Community composition exceeds area as a predictor of long-term conservation value

PLoS Computational Biology, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 19(1), P. e1010804 - e1010804

Published: Jan. 30, 2023

Conserving biodiversity often requires deciding which sites to prioritise for protection. Predicting the impact of habitat loss is a major challenge, however, since impacts can be distant from perturbation in both space and time. Here we study long-term mechanistic metacommunity model. We find that site area poor predictor long-term, regional-scale extinctions following localised perturbation. Knowledge compositional distinctness (average between-site Bray-Curtis dissimilarity) removed community markedly improve prediction on regional assemblages, even when biotic responses play out at substantial spatial or temporal distance initial Fitting model two empirical datasets, show this conclusions holds empirically relevant parameter range. Our results robustly demonstrate alone not sufficient gauge conservation priorities; analysis permits improved prioritisation low cost.

Language: Английский

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Spatial distance explains the periphyton metacommunity structure of a neotropical stream network

Hydrobiologia, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 850(8), P. 1869 - 1884

Published: March 23, 2023

Language: Английский

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Consistent metacommunity structure despite inconsistent drivers of assembly at the continental scale

Journal of Animal Ecology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 89(7), P. 1678 - 1689

Published: March 28, 2020

Abstract A fundamental goal of community ecology is to understand the drivers assembly and diversity. Local factors acting on are typically related environmental conditions while regional dispersal. Previous research has not consistently demonstrated importance local or factors, but this likely because these act in concert isolation. Studies that simultaneously integrate into analyses can be a useful avenue further our understanding core concept ecology. Here, we aimed identify metacommunity structure diversity at continental scale. We evaluated macroinvertebrate communities 941 rivers streams nested within nine ecoregions distributed across conterminous United States. Pattern‐based boosted regression tree techniques were used (a) assign structures (b) environmental, landscape network assembly. also how biodiversity scaled hierarchical levels varied among ecoregions. Metacommunity consistent for States each ecoregion subsets, with ecoregional displaying Clementsian structure. Environmental variables predominant assembly, suggesting species sorting filtering structure; however, identity most influential differed suggested Partitioned was found lower levels, turnover higher than expected. Our results demonstrate contingencies notwithstanding consistency support control over biodiversity. Moreover, scale maintained through inherent variation concomitant changes composition suggest work should evaluate other facets underlying mechanisms contingency drivers.

Language: Английский

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Ecoregional Characteristics Drive the Distribution Patterns of Neotropical Stream Diatoms

Journal of Phycology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 56(4), P. 1053 - 1065

Published: April 22, 2020

We assessed the relative influence of ecoregional features in explaining diatom distribution Orinoco river basin. Ecoregions Colombian can be seen as imprints evolutionary history basin, for their current biodiversity and physiographic are result geological climatic shifts that have occurred since Tertiary. Thus, they represent an ideal testing ground studying interplay between ecological processes shaping diversity patterns microorganisms, such diatoms, present day. To study this interplay, we compared community composition variance within among seven ecoregions explanatory power environmental, spatial historical drivers. This was done by a combination correlation analyses, multivariate methods constrained ordinations. also deconstructed whole data set into guilds (low‐ high‐profile, motile) to explore individual response contemporary Taken together, these analyses indicated constraints species occurrence dispersal, well legacies events, provide explanation diatoms Orinoco. Specifically, provided evidence showing both environmental conditions (temperature, pH , phosphorus concentration) interacting determine diatoms’ distribution. Our results suggest need consider gradients unraveling mechanisms tropical designing conservation plans.

Language: Английский

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History of limnology in Ecuador: a foundation for a growing field in the country

Hydrobiologia, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 847(20), P. 4191 - 4206

Published: June 5, 2020

Language: Английский

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