The World’s Drylands: A Classification

Dietz, Ton; Veldhuizen, Els

doi:10.1007/1-4020-2158-5_2

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…). Although we separated arid habitats (i.e., true deserts) from semiarid habitats (e.g., dry steppes, grasslands, dry forests), both are often considered together under the umbrella category of “drylands” (Dietz and Veldhuizen ) and share extended episodes of low precipitation and humidity that are punctuated by variable amounts of rainfall (Chesson et al. ; Loik et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary shifts in habitat aridity predict evaporative water loss across squamate reptiles

Cox

2015

Evolution

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Aridity is an important determinant of species distributions, shaping both ecological and evolutionary diversity. Lizards and snakes are often abundant in deserts, suggesting a high potential for adaptation or acclimation to arid habitats. However, phylogenetic evidence indicates that squamate diversity in deserts may be more strongly tied to speciation within arid habitats than to convergent evolution following repeated colonization from mesic habitats. To assess the frequency of evolutionary transitions in habitat aridity while simultaneously testing for associated changes in water-balance physiology, we analyzed estimates of total evaporative water loss (EWL) for 120 squamate species inhabiting arid, semiarid, or mesic habitats. Phylogenetic reconstructions revealed that evolutionary transitions to and from semiarid habitats were much more common than those between arid and mesic extremes. Species from mesic habitats exhibited significantly higher EWL than those from arid habitats, while species from semiarid habitats had intermediate EWL. Phylogenetic comparative methods confirmed this association between habitat aridity and EWL despite phylogenetic signal in each. Thus, the historical colonization of arid habitats by squamates is repeatedly associated with adaptive changes in EWL. This physiological convergence, which may reflect both phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptation, has likely contributed to the success of squamates in arid environments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary shifts in habitat aridity predict evaporative water loss across squamate reptiles

Cox

2015

Evolution

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“…1 Around 75% of Africans experiencing poverty live in countries with a minimum of 25% of the population residing in arid regions, where poverty is strongly concentrated. 2 Drylands often have poor institutional support, limited infrastructure, undeveloped financial markets, and minimal chances for commercial expansion. The population living in dryland regions of Africa is anticipated to surge from 460 million to nearly 800 million by 2030.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%