Ecological indicator values reveal missing predictors of species distributions

Scientific Reports
Daniel Scherrer, Antoine Guisan

Abstract

The questions of how much abiotic environment contributes to explain species distributions, and which abiotic factors are the most influential, are key when projecting species realized niches in space and time. Here, we show that answers to these questions can be obtained by using species' ecological indicator values (EIVs). By calculating community averages of plant EIVs (397 plant species and 3988 vegetation plots), we found that substituting mapped environmental predictors with site EIVs led to a doubling of explained variation (22.5% to 44%). EIVs representing light and soil showed the highest model improvement, while EIVs representing temperature did not explain additional variance, suggesting that current temperature maps are already fairly accurate. Therefore, although temperature is frequently reported as having a dominant effect on species distributions over other factors, our results suggest that this might primarily result from limitations in our capacity to map other key environmental factors, such as light and soil properties, over large areas.

References

Oct 3, 2006·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Miguel B Araújo, Mark New
May 1, 2010·Science·Brian J McGill
Jun 12, 2013·Global Change Biology·Peter Christiaan le RouxMiska Luoto
Oct 19, 2013·Ecology Letters·Antoine GuisanYvonne M Buckley
Oct 2, 2015·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Manuela D'AmenAntoine Guisan
Nov 9, 2016·Frontiers in Plant Science·Rachid CheddadiPeter B Pearman
Dec 8, 2016·Nature·Jean-François PekelAlan S Belward

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 12, 2019·Ecology·Jörg Löffler, Roland Pape
Sep 1, 2020·Global Change Biology·Heidi K ModAntoine Guisan
Nov 18, 2020·Biodiversity Data Journal·Mayra Flores-TolentinoJosé Luis Villaseñor
Dec 12, 2020·Ecology and Evolution·Noëlle KleinJean-Nicolas Pradervand
Oct 13, 2021·Current Biology : CB·Olivia K Bates, Cleo Bertelsmeier

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
GAM

Software Mentioned

R package biomod2
R

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.