Oaxaca México
| | - Daniel J. Mennill
- Department of Biological Sciences; University of Windsor; Windsor ON Canada
| | - Katherine Renton
- Estación de Biología Chamela; Instituto de Biología; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; San Patricio-Melaque Jalisco Mexico
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Putnam RC, Reich PB. Climate and competition affect growth and survival of transplanted sugar maple seedlings along a 1700-km gradient. ECOL MONOGR 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C. Putnam
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior; University of Minnesota; 1987 Upper Buford Circle St. Paul Minnesota 55108 USA
| | - Peter B. Reich
- Department of Forest Resources; University of Minnesota; 1530 Cleveland Avenue North St. Paul Minnesota 55108 USA
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment; Western Sydney University; Penrith New South Wales 2753 Australia
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Werner P, Schmidt BR, Lötters S. Microhabitat use within a contact zone of parapatric land salamanders in the Swiss Alps. AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 2017. [DOI: 10.1163/15685381-00003110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Studies investigating the contact zones in parapatric species can provide valuable insights into the mechanisms that cause range borders. Such studies can also provide a better understanding of the mechanisms which allow coexistence within contact zones. In land salamanders, parapatric range limits among species are often determined by abiotic factors and interspecific competition. The ranges of the parapatric Salamandra salamandra and S. atra narrowly overlap in the European Alps. Climatic gradients that determine their parapatric range margins suggest dissimilar species-habitat-relationships. However, habitat use for these species has not yet been studied in the contact zone where the parapatric ranges overlap and where the species locally co-occur in syntopy. To better understand their parapatric range limits and local syntopy, we compared the species’ microhabitat use in a contact zone in Switzerland and quantified the degree of interspecific niche overlap in relation to resource availability. We observed that most studied microhabitat variables were neither selected nor avoided by the two species, suggesting random use of the habitat for the variables that we studied. Interspecific niche overlap was generally large, but did not differ from that expected by chance. Unlike previous studies that analyzed patterns of co-occurrence of these species at larger spatial scales, we observed no niche differentiation within the contact zone. Both species likely select the same areas that are suitable and available for salamanders while they similarly avoid generally unsuitable habitat. This indicates that niche differentiation can vary depending on the spatial scale where it is investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philine Werner
- Biogeography Department, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54296 Trier, Germany
- Info Fauna KARCH, Passage Maximilien-de-Meuron 6, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Department of Integrative Zoology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Benedikt R. Schmidt
- Info Fauna KARCH, Passage Maximilien-de-Meuron 6, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Lötters
- Biogeography Department, Trier University, Universitätsring 15, 54296 Trier, Germany
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Lowrey C, Longshore K, Riddle B, Mantooth S. Ecology, distribution, and predictive occurrence modeling of Palmer’s chipmunk (Tamias palmeri): a high-elevation small mammal endemic to the Spring Mountains in southern Nevada, USA. J Mammal 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Although montane sky islands surrounded by desert scrub and shrub steppe comprise a large part of the biological diversity of the Basin and Range Province of southwestern North America, comprehensive ecological and population demographic studies for high-elevation small mammals within these areas are rare. Here, we examine the ecology and population parameters of the Palmer’s chipmunk (Tamias palmeri) in the Spring Mountains of southern Nevada, and present a predictive GIS-based distribution and probability of occurrence model at both home range and geographic spatial scales. Logistic regression analyses and Akaike Information Criterion model selection found variables of forest type, slope, and distance to water sources as predictive of chipmunk occurrence at the geographic scale. At the home range scale, increasing population density, decreasing overstory canopy cover, and decreasing understory canopy cover contributed to increased survival rates.
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Lyons MP, Shepard DB, Kozak KH. Determinants of Range Limits in Montane Woodland Salamanders (GenusPlethodon). COPEIA 2016. [DOI: 10.1643/ot-14-222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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McQuillan MA, Rice AM. Differential effects of climate and species interactions on range limits at a hybrid zone: potential direct and indirect impacts of climate change. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:5120-37. [PMID: 26640687 PMCID: PMC4662315 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Revised: 09/08/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The relative contributions of climate versus interspecific interactions in shaping species distributions have important implications for closely related species at contact zones. When hybridization occurs within a contact zone, these factors regulate hybrid zone location and movement. While a hybrid zone's position may depend on both climate and interactions between the hybridizing species, little is known about how these factors interact to affect hybrid zone dynamics. Here, we utilize SDM (species distribution modeling) both to characterize the factors affecting the current location of a moving North American avian hybrid zone and to predict potential direct and indirect effects of climate change on future distributions. We focus on two passerine species that hybridize where their ranges meet, the Black‐capped (Poecile atricapillus) and Carolina (P. carolinensis) chickadee. Our contemporary climate models predict the occurrence of climatically suitable habitat extending beyond the hybrid zone for P. atricapillus only, suggesting that interspecific interactions primarily regulate this range boundary in P. atricapillus, while climatic factors regulate P. carolinensis. Year 2050 climate models predict a drastic northward shift in suitable habitat for P. carolinensis. Because of the greater importance of interspecific interactions for regulating the southern range limit of P. atricapillus, these climate‐mediated shifts in the distribution of P. carolinensis may indirectly lead to a range retraction in P. atricapillus. Together, our results highlight the ways climate change can both directly and indirectly affect species distributions and hybrid zone location. In addition, our study lends support to the longstanding hypothesis that abiotic factors regulate species' poleward range limits, while biotic factors shape equatorial range limits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A McQuillan
- Department of Biological Sciences Lehigh University 111 Research Drive Bethlehem Pennsylvania 18015
| | - Amber M Rice
- Department of Biological Sciences Lehigh University 111 Research Drive Bethlehem Pennsylvania 18015
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Lynch HJ, Rhainds M, Calabrese JM, Cantrell S, Cosner C, Fagan WF. How climate extremes—not means—define a species' geographic range boundary via a demographic tipping point. ECOL MONOGR 2014. [DOI: 10.1890/12-2235.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Werner P, Lötters S, Schmidt BR. Analysis of habitat determinants in contact zones of parapatric European salamanders. J Zool (1987) 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P. Werner
- Department of Biogeography; Trier University; Trier Germany
- KARCH; Neuchâtel Switzerland
| | - S. Lötters
- Department of Biogeography; Trier University; Trier Germany
| | - B. R. Schmidt
- KARCH; Neuchâtel Switzerland
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies; University of Zurich; Zurich Switzerland
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Engler JO, Rödder D, Elle O, Hochkirch A, Secondi J. Species distribution models contribute to determine the effect of climate and interspecific interactions in moving hybrid zones. J Evol Biol 2013; 26:2487-96. [PMID: 24016292 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2012] [Revised: 08/08/2013] [Accepted: 08/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Climate is a major factor delimiting species' distributions. However, biotic interactions may also be prominent in shaping geographical ranges, especially for parapatric species forming hybrid zones. Determining the relative effect of each factor and their interaction of the contact zone location has been difficult due to the lack of broad scale environmental data. Recent developments in species distribution modelling (SDM) now allow disentangling the relative contributions of climate and species' interactions in hybrid zones and their responses to future climate change. We investigated the moving hybrid zone between the breeding ranges of two parapatric passerines in Europe. We conducted SDMs representing the climatic conditions during the breeding season. Our results show a large mismatch between the realized and potential distributions of the two species, suggesting that interspecific interactions, not climate, account for the present location of the contact zone. The SDM scenarios show that the southerly distributed species, Hippolais polyglotta, might lose large parts of its southern distribution under climate change, but a similar gain of novel habitat along the hybrid zone seems unlikely, because interactions with the other species (H. icterina) constrain its range expansion. Thus, whenever biotic interactions limit range expansion, species may become 'trapped' if range loss due to climate change is faster than the movement of the contact zone. An increasing number of moving hybrid zones are being reported, but the proximate causes of movement often remain unclear. In a global context of climate change, we call for more interest in their interactions with climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- J O Engler
- Biogeography Department, Trier University, Trier, Germany; Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, Bonn, Germany
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31
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Lira-Noriega A, Soberón J, Miller CP. Process-based and correlative modeling of desert mistletoe distribution: a multiscalar approach. Ecosphere 2013. [DOI: 10.1890/es13-00155.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Buckley LB. Get real: putting models of climate change and species interactions in practice. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2013; 1297:126-38. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren B. Buckley
- Department of Biology; University of North Carolina; Chapel Hill; North Carolina
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Grether GF, Anderson CN, Drury JP, Kirschel ANG, Losin N, Okamoto K, Peiman KS. The evolutionary consequences of interspecific aggression. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2013; 1289:48-68. [DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory F. Grether
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California; Los Angeles; California
| | | | - Jonathan P. Drury
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California; Los Angeles; California
| | | | - Neil Losin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California; Los Angeles; California
| | - Kenichi Okamoto
- Department of Entomology; North Carolina State University; Raleigh; North Carolina
| | - Kathryn S. Peiman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of California; Los Angeles; California
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Aragón P, Sánchez-Fernández D. Can we disentangle predator-prey interactions from species distributions at a macro-scale? A case study with a raptor species. OIKOS 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2012.20348.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Hellmann JJ, Prior KM, Pelini SL. The influence of species interactions on geographic range change under climate change. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2012; 1249:18-28. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06410.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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COULSON LAURAA, PERRIN CECILE, ROBERTS DAVIDG, MINCHINTON TODDE, AYRE DAVIDJ. Can limited dispersal or biotic interaction explain the declining abundance of the whelk, Morula marginalba, at the edge of its range? Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2011. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01676.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Merckx B, Steyaert M, Vanreusel A, Vincx M, Vanaverbeke J. Null models reveal preferential sampling, spatial autocorrelation and overfitting in habitat suitability modelling. Ecol Modell 2011. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2010.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Lavergne S, Mouquet N, Thuiller W, Ronce O. Biodiversity and Climate Change: Integrating Evolutionary and Ecological Responses of Species and Communities. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 2010. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-102209-144628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 513] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Lavergne
- Université Joseph Fourier - CNRS, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, 38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France; ,
| | - Nicolas Mouquet
- Université Montpellier 2 - CNRS, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France; ,
| | - Wilfried Thuiller
- Université Joseph Fourier - CNRS, Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine, 38041 Grenoble Cedex 09, France; ,
| | - Ophélie Ronce
- Université Montpellier 2 - CNRS, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 05, France; ,
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RISSLER LESLIEJ, SMITH WALTERH. Mapping amphibian contact zones and phylogeographical break hotspots across the United States. Mol Ecol 2010; 19:5404-16. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294x.2010.04879.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Jankowski JE, Robinson SK, Levey DJ. Squeezed at the top: Interspecific aggression may constrain elevational ranges in tropical birds. Ecology 2010; 91:1877-84. [PMID: 20715605 DOI: 10.1890/09-2063.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Tropical montane species are characterized by narrow elevational distributions. Recent perspectives on mechanisms maintaining these restricted distributions have emphasized abiotic processes, but biotic processes may also play a role in their establishment or maintenance. One historically popular hypothesis, especially for birds, is that interspecific competition constrains ranges of closely related species that "replace" each other along elevational gradients. Supporting evidence, however, is based on patterns of occurrence and does not reveal potential mechanisms. We experimentally tested a prediction of this hypothesis in two genera of tropical songbirds, Catharus (Turdidae) and Henicorhina (Troglodytidae), in which species have nonoverlapping elevational distributions. Using heterospecific playback trials, we found that individuals at replacement zones showed aggressive territorial behavior in response to songs of congeners. As distance from replacement zones increased, aggression toward congener song decreased, suggesting a learned component to interspecific aggression. Additionally, aggressive responses in Catharus were asymmetric, indicating interspecific dominance. These results provide experimental evidence consistent with the hypothesis that interspecific competitive interactions restrict ranges of Neotropical birds. Our results also underscore the need to consider biotic processes, such as competition, when predicting how species' ranges will shift with climate change. Asymmetric aggression could be particularly important. For example, if warming in montane landscapes allows upslope range expansion by dominant competitors, then high-elevation subordinate species could be forced into progressively smaller mountaintop habitats, jeopardizing viability of their populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill E Jankowski
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-8525, USA.
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Milanovich JR, Peterman WE, Nibbelink NP, Maerz JC. Projected loss of a salamander diversity hotspot as a consequence of projected global climate change. PLoS One 2010; 5:e12189. [PMID: 20808442 PMCID: PMC2922335 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0012189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2010] [Accepted: 07/14/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Significant shifts in climate are considered a threat to plants and animals with significant physiological limitations and limited dispersal abilities. The southern Appalachian Mountains are a global hotspot for plethodontid salamander diversity. Plethodontids are lungless ectotherms, so their ecology is strongly governed by temperature and precipitation. Many plethodontid species in southern Appalachia exist in high elevation habitats that may be at or near their thermal maxima, and may also have limited dispersal abilities across warmer valley bottoms. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We used a maximum-entropy approach (program Maxent) to model the suitable climatic habitat of 41 plethodontid salamander species inhabiting the Appalachian Highlands region (33 individual species and eight species included within two species complexes). We evaluated the relative change in suitable climatic habitat for these species in the Appalachian Highlands from the current climate to the years 2020, 2050, and 2080, using both the HADCM3 and the CGCM3 models, each under low and high CO(2) scenarios, and using two-model thresholds levels (relative suitability thresholds for determining suitable/unsuitable range), for a total of 8 scenarios per species. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE While models differed slightly, every scenario projected significant declines in suitable habitat within the Appalachian Highlands as early as 2020. Species with more southern ranges and with smaller ranges had larger projected habitat loss. Despite significant differences in projected precipitation changes to the region, projections did not differ significantly between global circulation models. CO(2) emissions scenario and model threshold had small effects on projected habitat loss by 2020, but did not affect longer-term projections. Results of this study indicate that choice of model threshold and CO(2) emissions scenario affect short-term projected shifts in climatic distributions of species; however, these factors and choice of global circulation model have relatively small affects on what is significant projected loss of habitat for many salamander species that currently occupy the Appalachian Highlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Milanovich
- DB Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America.
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Direct and Indirect Effects of Climate Change on Amphibian Populations. DIVERSITY-BASEL 2010. [DOI: 10.3390/d2020281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Bringing the Hutchinsonian niche into the 21st century: ecological and evolutionary perspectives. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2009; 106 Suppl 2:19659-65. [PMID: 19903876 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0905137106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 391] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
G. Evelyn Hutchinson more than a half century ago proposed that one could characterize the ecological niche of a species as an abstract mapping of population dynamics onto an environmental space, the axes of which are abiotic and biotic factors that influence birth and death rates. If a habitat has conditions within a species' niche, a population should persist without immigration from external sources, whereas if conditions are outside the niche, it faces extinction. Analyses of species' niches are essential to understanding controls on species' geographical range limits and how these limits might shift in our rapidly changing world. Recent developments in ecology and evolutionary biology suggest it is time to revisit and refine Hutchinson's niche concept. After reviewing techniques for quantifying niches, I examine subtleties that arise because of impacts species have on their own environments, the density-dependent modulation of how individuals experience environments, and the interplay of dispersal and temporal heterogeneity in determining population persistence. Moreover, the evolutionary record over all time scales reveals a spectrum of rates of change in species' niches, from rapid niche evolution to profound niche conservatism. Substantial challenges revolving around the evolutionary dimension of the Hutchinsonian niche include quantifying the magnitude of evolved intraspecific and clade-level variation in niches and understanding the factors that govern where along the spectrum of potential evolutionary rates any given lineage lies. A growing body of theory provides elements of a conceptual framework for understanding niche conservatism and evolution, paving the way for an evolutionary theory of the niche.
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