Environmental Gradients Linked to Human Impacts, Not Species Richness, Drive Regional Variation in Community Stability in Coral Reef Fishes

Ecology Letters, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 28(4)

Опубликована: Апрель 1, 2025

The stabilising effect of biodiversity on aggregate community properties is well-established experimentally, but its importance in naturally assembled communities at larger scales requires considering covariation with other biotic and abiotic factors. Here, we examine the diversity-stability relationship a 27-year coral reef fish time series 39 reefs spanning 10° latitude Australia's Great Barrier Reef. We find that an apparent between species richness synchrony population fluctuations driven by these two variables' proximity to coastal influences. Additionally, cover volatility destabilises assemblages increasing average variability not synchrony, mediated changes intensity density regulation community. Our findings indicate environmental factors, both which are strongly influenced anthropogenic activity, impact stability more than diversity does, distinct pathways reflecting different underlying community-dynamic processes.

Язык: Английский

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Assessing the sensitivity and resistance of communities in a changing environment

Journal of Animal Ecology, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 93(1), С. 8 - 20

Опубликована: Сен. 22, 2023

Abstract We propose that the ecological resilience of communities to permanent changes environment can be based on how variation in overall abundance individuals affects number species. Community sensitivity is defined as ratio between rate change log expected species and community. High community means small total strongly impact resistance proportional reduction sustain before expecting lose one A value only endure a it Based long‐term studies four bird European deciduous forests at different latitudes large differences were found environmental perturbations. Estimating variance components distribution revealed processes contributed resistance. Species heterogeneity population dynamics was largest component, but its proportion varied among communities. Species‐specific response fluctuations second major component abundance. Estimates data from single year general larger than those estimates longer time series. Thus, our approach provide rapid conservative assessment also including short‐term data. This study shows mechanism, caused by increased strength density dependence due resource availability, an intuitive measure variation. Our analyses illustrate importance specific assumptions about affect dynamics. For example, if stochastic all similar way, will which show independent responses.

Язык: Английский

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Analyzing dynamic species abundance distributions using generalized linear mixed models

Ecology, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 103(9)

Опубликована: Май 13, 2022

Abstract Understanding the mechanisms of ecological community dynamics and how they could be affected by environmental changes is important. Population dynamic models have well known parameters that describe key characteristics species such as effect noise demographic variance on dynamics, long‐term growth rate, strength density regulation. These are also central for detecting understanding in communities species; however, incorporating vital into challenging. In this paper, we demonstrate generalized linear mixed specified intercept‐only with different random effects can used to fit abundance distributions. Each has an ecologically meaningful interpretation either describing general species‐specific responses stochasticity time or space, variation rate carrying capacity among species. We use simulations show accuracy estimation depends regulation discrete population dynamics. The covariance parameters, corresponding statistical uncertainties, demonstrated case studies fish bat communities. find heterogeneity main factor spatial temporal similarity both studies.

Язык: Английский

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An intuitive approach for measuring the resilience of biological communities to environmental change

Journal of Animal Ecology, Год журнала: 2023, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Ноя. 23, 2023

Abstract Research Highlight : Sæther, B. E., Engen, S., & Solbu, E. (2023a). Assessing the sensitivity and resistance of communities in a changing environment. Journal Animal Ecology . https://doi.org/10.1111/1365‐2656.14003 In face global change, conservation strategies can be informed by understanding which biological are most at risk. Metrics that reflect ‘resilience’ to change could have great utility, but there is still no consensus on useful way measure it. Sæther et al. introduce an intuitive approach thinking about measuring resilience based how variation total number individuals within community affects species. By using dynamic species abundance distribution models, they also quantify different sources population‐level contribute resilience. Evenness emerges as important predictor resilience, with more even predicted sensitive loss. An attractive feature their ability estimate key parameters commonly used generalized linear mixed effects illustrate case study forest bird communities. The ripe for comparison across systems explore these proposed metrics complement existing biodiversity help understand risk from environmental change.

Язык: Английский

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Incorporando a variabilidade: o uso de modelos de efeitos mistos em ecologia

Опубликована: Дек. 9, 2022

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