scholarly journals Mean Annual Precipitation Explains Spatiotemporal Patterns of Cenozoic Mammal Beta Diversity and Latitudinal Diversity Gradients in North America

PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. e106499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Fraser ◽  
Christopher Hassall ◽  
Root Gorelick ◽  
Natalia Rybczynski
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Spatiotemporal Patterns ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
Diversity Gradients

Trends in North American small mammals found in common barn-owl (Tyto alba) dietary studies

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (12) ◽  
pp. 3093-3102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald R. Clark Jr. ◽  
Christine M. Bunck
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Small Mammals ◽  
North American ◽  
Barn Owl ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
Tyto Alba ◽  
Geographic Regions ◽  
Rats And Mice

Data on mammals were compiled from published studies of common barn-owl (Tyto alba) pellets. Mammalian composition of pellet samples was analyzed within geographic regions in regard to year, mean annual precipitation, latitude, and number of individual mammals in the sample. Percentages of individuals in pellets that were shrews increased whereas the percentages of rodents decreased with greater mean annual precipitation, especially in northern and western areas of North America. From the 1920s through 1980s, in northern and eastern areas the percentage of species that was shrews decreased, and in northern and central areas the percentage of individuals that was murid rats and mice increased. Human alterations of habitats during these seven decades are postulated to have caused changes in available small mammals, leading to changes in the barn-owl diet.

Climate and the distribution of C4 grasses along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of North America

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 474-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy SM Wan ◽  
Rowan F Sage
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Minimum Temperature ◽  
Malic Enzyme ◽  
Pacific Coast ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
Exotic Grasses ◽  
The Pacific

In this study, relationships between temperature, precipitation, and the percentage of C4 grasses in local grass floras from the Atlantic and Pacific coastal regions of North America were examined. The proportion of C4 species in a local grass flora increased as latitude decreased on both coasts. At a given latitude, the C4 percentage on the Atlantic coast was higher than the Pacific coast. This difference was related to the Atlantic coast having greater July minimum temperatures than Pacific coast locations of similar latitude. Linear regression analysis showed that the proportion of C4 species in a local flora was positively associated with July minimum temperature on both coasts. The regression line between July minimum temperature and C4 representation was similar for each coast, indicating growth-season temperature has a similar control over C4 presence on the two coasts. Proportionally more of the annual precipitation fell in midsummer on the Atlantic than the Pacific coast, but this difference in the seasonal occurrence of precipitation did not alter the relationship between July minimum temperature and the contribution of C4 grass species to local floras. The Atlantic coast locations with the most precipitation had the highest C4 grass occurrence, indicating aridity alone did not increase the C4 representation in a grass flora. On both coasts, the proportion of NADP-malic enzyme C4 species in local C4 grass floras was positively correlated with mean annual precipitation; however, at equivalent percentages of NADP-malic enzyme subtype occurrence, precipitation levels were substantially lower on the Pacific than Atlantic coast. The trend between latitude and the percentage of C4 species in exotic grass floras was similar to the trend between latitude and the percentage of all C4 grasses in an entire grass flora. Thus, the C4 pathway appears to play no obvious role in enhancing the invasibility of exotic grasses in North America.Key words: bioinvasions, biogeography, C4 photosynthesis, C4 subtype, Poaceae, photosynthesis.

Ecological Niche Modeling Predicting the Potential Distribution of African Horse Sickness Virus from 2020 - 2060

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayalew Assefa ◽  
Abebe Tibebu ◽  
Amare Bihon ◽  
Alemu Dagnachew ◽  
Yimer Muktar
Keyword(s):  
Solar Radiation ◽  
Ecological Niche ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
African Horse Sickness ◽  
Diurnal Range ◽  
Annual Minimum Temperature ◽  
Precipitation Seasonality ◽  
Vector Borne

Abstract African horse sickness is a vector-borne, non-contagious and highly infectious disease of equines caused by African Horse Sickness viruses (AHSv) that mainly affect horses. The occurrence of the disease causes huge economic impacts because of its fatality rate is high, trade ban and disease control costs. In planning of vectors and vector borne diseases, the application of Ecological niche models (ENM) used an enormous contribution in exactly delineating the suitable habitats of the vector. We developed an ENM with the objective of delineating the global suitability of AHSv outbreaks retrospective based on data records from 2005–2019. The model was developed in R software program using Biomod2 package with an Ensemble modeling technique. Predictive environmental variables like mean diurnal range, mean precipitation of driest month(mm), precipitation seasonality (cv), mean annual maximum temperature (oc), mean annual minimum temperature (oc) mean precipitation of warmest quarter(mm), mean precipitation of coldest quarter (mm) mean annual precipitation (mm), solar radiation (kj /day), elevation/altitude (m), wind speed (m/s) were used to develop the model. From these variables, solar radiation, mean maximum temperature, average annual precipitation, altitude and precipitation seasonality contributed 36.83%, 17.1%, 14.34%, 7.61%, and 6.4%, respectively. The model depicted the sub-Sahara African continent as the most suitable area for the virus. Mainly Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Sudan, Somalia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Malawi are African countries identified as highly suitable countries for the virus. Besides, OIE-listed disease-free countries like India, Australia, Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia have been found suitable for the virusThis model can be used as an epidemiological tool in planning control and surveillance of diseases nationally or internationally.

scholarly journals Evaluating ecological uniqueness over broad spatial extents using species distribution modelling

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Dansereau ◽  
Pierre Legendre ◽  
Timothée Poisot
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Species Distribution ◽  
Rare Species ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Species Distribution Modelling ◽  
Distribution Models ◽  
Science Data ◽  
Distribution Modelling ◽  
Ecological Uniqueness ◽  
The Relationship

Aim: Local contributions to beta diversity (LCBD) can be used to identify sites with high ecological uniqueness and exceptional species composition within a region of interest. Yet, these indices are typically used on local or regional scales with relatively few sites, as they require information on complete community compositions difficult to acquire on larger scales. Here, we investigate how LCBD indices can be used to predict ecological uniqueness over broad spatial extents using species distribution modelling and citizen science data. Location: North America. Time period: 2000s. Major taxa studied: Parulidae. Methods: We used Bayesian additive regression trees (BARTs) to predict warbler species distributions in North America based on observations recorded in the eBird database. We then calculated LCBD indices for observed and predicted data and examined the site-wise difference using direct comparison, a spatial autocorrelation test, and generalized linear regression. We also investigated the relationship between LCBD values and species richness in different regions and at various spatial extents and the effect of the proportion of rare species on the relationship. Results: Our results showed that the relationship between richness and LCBD values varies according to the region and the spatial extent at which it is applied. It is also affected by the proportion of rare species in the community. Species distribution models provided highly correlated estimates with observed data, although spatially autocorrelated. Main conclusions: Sites identified as unique over broad spatial extents may vary according to the regional richness, total extent size, and the proportion of rare species. Species distribution modelling can be used to predict ecological uniqueness over broad spatial extents, which could help identify beta diversity hotspots and important targets for conservation purposes in unsampled locations.

Distribution patterns of disjunct and endemic vascular plants in the interior wetbelt of northwest North AmericaThis paper is one of a selection of papers published as part of the special Schofield Gedenkschrift.

Botany ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Curtis R. Björk
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
South Coast ◽  
Ice Age ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
North Coast ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Inland Northwest ◽  
Wet Climate

A region of contrastively wetter and milder climate occurs in inland northwest North America, separated from similar climates of the Pacific coast by 200–400 km. Researchers have long noted that numerous vascular plants divide their ranges between the interior wetbelt and coastal regions, although many such disjunctions have hitherto gone undocumented. Here I summarize all vascular plants shared between coastal and interior wetbelt regions, disjunct by at least 200 km. These disjunct taxa are assigned to north-coast and south-coast lists according to whether the coastal portions of the ranges occur primarily north or south of the southern limits of maximum continental glaciation. A list of interior wetbelt endemic taxa is also presented, focusing on those that occur at forested elevations. Presence/absence for coastal disjunct and endemic taxa were assigned to grid of 1° × 1° latitude–longitude cells. Using this grid, concentrations of disjunct and endemic taxa were detected, and total values per cell were tested in linear regression for a relationship to mean annual precipitation. In total, 116 coastal disjunct taxa were detected, 31 of them north-coastal and 85 south-coastal. Interior wetbelt endemic and subendemic taxa total 95, and of these, 46 were found primarily at forested elevations. North-coast taxa were found over a wide latitudinal range both north and south of the glacial limits, and their distribution had a weak positive relationship with annual precipitation. South-coast and endemic taxa were found mostly south of the glacial limits, and their distribution did not correlate to annual precipitation. The greatest concentrations of south coastal disjunct and endemic taxa occurred in the Clearwater region of north-central Idaho; a region noted by previous researchers to be a likely ice-age refugium for wet-climate dependent plants and animals. Inferences are made from these patterns, both for biogeographical understanding of the roles played by the interior wetbelt and some regions connecting to the coast, as well as for preservation of biodiversity and ecosystem continuity.

scholarly journals A Multiregion Model Evaluation and Attribution Study of Historical Changes in the Area Affected by Temperature and Precipitation Extremes

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (23) ◽  
pp. 8285-8299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea J. Dittus ◽  
David J. Karoly ◽  
Sophie C. Lewis ◽  
Lisa V. Alexander ◽  
Markus G. Donat
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Minimum Temperature ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Heavy Precipitation ◽  
Precipitation Extremes ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Total Annual Precipitation ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Increasing Trends

Abstract The skill of eight climate models in simulating the variability and trends in the observed areal extent of daily temperature and precipitation extremes is evaluated across five large-scale regions, using the climate extremes index (CEI) framework. Focusing on Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, and the Northern Hemisphere, results show that overall the models are generally able to simulate the decadal variability and trends of the observed temperature and precipitation components over the period 1951–2005. Climate models are able to reproduce observed increasing trends in the area experiencing warm maximum and minimum temperature extremes, as well as, to a lesser extent, increasing trends in the areas experiencing an extreme contribution of heavy precipitation to total annual precipitation for the Northern Hemisphere regions. Using simulations performed under different radiative forcing scenarios, the causes of simulated and observed trends are investigated. A clear anthropogenic signal is found in the trends in the maximum and minimum temperature components for all regions. In North America, a strong anthropogenically forced trend in the maximum temperature component is simulated despite no significant trend in the gridded observations, although a trend is detected in a reanalysis product. A distinct anthropogenic influence is also found for trends in the area affected by a much-above-average contribution of heavy precipitation to annual precipitation totals for Europe in a majority of models and to varying degrees in other Northern Hemisphere regions. However, observed trends in the area experiencing extreme total annual precipitation and extreme number of wet and dry days are not reproduced by climate models under any forcing scenario.

scholarly journals MODELING PRECIPITATION DEPENDENT FOREST RESILIENCE IN INDIA

2018 ◽  
Vol XLII-3 ◽  
pp. 263-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Das ◽  
M. D. Behera ◽  
P. S. Roy
Keyword(s):  
Forest Cover ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
High Tendency ◽  
North East India ◽  
North East ◽  
Forest Resilience ◽  
The Impact

The impact of long term climate change that imparts stress on forest could be perceived by studying the regime shift of forest ecosystem. With the change of significant precipitation, forest may go through density change around globe at different spatial and temporal scale. The 100 class high resolution (60 meter spatial resolution) Indian vegetation type map was used in this study recoded into four broad categories depending on phrenology as (i) forest, (ii) scrubland, (iii) grassland and (iv) treeless area. The percentage occupancy of forest, scrub, grass and treeless were observed as 19.9&amp;thinsp;%, 5.05&amp;thinsp;%, 1.89&amp;thinsp;% and 7.79&amp;thinsp;% respectively. Rest of the 65.37&amp;thinsp;% land area was occupied by the cropland, built-up, water body and snow covers. The majority forest cover were appended into a 5&amp;thinsp;km&amp;thinsp;&amp;times;&amp;thinsp;5&amp;thinsp;km grid, along with the mean annual precipitation taken from Bioclim data. The binary presence and absence of different vegetation categories in relates to the annual precipitation was analyzed to calculate their resilience expressed in probability values ranging from 0 to 1. Forest cover observed having resilience probability (Pr) &amp;lt;&amp;thinsp;0.3 in only 0.3&amp;thinsp;% (200&amp;thinsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of total forest cover in India, which was 4.3&amp;thinsp;% &amp;lt;&amp;thinsp;0.5&amp;thinsp;Pr. Majority of the scrubs and grass (64.92&amp;thinsp;% Pr&amp;thinsp;&amp;lt;&amp;thinsp;0.5) from North East India which were the shifting cultivation lands showing low resilience, having their high tendency to be transform to forest. These results have spatial explicitness to highlight the resilient and non-resilient distribution of forest, scrub and grass, and treeless areas in India.

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