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Sandal L, Sæther BE, Freckleton RP, Noble DG, Schwarz J, Leivits A, Grøtan V. Species richness and evenness of European bird communities show differentiated responses to measures of productivity. J Anim Ecol 2024. [PMID: 38979934 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Understanding patterns of species diversity is crucial for ecological research and conservation, and this understanding may be improved by studying patterns in the two components of species diversity, species richness and evenness of abundance of species. Variation in species richness and evenness has previously been linked to variation in total abundance of communities as well as productivity gradients. Exploring both components of species diversity is essential because these components could be unrelated or driven by different mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between species richness and evenness in European bird communities along an extensive latitudinal gradient. We examined their relationships with latitude and Net Primary Productivity, which determines energy and matter availability for heterotrophs, as well as their responses to territory densities (i.e. the number of territories per area) and community biomass (i.e. the bird biomass per area). We applied a multivariate Poisson log-normal distribution to unique long-term, high-quality time-series data, allowing us to estimate species richness of the community as well as the variance of this distribution, which acts as an inverse measure of evenness. Evenness in the distribution of abundance of species in the community was independent of species richness. Species richness increased with increasing community biomass, as well as with increasing density. Since both measures of abundance were explained by NPP, species richness was partially explained by energy-diversity theory (i.e. the more energy, the more species sustained by the ecosystem). However, species richness did not increase linearly with NPP but rather showed a unimodal relationship. Evenness was not explained either by productivity nor by any of the aspects of community abundance. This study highlights the importance of considering both richness and evenness to gain a better understanding of variation in species diversity. We encourage the study of both components of species diversity in future studies, as well as use of simulation studies to verify observed patterns between richness and evenness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Sandal
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Bernt-Erik Sæther
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Robert P Freckleton
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - David G Noble
- British Trust for Ornithology, Thetford, Norfolk, UK
| | | | - Agu Leivits
- Department of Nature Conservation, Environmental Board, Pärnu, Estonia
| | - Vidar Grøtan
- Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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2
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Qian LS, Shi HH, Ou XK, Sun H. Elevational patterns of functional diversity and trait of Delphinium (Ranunculaceae) in Hengduan Mountains, China. PLANT DIVERSITY 2022; 44:20-29. [PMID: 35281121 PMCID: PMC8897183 DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2021.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Elevational patterns of trait occurrence and functional diversity provide an important perspective for understanding biodiversity. However, previous studies have mostly examined functional diversity at the community scale. Here, we examined large-scale patterns of trait occurrence and functional diversity in Delphinium along an elevational gradient from 1000 to 5700 m in the Hengduan Mountains, SW China. Elevational distribution and trait data of 102 Delphinium species were compiled to evaluate the patterns of interspecific traits, species richness, and functional diversity. We found that the distribution of species richness showed a unimodal curve that peaked between 3500 and 4000 m; functional diversity and traits showed different patterns along an elevational gradient. The functional diversity increased at a lower rate along an elevation gradient, whereas species richness continued to increase. Species with large ranges and non-endemic species were most affected by geometric constraints. Richness of species endemic to the Hengduan Mountains peaked at higher elevations, likely due to increased speciation and restricted dispersion under alpine conditions. We conclude that the middle elevation region is not only the functionally richest but also the most functionally stable region for Delphinium, which could be insurance against environmental change. Extreme conditions and strong environmental filters in an alpine environment may cause the convergence of species traits, which could relate to reducing nutrient trait investment and increasing reproductive trait investment. We conclude that large-scale studies are consistent with previous studies at the community scale. This may indicate that the relationship between functional diversity and species richness across different scales is the same.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Shen Qian
- School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Hong-Hua Shi
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Xiao-Kun Ou
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Hang Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
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Nogueira ADA, Brescovit AD, Perbiche-Neves G, Venticinque EM. Spider (Arachnida-Araneae) diversity in an amazonian altitudinal gradient: are the patterns congruent with mid-domain and rapoport effect predictions? BIOTA NEOTROPICA 2021. [DOI: 10.1590/1676-0611-bn-2021-1210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract: The Mid-Domain Effect (MDE) and the Rapoport (RE) effect are two biogeographical theories that make predictions about biogeogaphic patterns. MDE predicts higher richness in the central portions of a gradient if it is within a bounded domain. RE predicts a positive relation between altitude and species range size along an altitudinal gradient. Our aim was to document the distribution of spider species richness along an altitudinal gradient in the Brazilian Amazon, and to test the influence of MDE and RE on the diversity patterns. Our study was conducted at the Pico da Neblina (Amazonas state, Brazil), and we sampled spiders at six different altitudes using two methods: nocturnal hand sampling and a beating tray. We obtained 3,140 adult spiders from 39 families, sorted to 529 species/morphospecies. Richness declined continuously with an altitude increase, but the fit with the MDE richness estimates was very weak and was not significant. Range size was not related to altitude, i. e., no RE. Finally, the abundance distribution within each species range varied more specifically, which prevented the occurrence of a RE at the community level. The influence of MDE was extremely low, a consequence of our community characteristics, formed mostly by small range size species. Short and medium range species were located at all altitudes, preventing a significant relation between range size and altitude. The distribution of abundance within a species range varied specifically and do not support a RE hypothesis.
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Morales-Barbero J, Gouveia SF, Martinez PA. Historical climatic instability predicts the inverse latitudinal pattern in speciation rate of modern mammalian biota. J Evol Biol 2020; 34:339-351. [PMID: 33169463 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13737] [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: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Evolutionary rate explanations for latitudinal diversity gradients predict faster speciation and diversification rates in richer, older and more stable tropical regions (climatic stability hypothesis). Numerous modern lineages have emerged in high latitudes, however, suggesting that climatic oscillations can drive population divergence, at least among extratropical species (glacial refugia hypothesis). This conflicting evidence suggests that geographical patterns of evolutionary rates are more complicated than previously thought. Here, we reconstructed the complex evolutionary dynamics of a comprehensive data set of modern mammals, both terrestrial and marine. We performed global and regional regression analyses to investigate how climatic instability could have indirectly influenced contemporary diversity gradients through its effects on evolutionary rates. In particular, we explored global and regional patterns of the relationships between species richness and assemblage-level evolutionary rates and between evolutionary rates and climatic instability. We found an inverse relationship between evolutionary rates and species richness, especially in the terrestrial domain. Additionally, climatic instability was strongly associated with the highest evolutionary rates at high terrestrial latitudes, supporting the glacial refugia hypothesis there. At low latitudes, evolutionary rates were unrelated to climatic stability. The inverse relationship between evolutionary rates and the modern latitudinal diversity gradient casts doubt on the idea that higher evolutionary rates in the tropics underlie the current diversity patterns of modern mammals. Alternatively, the longer time spans for diversity to accumulate in the older and more stable tropics (and not high diversification rates) may explain the latitudinal diversity gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Morales-Barbero
- PIBiLab (Laboratorio de Pesquisas Integrativas em Biodiversidade), Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil
| | - Sidney F Gouveia
- PIBiLab (Laboratorio de Pesquisas Integrativas em Biodiversidade), Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil.,Department of Ecology, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil
| | - Pablo A Martinez
- PIBiLab (Laboratorio de Pesquisas Integrativas em Biodiversidade), Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil.,Department of Biology, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, Brazil
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Jins VJ, Panigrahi M, Jayapal R, Bishop TR. Elevational gradients of reptile richness in the southern Western Ghats of India: Evaluating spatial and bioclimatic drivers. Biotropica 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- V. J. Jins
- Department of Zoology Sikkim University Gangtok India
| | | | - Rajah Jayapal
- Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology & Natural History Coimbatore India
| | - Tom R. Bishop
- Department of Earth, Ocean and Ecological Sciences University of Liverpool Liverpool UK
- Department of Zoology and Entomology Centre for Invasion Biology University of Pretoria Pretoria South Africa
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Sun L, Luo J, Qian L, Deng T, Sun H. The relationship between elevation and seed-plant species richness in the Mt. Namjagbarwa region (Eastern Himalayas) and its underlying determinants. Glob Ecol Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2020.e01053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
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Yadav S, Stow A, Dudaniec RY. Elevational partitioning in species distribution, abundance and body size of Australian alpine grasshoppers (Kosciuscola
). AUSTRAL ECOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sonu Yadav
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; North Ryde 2109 New South Wales Australia
| | - Adam Stow
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; North Ryde 2109 New South Wales Australia
| | - Rachael Y. Dudaniec
- Department of Biological Sciences; Macquarie University; North Ryde 2109 New South Wales Australia
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Gebrehiwot K, Demissew S, Woldu Z, Fekadu M, Desalegn T, Teferi E. Elevational changes in vascular plants richness, diversity, and distribution pattern in Abune Yosef mountain range, Northern Ethiopia. PLANT DIVERSITY 2019; 41:220-228. [PMID: 31528781 PMCID: PMC6743012 DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2019.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this research is to investigate the patterns of vascular plant species richness, diversity, and distribution along an elevation gradient in the Abune Yosef mountain range, Ethiopia. Preferential systematic sampling was employed to collect vegetation and environmental data along the elevation gradient. We found that plant species richness declines monotonically from low to high elevations. Specifically, vascular plant species richness and diversity were lower in the Afroalpine grassland (high elevation) than in the Dry evergreen Afromontane forest and Ericaceous forest (low elevations). In contrast, endemic vascular plant richness was significantly higher in the Afroalpine grassland than in the Dry evergreen Afromontane forest and Ericaceous forest. Elevation showed a significant impact on the richness, diversity, and endemism of vascular plants. According to Sørensen's coefficient, the similarity between Dry evergreen Afromontane forest and Ericaceous forest vegetation types is higher (32%) than the similarity between Ericaceous forest and Afroalpine grassland (18%). Only 5% similarity was recorded between the Dry evergreen Afromontane forest and Afroalpine grassland. Growth forms showed different elevational richness patterns. Trees and liana increased monotonically up to 3300 m. Shrub and herb richness patterns followed a hump-shaped and inverted hump-shaped pattern along the elevation gradient. The elevation patterns of vascular plant species richness, diversity, and growth form in the present study may be attributed to differences in management intensity, spatial heterogeneity, microclimatic variations, and anthropogenic disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kflay Gebrehiwot
- Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Biology, Samara University, Afar, Ethiopia
| | - Sebsebe Demissew
- Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Zerihun Woldu
- Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Mekbib Fekadu
- Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | | | - Ermias Teferi
- Department of Environmental and Developmental Studies, Addis Ababa, University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Zhou L, Liang T, Shi L. Amphibian and Reptilian Chorotypes in the Arid Land of Central Asia and Their Determinants. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9453. [PMID: 31263271 PMCID: PMC6603035 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45912-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The analysis of the biogeographic distribution of species is the basis for establishing a strategy for land management and responding to climatic change, but research on the distribution of amphibians and reptiles in the arid land in the middle of Asia is extremely limited. After classifying the chorotypes of amphibians and reptiles in the arid land of Central Asia using a clustering analysis, we delineated their distribution characteristics and discovered the ecological determinants for the chorotypes in terms of feature selection and the Akaike information criterion (AIC). We identified 6 chorotypes at the higher level and 16 sub-chorotypes at the lower level. Compared to small-scale or subjective research, which produces unstable results, research characterized by both large scale and clustering methods yields more consistent and stable results. Our results show that the Mean Altitude (MA), Mean Annual Temperature (MAT), and Mean Temperature in the Wettest Quarter (MTWE) are the critical variables determining the higher-level chorotypes. Furthermore, geographical factors appear to have a stronger influence on chorotypes than climatic factors. Several climatic variables and MA were identified as the best fit in the AIC model at the lower level, while the sub-chorotypes are determined more by multiple climatic factors with complex relationships. The research on amphibian and reptilian distribution patterns will shed light on the overall distribution of other species in the same understudied area. Widespread species in the study area are not clearly distinguished due to the cluster analysis computing process. This problem however, appears in studies of the distribution of other organisms thus warrants further research. Our methodology based on the selection of multiple models is effective to explore how the environment determines the distributions of different animal groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhou
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, No. 311, Nongda East Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830052, China
- Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 South Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan, 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Tao Liang
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, No. 311, Nongda East Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830052, China
| | - Lei Shi
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, No. 311, Nongda East Road, Urumqi, Xinjiang, 830052, China.
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Species Richness of the Family Ericaceae along an Elevational Gradient in Yunnan, China. FORESTS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/f9090511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Knowledge about how species richness varies along spatial and environmental gradients is important for the conservation and use of biodiversity. The Ericaceae is a major component of alpine and subalpine vegetation globally. However, little is known about the spatial pattern of species richness and the factors that drive that richness in Ericaceae. We investigated variation in species richness of Ericaceae along an elevational gradient in Yunnan, China, and used a variation partitioning analysis based on redundancy analysis ordination to examine how those changes might be influenced by the mid-domain effect, the species-area relationship, and climatic variables. Species richness varied significantly with elevation, peaking in the upper third of the elevational gradient. Of the factors examined, climate explained a larger proportion of the variance in species richness along the elevational gradient than either land area or geometric constraints. Species richness showed a unimodal relationship with mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation. The elevational pattern of species richness for Ericaceae was shaped by the combined effects of climate and competition. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the potential effects of climate change on species richness for Ericaceae.
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Schellenberger Costa D, Gerschlauer F, Kiese R, Fischer M, Kleyer M, Hemp A. Plant niche breadths along environmental gradients and their relationship to plant functional traits. DIVERS DISTRIB 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- David Schellenberger Costa
- Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences; University of Oldenburg; Oldenburg Germany
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution; Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Jena Germany
| | - Friederike Gerschlauer
- Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology; Garmisch-Partenkirchen Germany
| | - Ralf Kiese
- Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research; Karlsruhe Institute of Technology; Garmisch-Partenkirchen Germany
| | - Markus Fischer
- Institute of Plant Sciences; University of Bern; Bern Switzerland
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Biodiversity and Climate Research Center; Frankfurt Germany
| | - Michael Kleyer
- Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences; University of Oldenburg; Oldenburg Germany
| | - Andreas Hemp
- Department of Plant Systematics; University of Bayreuth; Bayreuth Germany
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12
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Patterns and underlying mechanisms of non-volant small mammal richness along two contrasting mountain slopes in southwestern China. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13277. [PMID: 29038588 PMCID: PMC5643442 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13637-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The species richness patterns of small mammals and the processes shaping them in two gradients of a mountain with different spatial and climatic characteristics were examined using standard sampling scheme. We trapped 2,006 small mammals representing 37 species, along elevational gradients on both western and eastern slopes of the Ailao Mountains, Southwest China. Using mid-domain effect model, model selection and model averaging, we examined the effects of slope, area, mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual humidity (MAH), productivity, plant species richness (PSR) and the mid-domain effect (MDE) on the patterns of small mammal diversity. The hump-shaped patterns were favored along the elevational gradient, but shapes of diversity curves were different on the contrasting slopes. Area and productivity were the most important factors in explaining the variation of total species richness. However, for each specific group of small mammals (i.e. insectivores vs. rodents, large-ranged vs. small-ranged species, endemic vs. non-endemic species), the peaks of species richness and their primary drivers varied. The major explanatory factors for richness pattern of each small mammal group were not significantly different between the slopes, suggesting the existence of the general underlying mechanisms on two slopes of a mountain.
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Manish K, Pandit MK, Telwala Y, Nautiyal DC, Koh LP, Tiwari S. Elevational plant species richness patterns and their drivers across non-endemics, endemics and growth forms in the Eastern Himalaya. JOURNAL OF PLANT RESEARCH 2017; 130:829-844. [PMID: 28444520 DOI: 10.1007/s10265-017-0946-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Despite decades of research, ecologists continue to debate how spatial patterns of species richness arise across elevational gradients on the Earth. The equivocal results of these studies could emanate from variations in study design, sampling effort and data analysis. In this study, we demonstrate that the richness patterns of 2,781 (2,197 non-endemic and 584 endemic) angiosperm species along an elevational gradient of 300-5,300 m in the Eastern Himalaya are hump-shaped, spatial scale of extent (the proportion of elevational gradient studied) dependent and growth form specific. Endemics peaked at higher elevations than non-endemics across all growth forms (trees, shrubs, climbers, and herbs). Richness patterns were influenced by the proportional representation of the largest physiognomic group (herbs). We show that with increasing spatial scale of extent, the richness patterns change from a monotonic to a hump-shaped pattern and richness maxima shift toward higher elevations across all growth forms. Our investigations revealed that the combination of ambient energy (air temperature, solar radiation, and potential evapo-transpiration) and water availability (soil water content and precipitation) were the main drivers of elevational plant species richness patterns in the Himalaya. This study highlights the importance of factoring in endemism, growth forms, and spatial scale when investigating elevational gradients of plant species distributions and advances our understanding of how macroecological patterns arise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumar Manish
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Mountain and Hill Environment, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Maharaj K Pandit
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India.
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Mountain and Hill Environment, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India.
| | - Yasmeen Telwala
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Mountain and Hill Environment, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Dinesh C Nautiyal
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Mountain and Hill Environment, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Lian Pin Koh
- Environment Institute, and School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
| | - Sudha Tiwari
- Department of Environmental Studies, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Mountain and Hill Environment, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
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Mumladze L, Murvanidze M, Maraun M. Patterns of oribatid mite species diversity: testing the effects of elevation, area and sampling effort. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2017; 72:245-262. [PMID: 28717996 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-017-0153-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Elevational gradients in species diversity and species area relationships are two well established patterns that are not mutually exclusive in space and time. Elevation and area are both considered as good proxies to detect and characterize the patterns of species diversity distribution. However, such studies are hampered by the incomplete biodiversity data available for ecologists, which may affect the pattern perceptions. Using the large dataset of oribatid mite communities sampled in Georgia, we tested the effects of altitude and area on species distribution using various approaches, while explicitly considering the biases from sampling effort. Our results showed that elevation and area are strongly correlated (with increasing absolute elevation, land area decreases) and both have strong linear effects on species diversity distribution when studied separately. Approaches based on multiple regression and direct removal of co-varied factors, indicated that the effect of area can actually override the effect of elevation in describing the oribatid species diversity distribution along with elevation. On the other hand, the bias of sampling proved significant in perception of elevational species richness pattern with less effect on elevational species area relationship. We suggest that the sampling alone may be responsible for patterns observed and thus should be considered in ecological studies when eligible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levan Mumladze
- Biodiversity Research Center (Institute of Ecology), Institute of Zoology, Ilia State University, Cholokashvili Ave 3/5, 0165, Tbilisi, Georgia.
- Invertebrate Research Centre (IRC), Agladze St. 26, 0119, Tbilisi, Georgia.
| | - Maka Murvanidze
- Invertebrate Research Centre (IRC), Agladze St. 26, 0119, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Institute of Entomology of Agricultural, University of Georgia, 13 km Aghmashenebeli Alley, 0131, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Mark Maraun
- JFB Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg August University Göttingen, Untere Karspüle, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
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Buschke FT, Brendonck L, Vanschoenwinkel B. Adding energy gradients and long-distance dispersal to a neutral model improves predictions of Madagascan bird diversity. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:6919-6929. [PMID: 28725369 PMCID: PMC5513242 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2016] [Accepted: 07/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Macroecological patterns are likely the result of both stochastically neutral mechanisms and deterministic differences between species. In Madagascar, the simplest stochastically neutral hypothesis - the mid-domain effects (MDE) hypothesis - has already been rejected. However, rejecting the MDE hypothesis does not necessarily refute the existence of all other neutral mechanisms. Here, we test whether adding complexity to a basic neutral model improves predictions of biodiversity patterns. The simplest MDE model assumes that: (1) species' ranges are continuous and unfragmented, (2) are randomly located throughout the landscape, and (3) can be stacked independently and indefinitely. We designed a simulation based on neutral theory that allowed us to weaken each of these assumptions incrementally by adjusting the habitat capacity as well as the likelihood of short- and long-distance dispersal. Simulated outputs were compared to four empirical patterns of bird diversity: the frequency distributions of species richness and range size, the within-island latitudinal diversity gradient, and the distance-decay of species compositional similarity. Neutral models emulated empirical diversity patterns for Madagascan birds accurately. The frequency distribution of range size, latitudinal diversity gradient, and the distance-decay of species compositional similarity could be attributed to stochastic long-distance migration events and zero-sum population dynamics. However, heterogenous environmental gradients improved predictions of the frequency distribution of species richness. Patterns of bird diversity in Madagascar can broadly be attributed to stochastic long-distance migration events and zero-sum population dynamics. This implies that rejecting simple hypotheses, such as MDE, does not serve as evidence against stochastic processes in general. However, environmental gradients were necessary to explain patterns of species richness and deterministic differences between species are probably important for explaining the distributions of narrow-range and endemic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Falko T. Buschke
- Centre for Environmental Management (67)University of the Free StateP.O. Box 339Bloemfontein9300South Africa
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and ConservationKU LeuvenCh Deberiotstraat 323000LeuvenBelgium
| | - Luc Brendonck
- Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and ConservationKU LeuvenCh Deberiotstraat 323000LeuvenBelgium
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Colwell RK, Gotelli NJ, Ashton LA, Beck J, Brehm G, Fayle TM, Fiedler K, Forister ML, Kessler M, Kitching RL, Klimes P, Kluge J, Longino JT, Maunsell SC, McCain CM, Moses J, Noben S, Sam K, Sam L, Shapiro AM, Wang X, Novotny V. Midpoint attractors and species richness: Modelling the interaction between environmental drivers and geometric constraints. Ecol Lett 2016; 19:1009-22. [PMID: 27358193 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Revised: 02/28/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We introduce a novel framework for conceptualising, quantifying and unifying discordant patterns of species richness along geographical gradients. While not itself explicitly mechanistic, this approach offers a path towards understanding mechanisms. In this study, we focused on the diverse patterns of species richness on mountainsides. We conjectured that elevational range midpoints of species may be drawn towards a single midpoint attractor - a unimodal gradient of environmental favourability. The midpoint attractor interacts with geometric constraints imposed by sea level and the mountaintop to produce taxon-specific patterns of species richness. We developed a Bayesian simulation model to estimate the location and strength of the midpoint attractor from species occurrence data sampled along mountainsides. We also constructed midpoint predictor models to test whether environmental variables could directly account for the observed patterns of species range midpoints. We challenged these models with 16 elevational data sets, comprising 4500 species of insects, vertebrates and plants. The midpoint predictor models generally failed to predict the pattern of species midpoints. In contrast, the midpoint attractor model closely reproduced empirical spatial patterns of species richness and range midpoints. Gradients of environmental favourability, subject to geometric constraints, may parsimoniously account for elevational and other patterns of species richness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert K Colwell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA.,Departmento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, CP 131, Goiânia, GO, 74.001-970, Brasil.,University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Nicholas J Gotelli
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Louise A Ashton
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld, 4111, Australia.,Life Sciences Department, Natural History Museum, South Kensington, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Jan Beck
- University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.,Department of Environmental Science (Biogeography), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Gunnar Brehm
- Phyletisches Museum, Friedrich-Schiller Universität, Jena, 07743, Germany
| | - Tom M Fayle
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,Forest Ecology and Conservation Group, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK.,Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Konrad Fiedler
- Department of Botany & Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthew L Forister
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, 89557, USA
| | - Michael Kessler
- Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roger L Kitching
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld, 4111, Australia
| | - Petr Klimes
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jürgen Kluge
- Department of Geography, University of Marburg, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - John T Longino
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Sarah C Maunsell
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld, 4111, Australia
| | - Christy M McCain
- University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Jimmy Moses
- New Guinea Binatang Research Center, P.O. Box 604, Madang, Papua New Guinea.,School of Natural and Physical Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, P.O. Box 320, National Capital District, Papua New Guinea
| | - Sarah Noben
- Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Katerina Sam
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Legi Sam
- Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld, 4111, Australia.,Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Arthur M Shapiro
- Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Xiangping Wang
- College of Forestry, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Vojtech Novotny
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,New Guinea Binatang Research Center, P.O. Box 604, Madang, Papua New Guinea
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17
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Constant tree species richness along an elevational gradient of Mt. Bokor, a table-shaped mountain in southwestern Cambodia. Ecol Res 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s11284-016-1358-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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18
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Fine PV. Ecological and Evolutionary Drivers of Geographic Variation in Species Diversity. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY EVOLUTION AND SYSTEMATICS 2015. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-112414-054102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 247] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul V.A. Fine
- Department of Integrative Biology and University and Jepson Herbaria, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720;
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19
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Orchid Species Richness along Elevational and Environmental Gradients in Yunnan, China. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0142621. [PMID: 26555336 PMCID: PMC4640717 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The family Orchidaceae is not only one of the most diverse families of flowering plants, but also one of the most endangered plant taxa. Therefore, understanding how its species richness varies along geographical and environmental gradients is essential for conservation efforts. However, such knowledge is rarely available, especially on a large scale. We used a database extracted from herbarium records to investigate the relationships between orchid species richness and elevation, and to examine how elevational diversity in Yunnan Province, China, might be explained by mid-domain effect (MDE), species–area relationship (SAR), water–energy dynamics (WED), Rapoport’s Rule, and climatic variables. This particular location was selected because it is one of the primary centers of distribution for orchids. We recorded 691 species that span 127 genera and account for 88.59% of all confirmed orchid species in Yunnan. Species richness, estimated at 200-m intervals along a slope, was closely correlated with elevation, peaking at 1395 to 1723 m. The elevational pattern of orchid richness was considerably shaped by MDE, SAR, WED, and climate. Among those four predictors, climate was the strongest while MDE was the weakest for predicting the elevational pattern of orchid richness. Species richness showed parabolic responses to mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP), with maximum richness values recorded at 13.7 to 17.7°C for MAT and 1237 to 1414 mm for MAP. Rapoport’s Rule also helped to explain the elevational pattern of species richness in Yunnan, but those influences were not entirely uniform across all methods. These results suggested that the elevational pattern of orchid species richness in Yunnan is collectively shaped by several mechanisms related to geometric constraints, size of the land area, and environments. Because of the dominant role of climate in determining orchid richness, our findings may contribute to a better understanding of the potential effects of climate change on orchid diversity, and the development of conservation strategies for orchids.
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20
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Li M, Feng J. Biogeographical Interpretation of Elevational Patterns of Genus Diversity of Seed Plants in Nepal. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140992. [PMID: 26488164 PMCID: PMC4619261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Accepted: 10/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
This study tests if the biogeographical affinities of genera are relevant for explaining elevational plant diversity patterns in Nepal. We used simultaneous autoregressive (SAR) models to investigate the explanatory power of several predictors in explaining the diversity-elevation relationships shown in genera with different biogeographical affinities. Delta akaike information criterion (ΔAIC) was used for multi-model inferences and selections. Our results showed that both the total and tropical genus diversity peaked below the mid-point of the elevational gradient, whereas that of temperate genera had a nearly symmetrical, unimodal relationship with elevation. The proportion of temperate genera increased markedly with elevation, while that of tropical genera declined. Compared to tropical genera, temperate genera had wider elevational ranges and were observed at higher elevations. Water-related variables, rather than mid-domain effects (MDE), were the most significant predictors of elevational patterns of tropical genus diversity. The temperate genus diversity was influenced by energy availability, but only in quadratic terms of the models. Though climatic factors and mid-domain effects jointly explained most of the variation in the diversity of temperate genera with elevation, the former played stronger roles. Total genus diversity was most strongly influenced by climate and the floristic overlap of tropical and temperate floras, while the influences of mid-domain effects were relatively weak. The influences of water-related and energy-related variables may vary with biogeographical affinities. The elevational patterns may be most closely related to climatic factors, while MDE may somewhat modify the patterns. Caution is needed when investigating the causal factors underlying diversity patterns for large taxonomic groups composed of taxa of different biogeographical affinities. Right-skewed diversity-elevation patterns may be produced by the differential response of taxa with varying biogeographical affinities to climatic factors and MDE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Li
- Department of Life Science and Chemistry, Dali University, Dali, China
| | - Jianmeng Feng
- Department of Life Science and Chemistry, Dali University, Dali, China
- * E-mail:
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21
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Ribeiro SE, Prevedello JA, Delciellos AC, Vieira MV. Edge effects and geometric constraints: a landscape-level empirical test. J Anim Ecol 2015; 85:97-105. [PMID: 26250567 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Edge effects are pervasive in landscapes yet their causal mechanisms are still poorly understood. Traditionally, edge effects have been attributed to differences in habitat quality along the edge-interior gradient of habitat patches, under the assumption that no edge effects would occur if habitat quality was uniform. This assumption was questioned recently after the recognition that geometric constraints tend to reduce population abundances near the edges of habitat patches, the so-called geometric edge effect (GEE). Here, we present the first empirical, landscape-level evaluation of the importance of the GEE in shaping abundance patterns in fragmented landscapes. Using a data set on the distribution of small mammals across 18 forest fragments, we assessed whether the incorporation of the GEE into the analysis changes the interpretation of edge effects and the degree to which predictions based on the GEE match observed responses. Quantitative predictions were generated for each fragment using simulations that took into account home range, density and matrix use for each species. The incorporation of the GEE into the analysis changed substantially the interpretation of overall observed edge responses at the landscape scale. Observed abundances alone would lead to the conclusion that the small mammals as a group have no consistent preference for forest edges or interiors and that the black-eared opossum Didelphis aurita (a numerically dominant species in the community) has on average a preference for forest interiors. In contrast, incorporation of the GEE suggested that the small mammal community as a whole has a preference for forest edges, whereas D. aurita has no preference for forest edges or interiors. Unexplained variance in edge responses was reduced by the incorporation of GEE, but remained large, varying greatly on a fragment-by-fragment basis. This study demonstrates how to model and incorporate the GEE in analyses of edge effects and that this incorporation is necessary to properly interpret edge effects in landscapes. It also suggests that geometric constraints alone are unlikely to explain the variability in edge responses of a same species among different areas, highlighting the need to incorporate other ecological factors into explanatory models of edge effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzy E Ribeiro
- Laboratório de Vertebrados, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, C.P. 68020, CEP 21941599, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jayme A Prevedello
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Paisagens, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, CEP 20550900, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Cláudia Delciellos
- Laboratório de Vertebrados, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, C.P. 68020, CEP 21941599, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinícius Vieira
- Laboratório de Vertebrados, Departamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, C.P. 68020, CEP 21941599, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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22
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Mumladze L, Murvanidze M, Maraun M, Salakaia M. Oribatid mite communities along an elevational gradient in Sairme gorge (Caucasus). EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2015; 66:41-51. [PMID: 25761919 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-015-9893-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2014] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Many aboveground animals and plant communities have been studied along elevational gradients whereas studies on soil animals are scarce. Here, we studied oribatid mite community distribution along an elevational gradient from 600 to 2200 m in forest ecosystems of the Western Lesser Caucasus Mountains in Georgia. Overall, 86 oribatid mite species were found at the study sites. Oribatid mite densities were generally low (~9800 ind./m(2)), and 74% of all species reproduced sexually indicating that resource conditions at the study sites are generally poor. Oribatids mainly comprised Brachypylina (76%), Mixonomata (13%), Desmonomata (6%) and Enarthronota (5%). Oribatid mite community structure changed along the elevational gradient and the changes correlated with temperature, pH, litter thickness and density of the herb layer. The dominance of sexually reproducing taxa and low overall abundance indicate that the studied elevational gradient is characterized by poor resource conditions for soil microarthropods. Oribatid mite species richness and density declined with elevation suggesting that decreasing temperature in concert with resource limitation is a main driver of oribatid mite communities whereas stochastic factors (such as mid-domain effects) are of minor importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levan Mumladze
- Institute of Ecology of Ilia State University, Cholokashvili Ave 3/5, 0165, Tbilisi, Georgia,
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23
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Miyamoto Y, Nakano T, Hattori M, Nara K. The mid-domain effect in ectomycorrhizal fungi: range overlap along an elevation gradient on Mount Fuji, Japan. THE ISME JOURNAL 2014; 8:1739-46. [PMID: 24621523 PMCID: PMC4817612 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2014.34] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2013] [Revised: 01/23/2013] [Accepted: 01/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Mid-domain effect (MDE) models predict that the random placement of species' ranges within a bounded geographical area leads to increased range overlap and species richness in the center of the bounded area. These models are frequently applied to study species-richness patterns of macroorganisms, but the MDE in relation to microorganisms is poorly understood. In this study, we examined the characteristics of the MDE in richness patterns of ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi, an ecologically important group of soil symbionts. We conducted intensive soil sampling to investigate overlap among species ranges and the applicability of the MDE to EM fungi in four temperate forest stands along an elevation gradient on Mount Fuji, Japan. Molecular analyses using direct sequencing revealed 302 EM fungal species. Of 73 EM fungal species found in multiple stands, 72 inhabited a continuous range along the elevation gradient. The maximum overlap in species range and the highest species richness occurred at elevations in the middle of the gradient. The observed richness pattern also fit within the 95% confidence interval of the mid-domain null model, supporting the role of the MDE in EM fungal richness. Deviation in observed richness from the mean of the mid-domain null estimation was negatively correlated with some environmental factors, including precipitation and soil C/N, indicating that unexplained richness patterns could be driven by these environmental factors. Our results clearly support the existence of microbial species' ranges along environmental gradients and the potential applicability of the MDE to better understand microbial diversity patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumiko Miyamoto
- Department of Natural Environmental Studies, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
| | - Takashi Nakano
- Yamanashi Institute of Environmental Sciences, Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Masahira Hattori
- Center for Omics and Bioinformatics, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan
| | - Kazuhide Nara
- Department of Natural Environmental Studies, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan
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24
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Brown A, Thatje S. Explaining bathymetric diversity patterns in marine benthic invertebrates and demersal fishes: physiological contributions to adaptation of life at depth. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2014; 89:406-26. [PMID: 24118851 PMCID: PMC4158864 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2012] [Revised: 08/01/2013] [Accepted: 08/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Bathymetric biodiversity patterns of marine benthic invertebrates and demersal fishes have been identified in the extant fauna of the deep continental margins. Depth zonation is widespread and evident through a transition between shelf and slope fauna from the shelf break to 1000 m, and a transition between slope and abyssal fauna from 2000 to 3000 m; these transitions are characterised by high species turnover. A unimodal pattern of diversity with depth peaks between 1000 and 3000 m, despite the relatively low area represented by these depths. Zonation is thought to result from the colonisation of the deep sea by shallow-water organisms following multiple mass extinction events throughout the Phanerozoic. The effects of low temperature and high pressure act across hierarchical levels of biological organisation and appear sufficient to limit the distributions of such shallow-water species. Hydrostatic pressures of bathyal depths have consistently been identified experimentally as the maximum tolerated by shallow-water and upper bathyal benthic invertebrates at in situ temperatures, and adaptation appears required for passage to deeper water in both benthic invertebrates and demersal fishes. Together, this suggests that a hyperbaric and thermal physiological bottleneck at bathyal depths contributes to bathymetric zonation. The peak of the unimodal diversity-depth pattern typically occurs at these depths even though the area represented by these depths is relatively low. Although it is recognised that, over long evolutionary time scales, shallow-water diversity patterns are driven by speciation, little consideration has been given to the potential implications for species distribution patterns with depth. Molecular and morphological evidence indicates that cool bathyal waters are the primary site of adaptive radiation in the deep sea, and we hypothesise that bathymetric variation in speciation rates could drive the unimodal diversity-depth pattern over time. Thermal effects on metabolic-rate-dependent mutation and on generation times have been proposed to drive differences in speciation rates, which result in modern latitudinal biodiversity patterns over time. Clearly, this thermal mechanism alone cannot explain bathymetric patterns since temperature generally decreases with depth. We hypothesise that demonstrated physiological effects of high hydrostatic pressure and low temperature at bathyal depths, acting on shallow-water taxa invading the deep sea, may invoke a stress-evolution mechanism by increasing mutagenic activity in germ cells, by inactivating canalisation during embryonic or larval development, by releasing hidden variation or mutagenic activity, or by activating or releasing transposable elements in larvae or adults. In this scenario, increased variation at a physiological bottleneck at bathyal depths results in elevated speciation rate. Adaptation that increases tolerance to high hydrostatic pressure and low temperature allows colonisation of abyssal depths and reduces the stress-evolution response, consequently returning speciation of deeper taxa to the background rate. Over time this mechanism could contribute to the unimodal diversity-depth pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alastair Brown
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre SouthamptonEuropean Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, U.K.
| | - Sven Thatje
- Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, National Oceanography Centre SouthamptonEuropean Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH, U.K.
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25
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Givnish TJ, Barfuss MH, Ee BV, Riina R, Schulte K, Horres R, Gonsiska PA, Jabaily RS, Crayn DM, Smith JAC, Winter K, Brown GK, Evans TM, Holst BK, Luther H, Till W, Zizka G, Berry PE, Sytsma KJ. Adaptive radiation, correlated and contingent evolution, and net species diversification in Bromeliaceae. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2014; 71:55-78. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2013.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 254] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2013] [Revised: 09/18/2013] [Accepted: 10/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Abstract
While horizontal gradients of biodiversity have been examined extensively in the past, vertical diversity gradients (elevation, water depth) are attracting increasing attention. We compiled data from 443 elevational gradients involving diverse organisms worldwide to investigate how elevational diversity patterns may vary between the Northern and Southern hemispheres and across latitudes. Our results show that most elevational diversity curves are positively skewed (maximum diversity below the middle of the gradient) and the elevation of the peak in diversity increases with the elevation of lower sampling limits and to a lesser extent with upper limit. Mountains with greater elevational extents, and taxonomic groups that are more inclusive, show proportionally more unimodal patterns whereas other ranges and taxa show highly variable gradients. The two hemispheres share some interesting similarities but also remarkable differences, likely reflecting differences in landmass and mountain configurations. Different taxonomic groups exhibit diversity peaks at different elevations, probably reflecting both physical and physiological constraints.
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27
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Yu XD, Lü L, Luo TH, Zhou HZ. Elevational gradient in species richness pattern of epigaeic beetles and underlying mechanisms at east slope of Balang Mountain in southwestern China. PLoS One 2013; 8:e69177. [PMID: 23874906 PMCID: PMC3715450 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0069177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2012] [Accepted: 06/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We report on the species richness patterns of epigaeic beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae and Staphylinidae) along a subtropical elevational gradient of Balang Mountain, southwestern China. We tested the roles of environmental factors (e.g. temperature, area and litter cover) and direct biotic interactions (e.g. foods and antagonists) that shape elevational diversity gradients. Beetles were sampled at 19 sites using pitfall traps along the studied elevational gradient ranging from 1500 m–4000 m during the 2004 growing season. A total of 74416 specimens representing 260 species were recorded. Species richness of epigaeic beetles and two families showed unimodal patterns along the elevational gradient, peaking at mid-elevations (c. 2535 m), and the ranges of most beetle species were narrow along the gradient. The potential correlates of both species richness and environmental variables were examined using linear and second order polynomial regressions. The results showed that temperature, area and litter cover had strong explanatory power of beetle species richness for nearly all richness patterns, of beetles as a whole and of Carabidae and Staphylinidae, but the density of antagonists was associated with species richness of Carabidae only. Multiple regression analyses suggested that the three environmental factors combined contributed most to richness patterns for most taxa. The results suggest that environmental factors associated with temperature, area and habitat heterogeneity could account for most variation in richness pattern of epigaeic beetles. Additionally, the mid-elevation peaks and the small range size of most species indicate that conservation efforts should give attention to the entire gradient rather than just mid-elevations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Dong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- * E-mail: (XDY); (HZZ)
| | - Liang Lü
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Tian-Hong Luo
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Hong-Zhang Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- * E-mail: (XDY); (HZZ)
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28
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Dowle EJ, Morgan-Richards M, Trewick SA. Molecular evolution and the latitudinal biodiversity gradient. Heredity (Edinb) 2013; 110:501-10. [PMID: 23486082 PMCID: PMC3656639 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2013.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2012] [Revised: 12/18/2012] [Accepted: 01/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Species density is higher in the tropics (low latitude) than in temperate regions (high latitude) resulting in a latitudinal biodiversity gradient (LBG). The LBG must be generated by differential rates of speciation and/or extinction and/or immigration among regions, but the role of each of these processes is still unclear. Recent studies examining differences in rates of molecular evolution have inferred a direct link between rate of molecular evolution and rate of speciation, and postulated these as important drivers of the LBG. Here we review the molecular genetic evidence and examine the factors that might be responsible for differences in rates of molecular evolution. Critical to this is the directionality of the relationship between speciation rates and rates of molecular evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Dowle
- Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
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29
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Stevens RD, Tello JS, Gavilanez MM. Stronger tests of mechanisms underlying geographic gradients of biodiversity: insights from the dimensionality of biodiversity. PLoS One 2013; 8:e56853. [PMID: 23451099 PMCID: PMC3581556 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2012] [Accepted: 01/17/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Inference involving diversity gradients typically is gathered by mechanistic tests involving single dimensions of biodiversity such as species richness. Nonetheless, because traits such as geographic range size, trophic status or phenotypic characteristics are tied to a particular species, mechanistic effects driving broad diversity patterns should manifest across numerous dimensions of biodiversity. We develop an approach of stronger inference based on numerous dimensions of biodiversity and apply it to evaluate one such putative mechanism: the mid-domain effect (MDE). Species composition of 10,000-km(2) grid cells was determined by overlaying geographic range maps of 133 noctilionoid bat taxa. We determined empirical diversity gradients in the Neotropics by calculating species richness and three indices each of phylogenetic, functional and phenetic diversity for each grid cell. We also created 1,000 simulated gradients of each examined metric of biodiversity based on a MDE model to estimate patterns expected if species distributions were randomly placed within the Neotropics. For each simulation run, we regressed the observed gradient onto the MDE-expected gradient. If a MDE drives empirical gradients, then coefficients of determination from such an analysis should be high, the intercept no different from zero and the slope no different than unity. Species richness gradients predicted by the MDE fit empirical patterns. The MDE produced strong spatially structured gradients of taxonomic, phylogenetic, functional and phenetic diversity. Nonetheless, expected values generated from the MDE for most dimensions of biodiversity exhibited poor fit to most empirical patterns. The MDE cannot account for most empirical patterns of biodiversity. Fuller understanding of latitudinal gradients will come from simultaneous examination of relative effects of random, environmental and historical mechanisms to better understand distribution and abundance of the current biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard D Stevens
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America.
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Sanciangco JC, Carpenter KE, Etnoyer PJ, Moretzsohn F. Habitat availability and heterogeneity and the indo-pacific warm pool as predictors of marine species richness in the tropical Indo-Pacific. PLoS One 2013; 8:e56245. [PMID: 23457533 PMCID: PMC3574161 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0056245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2012] [Accepted: 01/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Range overlap patterns were observed in a dataset of 10,446 expert-derived marine species distribution maps, including 8,295 coastal fishes, 1,212 invertebrates (crustaceans and molluscs), 820 reef-building corals, 50 seagrasses, and 69 mangroves. Distributions of tropical Indo-Pacific shore fishes revealed a concentration of species richness in the northern apex and central region of the Coral Triangle epicenter of marine biodiversity. This pattern was supported by distributions of invertebrates and habitat-forming primary producers. Habitat availability, heterogeneity, and sea surface temperatures were highly correlated with species richness across spatial grains ranging from 23,000 to 5,100,000 km2 with and without correction for autocorrelation. The consistent retention of habitat variables in our predictive models supports the area of refuge hypothesis which posits reduced extinction rates in the Coral Triangle. This does not preclude support for a center of origin hypothesis that suggests increased speciation in the region may contribute to species richness. In addition, consistent retention of sea surface temperatures in models suggests that available kinetic energy may also be an important factor in shaping patterns of marine species richness. Kinetic energy may hasten rates of both extinction and speciation. The position of the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool to the east of the Coral Triangle in central Oceania and a pattern of increasing species richness from this region into the central and northern parts of the Coral Triangle suggests peripheral speciation with enhanced survival in the cooler parts of the Coral Triangle that also have highly concentrated available habitat. These results indicate that conservation of habitat availability and heterogeneity is important to reduce extinction of marine species and that changes in sea surface temperatures may influence the evolutionary potential of the region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonnell C Sanciangco
- Marine Biodiversity Unit/Global Marine Species Assessment, Global Species Programme, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland.
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Acharya BK, Sanders NJ, Vijayan L, Chettri B. Elevational gradients in bird diversity in the Eastern Himalaya: an evaluation of distribution patterns and their underlying mechanisms. PLoS One 2011; 6:e29097. [PMID: 22174953 PMCID: PMC3236786 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2010] [Accepted: 11/21/2011] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding diversity patterns and the mechanisms underlying those patterns along elevational gradients is critically important for conservation efforts in montane ecosystems, especially those that are biodiversity hotspots. Despite recent advances, consensus on the underlying causes, or even the relative influence of a suite of factors on elevational diversity patterns has remained elusive. METHODS AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We examined patterns of species richness, density and range size distribution of birds, and the suite of biotic and abiotic factors (primary productivity, habitat variables, climatic factors and geometric constraints) that governs diversity along a 4500-m elevational gradient in the Eastern Himalayan region, a biodiversity hotspot within the world's tallest mountains. We used point count methods for sampling birds and quadrats for estimating vegetation at 22 sites along the elevational gradient. We found that species richness increased to approximately 2000 m, then declined. We found no evidence that geometric constraints influenced this pattern, whereas actual evapotranspiration (a surrogate for primary productivity) and various habitat variables (plant species richness, shrub density and basal area of trees) accounted for most of the variation in bird species richness. We also observed that ranges of most bird species were narrow along the elevation gradient. We find little evidence to support Rapoport's rule for the birds of Sikkim region of the Himalaya. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE This study in the Eastern Himalaya indicates that species richness of birds is highest at intermediate elevations along one of the most extensive elevational gradients ever examined. Additionally, primary productivity and factors associated with habitat accounted for most of the variation in avian species richness. The diversity peak at intermediate elevations and the narrow elevational ranges of most species suggest important conservation implications: not only should mid-elevation areas be conserved, but the entire gradient requires equal conservation attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhoj Kumar Acharya
- Division of Conservation Ecology, Sàlim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty, Coimbatore, India.
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Kutt AS, Bateman BL, Vanderduys EP. Lizard diversity on a rainforest - savanna altitude gradient in north-eastern Australia. AUST J ZOOL 2011. [DOI: 10.1071/zo11036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Mountain ecosystems act as natural experiments for investigating the relationship between environmental heterogeneity and species diversity. A review of the global altitudinal distribution of reptiles identified a diverse range of patterns driven by climate and taxonomy. No Australian examples were included in this analysis. We addressed this gap by surveying the reptile assemblage along an altitude gradient from upland rainforest (~1000 m) through to open savanna woodlands (~350 m) in north-eastern Australia. Reptiles were sampled on four separate occasions between May 2006 and November 2007. Thirty-six species, representing seven families, were recorded along the gradient. As we used only diurnal active searching, snakes and nocturnal geckoes were probably under-sampled; thus we considered only lizards in the analysis of altitude pattern. Lizard species richness peaked at the mid-altitudes (600–900 m, 11–12 spp.) and abundance highest at the lower (<500 m) and higher (>800 m) zones. This pattern is likely a factor of both the increase in radiant heat sources (reduced canopy cover) and increased species packing due to the diversity of niches available (presence of rock cover and increase in saxicolous species). In the lower-altitude sites the high abundance of few species seems linked to the dominance of disturbance-tolerant species. We conclude that lizard richness and abundance patterns on this transect are not necessarily exhibiting a mid-domain effect, but instead are a function of species-specific ecological and habitat requirements.
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Jakobs G, Kueffer C, Daehler CC. Introduced weed richness across altitudinal gradients in Hawai’i: humps, humans and water-energy dynamics. Biol Invasions 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s10530-010-9816-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Small-mammal species richness and abundance along a tropical altitudinal gradient: an Australian example. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2010. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467409990460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:This study examined patterns in the species richness and abundance of small non-volant mammals along a tropical altitudinal gradient in north-eastern Australia. We investigated whether a mid-altitudinal peak in diversity was apparent, and if it occurred, whether it was determined by particular environmental conditions. We sampled a small-mammal assemblage at 17 sites distributed along an altitude-environmental gradient from savanna (350 m) to rain-forest vegetation (1000 m). Over four separate occasions (5100 trap-nights) we recorded 17 species of mammal with 416 captures. A positive non-linear relationship between altitude and mammal species richness and abundance was observed, peaking at the 800–900 m range. Many species were distributed across a range of altitudes, while others were strongly associated with particular habitat conditions. There was a distinct reduction in abundance and species richness at low altitudes associated with the less complex vegetation, lower productivity and possible anthropogenic effects. Key findings were: that small-mammal richness peaked towards the summit of the gradient and not at one-half the maximum altitude predicted by the mid-domain effect; contrasting conditions and greatest vegetation juxtaposition had the greatest influence on the patterns recorded; and that local idiosyncratic influences such as habitat factors, land management and historical biogeography are significant.
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