scholarly journals Fish Functional Traits Correlated with Environmental Variables in a Temperate Biodiversity Hotspot

PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e93237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin P. Keck ◽  
Zachary H. Marion ◽  
Derek J. Martin ◽  
Jason C. Kaufman ◽  
Carol P. Harden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot

scholarly journals Islands in the desert: environmental distribution modelling of endemic flora reveals the extent of Pleistocene tropical relict vegetation in southern Arabia

2019 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
James S Borrell ◽  
Ghudaina Al Issaey ◽  
Darach A Lupton ◽  
Thomas Starnes ◽  
Abdulrahman Al Hinai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Narrow Range ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
Endemic Plants ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Environmental Distribution ◽  
Southern Arabia ◽  
Endemic Flora

AbstractBackground and AimsSouthern Arabia is a global biodiversity hotspot with a high proportion of endemic desert-adapted plants. Here we examine evidence for a Pleistocene climate refugium in the southern Central Desert of Oman, and its role in driving biogeographical patterns of endemism.MethodsDistribution data for seven narrow-range endemic plants were collected systematically across 195 quadrats, together with incidental and historic records. Important environmental variables relevant to arid coastal areas, including night-time fog and cloud cover, were developed for the study area. Environmental niche models using presence/absence data were built and tuned for each species, and spatial overlap was examined.Key ResultsA region of the Jiddat Al Arkad reported independent high model suitability for all species. Examination of environmental data across southern Oman indicates that the Jiddat Al Arkad displays a regionally unique climate with higher intra-annual stability, due in part to the influence of the southern monsoon. Despite this, the relative importance of environmental variables was highly differentiated among species, suggesting that characteristic variables such as coastal fog are not major cross-species predictors at this scale.ConclusionsThe co-occurrence of a high number of endemic study species within a narrow monsoon-influenced region is indicative of a refugium with low climate change velocity. Combined with climate analysis, our findings provide strong evidence for a southern Arabian Pleistocene refugium in Oman’s Central Desert. We suggest that this refugium has acted as an isolated temperate and mesic island in the desert, resulting in the evolution of these narrow-range endemic flora. Based on the composition of species, this system may represent the northernmost remnant of a continuous belt of mesic vegetation formerly ranging from Africa to Asia, with close links to the flora of East Africa. This has significant implications for future conservation of endemic plants in an arid biodiversity hotspot.

scholarly journals Plant species extinction debt in a temperate biodiversity hotspot: Community, species and functional traits approaches

2011 ◽  
Vol 144 (5) ◽  
pp. 1619-1629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julien Piqueray ◽  
Emmanuelle Bisteau ◽  
Sara Cristofoli ◽  
Rodolphe Palm ◽  
Peter Poschlod ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Extinction Debt ◽  
Species Extinction

scholarly journals Functional macrophyte trait variation as a response to the source of inorganic carbon acquisition

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12584
Author(s):  
Rafał Chmara ◽  
Eugeniusz Pronin ◽  
Józef Szmeja
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Inorganic Carbon ◽  
Aquatic Macrophyte ◽  
Secchi Depth ◽  
Leaf Traits ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Macrophyte Species ◽  
Inorganic Carbon Acquisition

Background This study aims to compare variation in a range of aquatic macrophyte species leaf traits into three carbon acquisition groups: HCO3−, free CO2 and atmospheric CO2. Methods The leaf functional traits were measured for 30 species from 30 softwater lakes. Macrophyte species were classified into (1) free CO2, (2) atmospheric CO2 and (3) bicarbonate HCO3− groups. In each lake we collected water samples and measured eight environmental variables: depth, Secchi depth, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), pH of water, conductivity, calcium concentration, total nitrogen and total phosphorus. In this study we applied the RLQ analysis to investigate the relationships between species functional traits (Q) and their relationship with environmental variables (R) constrained by species abundance (L). Results The results showed that: (1) Aquatic macrophytes exhibited high leaf trait variations as a response to different inorganic carbon acquisition; (2) Traits of leaves refer to the acquisition of carbon for photosynthesis and serve to maximise this process; (3) In the wide softwater habitat, macrophyte species exhibited an extreme range of leaf economic spectrum (leaf area, leaf dry weight and specific leaf area) and wide range of shape trait expressed as circularity; (4) Macrophyte leaf traits are the result of adaptation to carbon acquisition in ambient environment.

scholarly journals Fish complementarity is associated to forests in Amazonian streams

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 579-590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Rodrigues Bordignon ◽  
Lilian Casatti ◽  
María Angélica Pérez-Mayorga ◽  
Fabrício Barreto Teresa ◽  
Gabriel Lourenço Brejão
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Use ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Fish Species ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Fish Fauna ◽  
Functional Structure ◽  
Structure Of Communities ◽  
Net Relatedness Index ◽  
Functional Homogenization

The functional structure of communities is commonly measured by the variability in functional traits, which may demonstrate complementarity or redundancy patterns. In this study, we tested the influence of environmental variables on the functional structure of fish assemblages in Amazonian streams within a deforestation gradient. We calculated six ecomorphological traits related to habitat use from each fish species, and used them to calculate the net relatedness index (NRI) and the nearest taxon index (NTI). The set of species that used the habitat differently (complementary or overdispersed assemblages) occurred in sites with a greater proportion of forests. The set of species that used the habitat in a similar way (redundant or clustered assemblages) occurred in sites with a greater proportion of grasses in the stream banks. Therefore, the deforestation of entire watersheds, which has occurred in many Amazonian regions, may be a central factor for the functional homogenization of fish fauna.

scholarly journals The role of spatial and environmental variables in shaping aquatic insect assemblages in two protected areas in the transition area between Cerrado and Amazônia

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Derise de Assunção Barbosa ◽  
Leandro Schlemmer Brasil ◽  
Carlos Augusto Silva de Azevêdo ◽  
Lucas Ramos Costa Lima
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Aquatic Insects ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Aquatic Insect ◽  
Spatial Filter ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Taxonomic Richness ◽  
Habitat Integrity ◽  
Transition Area

Abstract: The distribution of aquatic insects of the orders Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) can be influenced by factors such as water quality, habitat integrity and biogeography. The present study evaluated the structure of EPT assemblages in streams in the Cerrado, a global biodiversity hotspot. Samples were collected from 20 streams in two protected areas: Parque Estadual do Mirador (10 streams) and Parque Nacional da Chapada das Mesas (10 streams). A total of 1987 specimens were collected, representing 46 taxa of EPT. The two study areas did not differ significantly in taxonomic richness of EPT genera (t = -1.119, p = 0.279) and abundance of individuals (t = 0.268, p = 0.791) but did differ in genus composition (Pseudo-F = 2.088, R2 = 0.103, p = 0.015) and environmental variables (Pseudo-F = 2,282, R2 = 0.112, p = 0.014). None of the tested environmental variables were correlated with the community but a spatial filter captured an effect of the spatial distribution of streams. The region of the study is located in MATOPIBA, which is the last agricultural frontier of the Cerrado. Therefore, it is important that there is police and monitoring so that the “Parque Estadual do Mirador” and the “Parque Nacional da Chapada das Mesas” continue to play their role in conserving biodiversity in the future.

scholarly journals Variation in habitat suitability does not always relate to variation in species' plant functional traits

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilfried Thuiller ◽  
Cécile H. Albert ◽  
Anne Dubuis ◽  
Christophe Randin ◽  
Antoine Guisan
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Sampling Design ◽  
Plant Functional Traits ◽  
Habitat Conditions ◽  
Habitat Suitability Models ◽  
And Function ◽  
Species Occurrences ◽  
Relate Species

Habitat suitability models, which relate species occurrences to environmental variables, are assumed to predict suitable conditions for a given species. If these models are reliable, they should relate to change in plant growth and function. In this paper, we ask the question whether habitat suitability models are able to predict variation in plant functional traits, often assumed to be a good surrogate for a species' overall health and vigour. Using a thorough sampling design, we show a tight link between variation in plant functional traits and habitat suitability for some species, but not for others. Our contrasting results pave the way towards a better understanding of how species cope with varying habitat conditions and demonstrate that habitat suitability models can provide meaningful descriptions of the functional niche in some cases, but not in others.

Functional and Taxonomic Beta Diversity of Saproxylic Beetles in Mediterranean Forests: On What Factors Do They Depend?

2020 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 615-626
Author(s):  
D Pérez-Sánchez ◽  
E Galante ◽  
E Micó
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Saproxylic Beetles ◽  
Mediterranean Forests ◽  
Geographical Distance ◽  
Functional Composition ◽  
Species Replacement ◽  
Beetle Assemblages ◽  
Saproxylic Beetle

Abstract Understanding how biodiversity is distributed across geographical and environmental gradients is a main goal of diversity sciences. However, since ecosystem processes are linked to variation in functional traits of the biota, examining functional beta diversity is particularly important. Our objective was to analyze the taxonomic and functional beta diversity patterns of saproxylic beetle assemblages in evergreen Quercus forest of Spain. We tested whether environmental or geographical distance had a greater influence on taxonomic and functional beta diversity, and if both measures of beta diversity were affected by the same environmental variables. We used 45 flight interception traps distributed in three protected areas over a 12-mo period to sample saproxylic beetles. We measured 13 environmental variables around each trap and the geographical distance between traps. For functional composition, we used 12 functional traits from four functional groups (morphological, phenological, trophic, and a surrogate of physiological). Our results showed that environmental differences between areas influenced the taxonomic and functional beta diversity components (replacement and loss/gain) but in different ways. While replacement components (higher for taxonomic composition) increased with environmental distance, the loss or gain components (higher for functional composition) remained constant, indicating that species replacement mostly involved functionally redundant species. Besides, environmental variables influencing both taxonomic and functional composition were strongly dependent on each area. In conclusion, in well-preserved Mediterranean forests, environmental filtering determines the taxonomic and functional composition of saproxylic beetle assemblages, by favoring species replacement but filtering species traits.

scholarly journals Habitat differences filter functional diversity of low dispersive microscopic animals

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro Martínez ◽  
Guillermo García-Gómez ◽  
Álvaro García-Herrero ◽  
Nuria Sánchez ◽  
Fernando Pardos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Habitat Preferences ◽  
Functional Space ◽  
Temporal Variations ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
List Type ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Habitat Differences

AbstractWhereas the study of patterns of distribution of microscopic animals has long been dominated by the ubiquity paradigm, we are starting to appreciate that microscopic animals are not as widespread as previously thought and that habitat preferences may have a strong role in structuring their patterns of occurrence. However, we still ignore to what extent and through which mechanisms the environment selects for specific communities or traits in microscopic animals. This gap is partly due to the lack of data on the relevant traits of many species, and partly because measuring environmental variables at an appropriate resolution may be problematic.We here overcome both issues by analysing the functional space of marine mite communities living in a sea-grass (Posidonia oceanica) meadow across two habitats: the leaves and the matte. The strictly benthic lifestyle and the conserved morphology of mites allow for unambiguous characterization of their functional traits, while the discrete nature of the two habitats alleviates the uncertainty in their ecological characterization.Our results show that habitat filters the distribution of certain traits favouring a higher diversity, dispersion, and evenness of functional traits in the matte than in the leaves. We further observed temporal variations in the functional diversity of communities, potentially following the seasonal renovation and decay of seagrass leaves. However, in spite of the stark ecological differences between the two habitats and across seasons, the filtering effect is partial and affects mostly relative species abundances.We conclude that in other microscopic organisms, habitat filtering might appear even more subtle especially if they are capable of long distance dispersal or occur in ecological systems where environmental variables vary continuously or fluctuate through time. Our study therefore emphasises the need of moving from a merely taxonomical toward a functional view of ecological studies of microscopic organisms if we want to achieve a mechanistic understanding of their habitat and distribution patterns.Data availability statementRaw data and R script to generate the analyses will be deposited in a public repository upon acceptance.

scholarly journals Islands in the desert: Environmental distribution modelling of endemic flora reveals the extent of Pleistocene tropical relict vegetation in southern Arabia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
James S. Borrell ◽  
Ghudaina Al Issaey ◽  
Darach A. Lupton ◽  
Thomas Starnes ◽  
Abdulrahman Al Hinai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Narrow Range ◽  
Biodiversity Hotspot ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Distribution Data ◽  
Endemic Plants ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Environmental Distribution ◽  
Southern Arabia ◽  
Endemic Flora

ABSTRACTBackground and AimsSouthern Arabia is a global biodiversity hotspot with a high proportion of endemic desert-adapted plants. Here we examine evidence for a Pleistocene climate refugium in the southern Central Desert of Oman, and its role in driving biogeographical patterns of endemism.MethodsDistribution data for seven narrow-range endemic plants were collected systematically across 195 quadrats, together with incidental and historic records. Important environmental variables relevant to arid coastal areas, including night time fog and cloud cover were developed for the study area. Environmental niche models were built and tuned for each species and spatial overlap examined.Key ResultsA region of the Jiddat Al Arkad reported independent high model suitability for all species. Examination of environmental data across southern Oman indicates that the Jiddat Al Arkad displays a regionally unique climate with higher intra-annual stability, due in part to the influence of the southern monsoon. Despite this, relative importance of environmental variables was highly differentiated among species, suggesting characteristic variables such as coastal fog are not major cross-species predictors at this scale.ConclusionsThe co-occurrence of a high number of endemic study species within a narrow monsoon-influenced region is indicative of a refugium with low climate change velocity. Combined with climate analysis, our findings provide strong evidence for a southern Arabian Pleistocene refugium in the Oman’s Central Desert. We suggest this refugium has acted as an isolated temperate and mesic island in the desert, resulting in the evolution of these narrow-range endemic flora. Based on the composition of species, this system may represent the northernmost remnant of a continuous belt of mesic vegetation formerly ranging from Africa to Asia, with close links to the flora of East Africa. This has significant implications for future conservation of endemic plants in an arid biodiversity hotspot.

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