Assessing the importance of reproductive modes for the evaluation of altitudinal distribution patterns in tropical frogs

Abstract The Cautín River is closely related with the economic development of Temuco city, (38°S; Chile). Existing knowledge of the Cautín River is limited to information about its biological characteristics as a reference for the evaluation and assessment of water quality. The object of this study was to develop taxonomic characterisation of the benthic macroinvertebrates along the main course of the Cautín River, and to study the community structure using correlation analysis between community parameters. To carry out this research, the macroinvertebrate community was studied in 10 sampling sites distributed along the main course of the river. The samples were taken in summer (1997 and 2000), when optimal hydrological conditions existed. Analysis of the samples showed that the benthic fauna was composed of 56 taxa, the dominant group being insects with 48 taxa. Three main sectors were recognised in the course of the Cautín River: high, middle and low. Each sector has restricted-distribution species, while other species are widely distributed along the river. These distribution patterns seem to be influenced by dissolved oxygen concentration, temperature, altitudinal distribution and anthropo-cultural activity, present at every sampling site. Finally, this research provides a first approach to the biology of the Cautín River. Further studies could be planned on the basis of this knowledge to investigate water quality indicators based on macroinvertebrate communities.

Upstream migration and altitudinal distribution patterns of Nereina punctulata (Gastropoda: Neritidae) in Dominica, West Indies

Aquatic Ecology ◽

10.1007/s10452-019-09683-7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 53 (2) ◽

pp. 205-215

Author(s):

Andrew Robert Villeneuve ◽

Ian Thornhill ◽

Jacqualyn Eales

Keyword(s):

West Indies ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Upstream Migration ◽

Altitudinal Distribution

Altitudinal distribution patterns of alpine plants: Studies along a coast–inland transect in southern Scandes, northern Europe

Mountain Research and Development ◽

10.1659/mrd.mm120 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 33 (2) ◽

pp. 187

Author(s):

Rob Brooker

Keyword(s):

Distribution Patterns ◽

Alpine Plants ◽

Northern Europe ◽

Altitudinal Distribution

The millipede genus Julus Linnaeus, 1758 in the Caucasus (Diplopoda: Julida: Julidae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4461.1.7 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4461 (1) ◽

pp. 89

Author(s):

ALEKSANDR EVSYUKOV ◽

SERGEI GOLOVATCH ◽

HANS S. REIP

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Altitudinal Distribution ◽

The Caucasus ◽

Morphological Variations ◽

Caucasus Region ◽

Two New Species ◽

The Republic

The genus Julus includes seven species already described from the Caucasus region: J. alexandrae Evsyukov, 2016; J. colchicus Lohmander, 1936; J. jedryczkowskii Golovatch, 1981; J. kubanus Verhoeff, 1921; J. lignaui Verhoeff, 1910; J. lindholmi Lohmander, 1936; and J. subalpinus Lohmander, 1936, as well as two new species: J. khostensis sp. n., from the Krasnodar Province, and, J. dagestanus sp. n., from the Republic of Dagestan, both in Russia. All nine species are described, illustrated and keyed, their morphological variations outlined, and distributions mapped, based on the literature data and abundant new samples. Altitudinal distribution patterns are also discussed.

Altitudinal distribution patterns of bryophytes in the Canary Islands and vulnerability to climate change

Flora ◽

10.1016/j.flora.2011.04.007 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 206 (9) ◽

pp. 769-781 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Francisco Lloret ◽

Juana María González-Mancebo

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Canary Islands ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Altitudinal Distribution ◽

Vulnerability To Climate Change

Differences in desiccation tolerance do not explain altitudinal distribution patterns of tropical bryophytes

Journal of Bryology ◽

10.1179/1743282012y.0000000033 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 47-56 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Maaike Y Bader ◽

Theresa Reich ◽

Sebastian Wagner ◽

A Steve González González ◽

Gerhard Zotz

Keyword(s):

Desiccation Tolerance ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Altitudinal Distribution

Thermal Tolerance in Anuran Embryos with Different Reproductive Modes: Relationship to Altitude

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1155/2013/183212 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Manuel Hernando Bernal ◽

John D. Lynch

Keyword(s):

Significant Relationship ◽

Thermal Tolerance ◽

Altitudinal Gradient ◽

Environmental Temperature ◽

Limiting Factor ◽

Altitudinal Distribution ◽

Reproductive Modes ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Relationship ◽

Study Species

Anurans are ectothermic animals very sensitive to temperature, mainly during the embryonic stage. In addition, environmental temperature decreases with altitude, and the amphibian fauna changes. Therefore, we studied the relationship between the embryonic thermal tolerances of twelve species of anurans and the temperatures of their microhabitat along an altitudinal gradient from 430 m to 2600 m. We hypothesized that there is a strong thermal adjustment of embryos to their microhabitat and, consequently, that temperature could be a limiting factor of altitudinal distribution of the anurans. We also compared the embryonic thermal tolerances according to six postulated reproductive modes of the study species. We found a significant relationship between the maximum and minimum thermal tolerances of the anuran embryos and the maximum and minimum temperatures of their microhabitat and altitudinal distribution. We also found a wide range of embryonic thermal tolerances for aquatic breeding species and a narrower range for terrestrial breeding species. Particularly, embryos of direct development species were the most sensitive to temperature. These results show the strong thermal adjustment of anuran embryos to their microhabitat and elevation and do not reject the hypothesis that temperature can be a limiting factor of their altitudinal distribution.

Changes of bat species composition over altitudinal gradients on northern and southern aspects of the Soutpansberg mountain range, South Africa

Mammalia ◽

10.1515/mammalia-2015-0055 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 81 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Sina M. Weier ◽

Valerie M.G. Linden ◽

Ian Gaigher ◽

Patrick J.C. White ◽

Peter J. Taylor

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Species Composition ◽

Species Distribution ◽

Climate Model ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Mountain Range ◽

Altitudinal Distribution ◽

Primary Determinant ◽

Linear Decline

AbstractIn order to gain insight into the pattern of bat species composition over altitude and the environmental variables driving the observed pattern, we compared data from moist southern and drier northern aspects of the Soutpansberg range in northern South Africa. Acoustical monitoring and additional capturing of bats was used for analysis of species distribution patterns and comparisons of community composition. Bat activity generally followed a linear decline with increasing altitude, possibly related to reproductive females preferring lower altitudes. Species richness followed a hump-shaped distribution on the northern aspect and across the transect, whereas a pattern of a linear decline was observed on the southern aspect. Our study strongly supports a previously published climate model for insectivorous bats which assumes that water availability linked with temperature determines the shape of altitudinal distribution in bat species. Step-wise selection from multiple regression models retained habitat type and/or measures of habitat structure in all final models, supporting several other studies in that vegetation correlated to altitude is a primary determinant of bat species distribution over altitude. This study also supports that the Soutpansberg is a biodiversity hotspot for bats and emphasises that conservation efforts should by no means ignore the lower altitudes.

A mountain of millipedes VI. New records, new species, a new genus and a general discussion of Odontopygidae from the Udzungwa Mts, Tanzania (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Odontopygidae)

European Journal of Taxonomy ◽

10.5852/ejt.2018.394 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Henrik Enghoff

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Type Species ◽

New Genus ◽

New Records ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Altitudinal Distribution

Damacornu gen. nov. (type species: D. transversum gen. et sp. nov.), Geotypodon papei sp. nov. and Spinotarsus fortehamatus sp. nov. are described, and Helicochetus dimidiatus (Peters, 1855), H. mutaba Kraus, 1960 and Hoffmanides dissutus (Hoffman, 1963) are recorded from the Udzungwa Mts, Tanzania. A complete overview of the 39 odontopygid species now known from the Udzungwa Mts is given, including notes on endemism, biogeographical relationships and altitudinal distribution patterns.

Rapoport’s Rule and the effect of the last glaciation upon elevational range size: An analysis using a dung beetle model (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Onthophagus) in Mexican tropical mountains

The Holocene ◽

10.1177/09596836211060488 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 095968362110604

Author(s):

Bert Kohlmann ◽

Alfonsina Arriaga-Jiménez ◽

Renato Portela Salomão

Keyword(s):

Body Size ◽

Model Organism ◽

Dung Beetle ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

Altitudinal Distribution ◽

Tropical Mountains ◽

Altitudinal Range ◽

Beetle Assemblages ◽

Rapoport’S Rule ◽

Elevational Range

Several studies have tested the Elevational Rapoport Rule (ERR) in arthropods, especially in the Neotropical mountains. Nonetheless, different approaches should be used for a more nuanced comprehension of ERR patterns and assemblage altitudinal distribution patterns, such as the biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary contexts. This study aims to test the ERR for elevational gradients in Mexican mountains. For this study, dung beetle assemblages of the genus Onthophagus were used as a model organism, and their distribution was studied in several different mountain ranges of the Mexican tropics. Altitudinal distribution of Onthophagus species was analyzed, including ecological traits and biogeographical/phylogenetical contexts as covariables. The increase of altitude was positively correlated to the assemblage altitudinal range. Furthermore, altitudinal range, relative abundance, body size, and mountain’s topographic prominence were positively correlated to the mean altitudinal range of Onthophagus species. Nonetheless, different altitudinal relationships were observed, depending on the mountain. The results support the idea that species that inhabit higher altitudes appear to be more environmentally plastic and occur in wider altitudinal ranges than species from lower altitudes, thus supporting the ERR. The present findings stress that biogeographical, ecological, phylogenetical, and historical aspects, besides body size, are essential drivers of the altitudinal distribution of Onthophagus dung beetles.