Overdispersion of body size in Australian desert lizard communities at local scales only: no evidence for the Narcissus effect

Rabosky, Daniel L.; Reid, Jessica; Cowan, Mark A.; Foulkes, Jeff

doi:10.1007/s00442-007-0849-1

Cited by 35 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…It is recognized that non-random phylogenetic structure (phylogenetic overdispersion or clustering) indeed exists in animal, plant and microbial communities [38], [39], [40] where approximately sixty percent of previous studies have found evidence for phylogenetic clustering in contemporary terrestrial and plant communities [41]. Two general types of niche-based processes can produce these patterns of non-random phylogenetic community structure – environmental filtering and strong negative or positive biotic interactions.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Tree-Habitat Associations in a Chinese Subtropical Forest Plot Using a Molecular Phylogeny Generated from DNA Barcode Loci

et al. 2011

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Elucidating the ecological mechanisms underlying community assembly in subtropical forests remains a central challenge for ecologists. The assembly of species into communities can be due to interspecific differences in habitat associations, and there is increasing evidence that these associations may have an underlying phylogenetic structure in contemporary terrestrial communities. In other words, by examining the degree to which closely related species prefer similar habitats and the degree to which they co-occur, ecologists are able to infer the mechanisms underlying community assembly. Here we implement this approach in a diverse subtropical tree community in China using a long-term forest dynamics plot and a molecular phylogeny generated from three DNA barcode loci. We find that there is phylogenetic signal in plant-habitat associations (i.e. closely related species tend to prefer similar habitats) and that patterns of co-occurrence within habitats are typically non-random with respect to phylogeny. In particular, we found phylogenetic clustering in valley and low-slope habitats in this forest, indicating a filtering of lineages plays a dominant role in structuring communities in these habitats and we found evidence of phylogenetic overdispersion in high-slope, ridge-top and high-gully habitats, indicating that distantly related species tended to co-occur in these high elevation habitats and that lineage filtering is less important in structuring these communities. Thus we infer that non-neutral niche-based processes acting upon evolutionarily conserved habitat preferences explain the assembly of local scale communities in the forest studied.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring Tree-Habitat Associations in a Chinese Subtropical Forest Plot Using a Molecular Phylogeny Generated from DNA Barcode Loci

et al. 2011

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“…Pianka 1986Pianka , 1996James 1994;McKenzie et al 2000b;Cowan and How 2004;Rabosky et al 2007). Few of these studies, however, have examined geographic patterns in assemblage composition and, of those that have, the study areas have been in predominantly sandy regions.…”

Section: Figurementioning

confidence: 99%

Herpetological assemblages of the Pilbara biogeographic region, Western Australia: ecological associations, biogeographic patterns and conservation

Doughty¹,

Rolfe²,

Burbidge³

et al. 2011

Rec West Aust Mus Sup

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-The Pilbara region has one of the most diverse reptile assemblages in the world and includes many typical arid zone species as well as many saxicoline endemics. We present the results of a four-year survey of the region during which pitfall trap lines were used to sample 297 quadrats for a total of two weeks in spring and in autumn. The quadrats were located across the region and were chosen to sample the main substrate types. Environmental variables were measured to characterise the soil as well as the geomorphic, vegetative and climatic setting of each quadrat. We used the program PATN to expose patterns in species composition among quadrats, and in relation to the environmental variables.A strong signal for community structure emerged that was linked to surface type. Broad rock, clay, sand and loam categorisations seemed to explain most assemblage composition, with climatic variables showing only weak infl uence. However, many taxa occurred across several surface types, refl ecting the close juxtaposition of habitats within the region, wide dispersion of some taxa, and perhaps the infl uence of recent environmental history including anthropogenic changes.Examination of biogeographic characteristics of the species groups indicated strong endemism for taxa that preferred rocky substrates. In addition, many saxicoline Pilbara taxa have ranges that extend south into rocky areas of the Gascoyne, western Murchison and adjacent areas. Sandy habitats similar to those found in the Pilbara are widespread across Australia's arid zone, and accordingly few endemic taxa showed a preference for sandy surface types, and taxa with such preferences have distributions extending far beyond the Pilbara. The sandy areas of the coastal plain in the Roebourne subregion contained many taxa from Dampierland and the Great Sandy Desert to the north and north-east, as well as some taxa from the rich sand-adapted fauna of the Carnarvon region to the south. Some endemic taxa are associated with clay in the region, although clay surfaces were not as extensive as the rocky, loamy and sandy surfaces. Species associated with the fi ne-textured soils of the mulga woodlands in the southern part of the region appear to be an extension of herpetofaunal communities of regions to the south.Herpetofauna composition at the regional scale appears to have persisted, and patterns discerned in our analysis appear robust, despite the changes that have accompanied European colonisation in the Pilbara, including pastoralism, changed fi re regimes, weeds, introduced animals, mining and infrastructure. However, the existing reserve system does not adequately capture the region's herpetofaunal diversity, especially the endemic taxa in the Fortescue and Roebourne subregions, and there are likely to have been changes in community composition at the local level.

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“…We then test for overdispersion of sympatric species in terms of their phylogenetic relatedness and body size, with the goal of understanding whether the few cases of co-occurrence are non-random. Body size represents an important ecological trait that may influence the ability of species to coexist [42]–[44], potentially due to its relationship with other factors, such as metabolic and reproductive rates, prey preferences, and vulnerability to predators [45]. As a final treatment of questions related to the potential role of species interactions in determining current species richness, we simulated the process of inter-island colonization to determine whether the current distribution of Crocidura could be generated with a random model of dispersal that lacks ecological forces.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Species Interactions during Diversification and Community Assembly in an Island Radiation of Shrews

2011

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BackgroundClosely related, ecologically similar species often have adjacent distributions, suggesting competitive exclusion may contribute to the structure of some natural communities. In systems such as island archipelagos, where speciation is often tightly associated with dispersal over oceanic barriers, competitive exclusion may prevent population establishment following inter-island dispersal and subsequent cladogenesis.Methodology/Principal FindingsUsing a combination of tools, we test the hypothesis that the distributions of shrew (Crocidura) species in the Philippines are the result of competitive exclusion preventing secondary invasion of occupied islands. We first compare ecological niche models between two widespread, allopatric species and find statistical support for their ecological similarity, implying that competition for habitat between these species is possible. We then examine dispersion patterns among sympatric species and find some signal for overdispersion of body size, but not for phylogenetic branch length. Finally, we simulate the process of inter-island colonization under a stochastic model of dispersal lacking ecological forces. Results are dependent on the geographic scope and colonization probability employed. However, some combinations suggest that the number of inter-island dispersal events necessary to populate the archipelago may be much higher than the minimum number of colonization events necessary to explain current estimates of species richness and phylogenetic relationships. If our model is appropriate, these results imply that alternative factors, such as competitive exclusion, may have influenced the process of inter-island colonization and subsequent cladogenesis.Conclusions/SignificanceWe interpret the combined results as providing tenuous evidence that similarity in body size may prevent co-occurrence in Philippine shrews and that competitive exclusion among ecologically similar species, rather than an inability to disperse among islands, may have limited diversification in this group, and, possibly other clades endemic to island archipelagos.

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Overdispersion of body size in Australian desert lizard communities at local scales only: no evidence for the Narcissus effect

Cited by 35 publications

References 56 publications

Exploring Tree-Habitat Associations in a Chinese Subtropical Forest Plot Using a Molecular Phylogeny Generated from DNA Barcode Loci

Exploring Tree-Habitat Associations in a Chinese Subtropical Forest Plot Using a Molecular Phylogeny Generated from DNA Barcode Loci

Herpetological assemblages of the Pilbara biogeographic region, Western Australia: ecological associations, biogeographic patterns and conservation

Species Interactions during Diversification and Community Assembly in an Island Radiation of Shrews

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