The influence of habitat heterogeneity and latitude on gamma diversity of the Nearctic Simuliidae, a ubiquitous group of stream‐dwelling insects

Abstract

Among the most prominent, large-scale patterns of species richness are the increases in richness with decreasing latitude and with increasing habitat heterogeneity. Using the stream-dwelling larval and pupal stages of North American black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae), we address 3 broad questions about species richness: (i) Does a significant latitude-richness relationship exist? (ii) How does habitat heterogeneity influence gamma diversity? (iii) What is the sign (positive or negative) of the latitude-richness and the heterogeneity-richness relationships? We found no evidence that habitat heterogeneity influences gamma diversity. The estimated peak species richness for black flies in North America was at 50-53°N, which also corresponds with peak generic richness. All plesiomorphic, extant lineages of the Simuliidae in the Western Hemisphere are found in cool mountainous environments of North America, suggesting that peak richness at 50-53°N might be a signature of this phylogenetic pattern and a reflection of underlying historical processes.

Coinfection rates of avian blood parasites increase with latitude in parapatric host species

“…Understanding this parasite's biogeographic pattern relies on an understanding of the black fly vector and far less is known about how the diversity and abundance of this Dipteran group changes with latitude. Black fly species richness does appear to increase towards higher latitudes in North America, with an estimated peak black fly richness between 50 and 53° latitude followed by a decline towards the highest latitudes (McCreadie et al ., 2017 ). Changes in black fly abundance across space are not well-studied; McCreadie and Adler ( 2014 ) found an association between latitude and black fly occupancy in South Carolina, USA, though additional work is needed to determine the generality of this pattern at a continental scale.…”

Disentangling the effects of host relatedness and elevation on haemosporidian parasite turnover in a clade of songbirds

“…Leucocytozoon parasites are typically more prevalent and abundant in colder, temperate climates, as are their black fly vectors (Haas et al 2012, McCreadie and Adler 2014, Oakgrove et al 2014, McCreadie et al 2018, Cuevas et al 2020, Fecchio et al 2020). The temperate, forested breeding habitats of Catharus thrushes provide ideal conditions for high Leucocytozoon infection rates across their geographic ranges (Galen et al 2018; Starkloff et al, 2020).…”

Environmental drivers of breeding sites in blackfly species of medical and veterinary importance in eastern Spain

“…These levels were then transformed to a semi-quantitative scale (taking values from 1 to 3). We also recorded other local environmental variables including streambed-particle size, since they have been proved to be useful in predicting aquatic insect distribution in streams (Vinson & Hawkins, 1998;McCreadie et al, 2017). Particle size was measured as a categorical variable with four levels based on Wentworth's (1922) granulometric scale: muddy (<0.375 mm diameter, Φ), sandy (0.375-64 mm Φ), stony (64-400 mm Φ) and rocky (> 400 mm Φ).…”