Metabolic Theory and Diversity Gradients: Where Do We Go From Here?

Hawkins, Bradford A.; Diniz‐Filho, José Alexandre Felizola; Bini, Luis Maurício; Araújo, Miguel B.; Field, Richard; Hortal, Joaquín; Kerr, Jeremy T.; Rahbek, Carsten; Rodrı́guez, Miguel Á.; Sanders, Nathan J.

doi:10.1890/06-2141.1

Cited by 79 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Numerous other studies have documented that species density is positively correlated with temperature (Hawkins et al 2003). Temperature is often correlated with diversity, not just in ants but in many taxa, though the mechanisms that link temperature to diversity have been a topic of much discussion (Clarke and Gaston 2006, Storch et al 2006, Hawkins et al 2007, Hessen et al 2007). Our results indicate that at high elevations and in cooler conditions, there are fewer species than in warmer, low‐elevation sites.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elevational gradients in phylogenetic structure of ant communities reveal the interplay of biotic and abiotic constraints on diversity

Macháč¹,

Janda²,

Dunn³

et al. 2010

Ecography

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192

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A central focus of ecology and biogeography is to determine the factors that govern spatial variation in biodiversity. Here, we examined patterns of ant diversity along climatic gradients in three temperate montane systems: Great Smoky Mountains National Park (USA), Chiricahua Mountains (USA), and Vorarlberg (Austria). To identify the factors which potentially shape these elevational diversity gradients, we analyzed patterns of community phylogenetic structure (i.e. the evolutionary relationships among species coexisting in local communities). We found that species at low‐elevation sites tended to be evenly dispersed across phylogeny, suggesting that these communities are structured by interspecific competition. In contrast, species occurring at high‐elevation sites tended to be more closely related than expected by chance, implying that these communities are structured primarily by environmental filtering caused by low temperatures. Taken together, the results of our study highlight the potential role of niche constraints, environmental temperature, and competition in shaping broad‐scale diversity gradients. We conclude that phylogenetic structure indeed accounts for some variation in species density, yet it does not entirely explain why temperature and species density are correlated.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elevational gradients in phylogenetic structure of ant communities reveal the interplay of biotic and abiotic constraints on diversity

Macháč¹,

Janda²,

Dunn³

et al. 2010

Ecography

Self Cite

192

224

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“…Given the problem of distinguishing between competing theories that make overlapping predictions, it is essential that the presentation of theories include clear descriptions of the unique predictions made by the theory, to facilitate tests that distinguish between alternatives (77,162,202,372,438). Such predictions should emerge from the theory, but will ideally complement the support provided to the theory by observed patterns of metabolic scaling, and will also ideally incorporate some form of experimental manipulation (138).…”

Section: Comparing Theories For Metabolic Scalingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metabolic Scaling in Animals: Methods, Empirical Results, and Theoretical Explanations

White

Kearney

2014

Comprehensive Physiology

160

174

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Life on earth spans a size range of around 21 orders of magnitude across species and can span a range of more than 6 orders of magnitude within species of animal. The effect of size on physiology is, therefore, enormous and is typically expressed by how physiological phenomena scale with mass(b). When b ≠ 1 a trait does not vary in direct proportion to mass and is said to scale allometrically. The study of allometric scaling goes back to at least the time of Galileo Galilei, and published scaling relationships are now available for hundreds of traits. Here, the methods of scaling analysis are reviewed, using examples for a range of traits with an emphasis on those related to metabolism in animals. Where necessary, new relationships have been generated from published data using modern phylogenetically informed techniques. During recent decades one of the most controversial scaling relationships has been that between metabolic rate and body mass and a number of explanations have been proposed for the scaling of this trait. Examples of these mechanistic explanations for metabolic scaling are reviewed, and suggestions made for comparing between them. Finally, the conceptual links between metabolic scaling and ecological patterns are examined, emphasizing the distinction between (1) the hypothesis that size- and temperature-dependent variation among species and individuals in metabolic rate influences ecological processes at levels of organization from individuals to the biosphere and (2) mechanistic explanations for metabolic rate that may explain the size- and temperature-dependence of this trait.

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“…Let us rather hope that we churn out fewer papers but adhere to statistical assumptions and more robust, generalizable conclusions, such as most of the papers Hawkins himself has already contributed to science (e.g. Hawkins et al, 2007). Statistics do not need to be complicated per se, but they need to be appropriate.…”

Section: W H a T I S A F F E C T E D I N S T At I S T I C A L A N A Lmentioning

confidence: 99%

Less than eight (and a half) misconceptions of spatial analysis

Kühn

Dormann²

2012

Journal of Biogeography

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Less than eight (and a half) misconceptions of spatial analysis A B S T R A C T Spatial analyses are indispensable analytical tools in biogeography and macroecology. In a recent Guest Editorial, Hawkins (Journal of Biogeography, 2012, 39, 1-9) raised several issues related to spatial analyses. While we concur with some points, we here clarify those confounding (1) spatial trends and spatial autocorrelation, and (2) spatial autocorrelation in the response variable and in the residuals. We argue that recognizing spatial autocorrelation in statistical modelling is not only a crucial step in model diagnostics, but that disregarding it is essentially wrong.

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Metabolic Theory and Diversity Gradients: Where Do We Go From Here?

Cited by 79 publications

References 23 publications

Elevational gradients in phylogenetic structure of ant communities reveal the interplay of biotic and abiotic constraints on diversity

Elevational gradients in phylogenetic structure of ant communities reveal the interplay of biotic and abiotic constraints on diversity

Metabolic Scaling in Animals: Methods, Empirical Results, and Theoretical Explanations

Less than eight (and a half) misconceptions of spatial analysis

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