Reptile species richness associated to ecological and historical variables in Iran

Abstract Spatial gradients of species richness can be shaped by the interplay between historical and ecological factors. They might interact in particularly complex ways in heterogeneous mountainous landscapes with strong climatic and geological contrasts. We mapped the distribution of 171 lizard species to investigate species richness patterns for all species (171), diurnal species (101), and nocturnal species (70) separately. We related species richness with the historical (past climate change, mountain uplifting) and ecological variables (climate, topography and vegetation). We found that assemblages in the Western Zagros Mountains, north eastern and north western parts of Central Iranian Plateau have the highest number of lizard species. Among the investigated variables, annual mean temperature explained the largest variance for all species (10%) and nocturnal species (31%). For diurnal species, temperature change velocity shows strongest explained variance in observed richness pattern (26%). Together, our results reveal that areas with annual temperature of 15–20 °C, which receive 400–600 mm precipitation and experienced moderate level of climate change since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) have highest number of species. Documented patterns of our study provide a baseline for understanding the potential effect of ongoing climate change on lizard diversity in Iran.

Download Full-text

Distribution of lacustrine plankton crustaceans and biogeographic patterns of biodiversity in Chile

Crustaceana ◽

10.1163/15685403-bja10134 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 94 (8) ◽

pp. 933-950

Author(s):

Reinaldo Rivera ◽

Javier Pinochet ◽

Patricio De los Ríos-Escalante ◽

Cristián E. Hernández

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Ecological Factors ◽

Energy Availability ◽

Biogeographic Patterns ◽

Landscape Water ◽

Richness Pattern ◽

Colonization Dynamics ◽

Geographical Dispersion ◽

Adequate Management ◽

Latitudinal Effect

Abstract The pattern of species richness and its potential causes are fundamental knowledge for an adequate management of biodiversity. In the present study, based on georeferenced lacustrine zooplankton, we evaluated the general species richness pattern and its relationship with hydrographic zonation, assessing four hypotheses: (1) the Rapoport latitudinal effect; (2) geometric restrictions as hard limits to geographical dispersion; (3) nestedness as a measure of the historical dynamics of extinction-colonization; and (4) environmental variables, as a measurement of the habitat as a recent ecological factor. Our results show a heterogeneous species richness pattern, with maxima located between 32-34°S, showing a general decrease towards higher latitudes. However, this pattern does not relate to the Rapoport latitudinal effect or the geometric restrictions. Instead, the pattern is associated with historical extinction-colonization dynamics between the waterbodies and ecological factors such as landscape, water, and energy availability that determine the number of species that these waterbodies can currently support.

Download Full-text

Vulnerability to climate change of a microendemic lizard species from the central Andes

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-91058-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

A. Laspiur ◽

J. C. Santos ◽

S. M. Medina ◽

J. E. Pizarro ◽

E. A. Sanabria ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Species Distribution Models ◽

Activity Patterns ◽

Geographic Range ◽

Behavioral Thermoregulation ◽

Rapid Loss ◽

Distribution Models ◽

Lizard Species ◽

Vulnerability To Climate Change

AbstractGiven the rapid loss of biodiversity as consequence of climate change, greater knowledge of ecophysiological and natural history traits are crucial to determine which environmental factors induce stress and drive the decline of threatened species. Liolaemus montanezi (Liolaemidae), a xeric-adapted lizard occurring only in a small geographic range in west-central Argentina, constitutes an excellent model for studies on the threats of climate change on such microendemic species. We describe field data on activity patterns, use of microhabitat, behavioral thermoregulation, and physiology to produce species distribution models (SDMs) based on climate and ecophysiological data. Liolaemus montanezi inhabits a thermally harsh environment which remarkably impacts their activity and thermoregulation. The species shows a daily bimodal pattern of activity and mostly occupies shaded microenvironments. Although the individuals thermoregulate at body temperatures below their thermal preference they avoid high-temperature microenvironments probably to avoid overheating. The population currently persists because of the important role of the habitat physiognomy and not because of niche tracking, seemingly prevented by major rivers that form boundaries of their geographic range. We found evidence of habitat opportunities in the current range and adjacent areas that will likely remain suitable to the year 2070, reinforcing the relevance of the river floodplain for the species’ avoidance of extinction.

Download Full-text

Responses of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities of Two Tropical, High-Mountain Lakes to Climate Change and Deacidification

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13060243 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 243

Author(s):

Javier Alcocer ◽

Luis A. Oseguera ◽

Diana Ibarra-Morales ◽

Elva Escobar ◽

Lucero García-Cid

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Species Richness ◽

Water Temperature ◽

Water Level ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Mountain Lakes ◽

High Mountain ◽

Macroinvertebrate Communities ◽

High Mountain Lakes ◽

La Luna

High-mountain lakes are among the most comparable ecosystems globally and recognized sentinels of global change. The present study pursued to identify how the benthic macroinvertebrates (BMI) communities of two tropical, high mountain lakes, El Sol and La Luna, Central Mexico, have been affected by global/regional environmental pressures. We compared the environmental characteristics and the BMI communities between 2000–2001 and 2017–2018. We identified three principal environmental changes (the air and water temperature increased, the lakes’ water level declined, and the pH augmented and became more variable), and four principal ecological changes in the BMI communities [a species richness reduction (7 to 4), a composition change, and a dominant species replacement all of them in Lake El Sol, a species richness increase (2 to 4) in Lake La Luna, and a drastic reduction in density (38% and 90%) and biomass (92%) in both lakes]. The air and water temperature increased 0.5 °C, and lakes water level declined 1.5 m, all suggesting an outcome of climate change. Contrarily to the expected acidification associated with acid precipitation, both lakes deacidified, and the annual pH fluctuation augmented. The causes of the deacidification and the deleterious impacts on the BMI communities remained to be identified.

Download Full-text

Can we predict the future: juvenile finfish and their seagrass nurseries in the Chesapeake Bay

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1093/icesjms/fst142 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 71 (3) ◽

pp. 681-688 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Cynthia M. Jones

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Chesapeake Bay ◽

Juvenile Fish ◽

Single Species ◽

Potential Effect ◽

Seagrass Habitat ◽

Important Conclusion ◽

The Relationship ◽

Landscape Level

Abstract The importance of estuarine seagrass beds as nurseries for juvenile fish has become a universal paradigm, especially for estuaries that are as important as the Chesapeake Bay. Yet, scientific tests of this hypothesis were equivocal depending on species, location, and metrics. Moreover, seagrasses themselves are under threat and one-third of seagrasses have disappeared worldwide with 65% of their losses occurring in estuaries. Although there have been extensive studies of seagrasses in the Chesapeake Bay, surprisingly few studies have quantified the relationship between seagrass as nurseries for finfish in the Bay. Of the few studies that have directly evaluated the use of seagrass nurseries, most have concentrated on single species or were of short duration. Few landscape-level or long-term studies have examined this relationship in the Bay or explored the potential effect of climate change. This review paper summarizes the seagrass habitat value as nurseries and presents recent juvenile fish studies that address the dearth of research at the long term and landscape level with an emphasis on the Chesapeake Bay. An important conclusion upon the review of these studies is that predicting the effects of climate change on fishery production remains uncertain.

Download Full-text

Potential Changes in Tree Species Richness and Forest Community Types following Climate Change

Ecosystems ◽

10.1007/s10021-001-0003-6 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

pp. 186-199 ◽

Cited By ~ 144

Author(s):

Louis R. Iverson ◽

Anantha M. Prasad

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Species Richness ◽

Tree Species ◽

Forest Community ◽

Tree Species Richness ◽

Community Types

Download Full-text

Altitudinal Vascular Plant Richness and Climate Change in the Alpine Zone of the Lefka Ori, Crete

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13010022 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 22

Author(s):

George Kazakis ◽

Dany Ghosn ◽

Ilektra Remoundou ◽

Panagiotis Nyktas ◽

Michael A. Talias ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Species Richness ◽

Spatial Scales ◽

Vascular Plant ◽

Monitoring Network ◽

Mediterranean Area ◽

Mean Annual Temperature ◽

High Mountain ◽

Species Loss ◽

Total Species Richness

High mountain zones in the Mediterranean area are considered more vulnerable in comparison to lower altitudes zones. Lefka Ori massif, a global biodiversity hotspot on the island of Crete is part of the Global Observation Research Initiative in Alpine Environments (GLORIA) monitoring network. The paper examines species and vegetation changes with respect to climate and altitude over a seven-year period (2001–2008) at a range of spatial scales (10 m Summit Area Section-SAS, 5 m SAS, 1 m2) using the GLORIA protocol in a re-survey of four mountain summits (1664 m–2339 m). The absolute species loss between 2001–2008 was 4, among which were 2 endemics. At the scale of individual summits, the highest changes were recorded at the lower summits with absolute species loss 4 in both cases. Paired t-tests for the total species richness at 1 m2 between 2001–2008, showed no significant differences. No significant differences were found at the individual summit level neither at the 5 m SAS or the 10 m SAS. Time series analysis reveals that soil mean annual temperature is increasing at all summits. Linear regressions with the climatic variables show a positive effect on species richness at the 5 m and 10 m SAS as well as species changes at the 5 m SAS. In particular, June mean temperature has the highest predictive power for species changes at the 5 m SAS. Recorded changes in species richness point more towards fluctuations within a plant community’s normal range, although there seem to be more significant diversity changes in higher summits related to aspects. Our work provides additional evidence to assess the effects of climate change on plant diversity in Mediterranean mountains and particularly those of islands which remain understudied.

Download Full-text