What determines the climatic niche width of species? The role of spatial and temporal climatic variation in three vertebrate clades

Abstract

Aim Climatic niche breadth (the range of climatic conditions that a species experiences over space and time) is a fundamental topic in ecology, biogeography and evolution. But what determines the climatic niche width of species? In 1967, Janzen suggested that climatic niche widths for temperature were determined by levels of seasonal fluctuation in temperature at each locality, such that niche breadths are narrow in tropical species and broad in temperate species. However, it is unclear whether climatic niche breadths of species are determined more by seasonal variability within sites as opposed to climatic variation between sites across the species' range. We address this question here.Location Global. MethodsWe analysed three vertebrate clades (plethodontid salamanders, hylid frogs and phrynosomatid lizards) for which we had phylogenetic information and climatic data from localities throughout each species' geographic range, collectively including 409 species. We tested how climatic niche breadths of localities (i.e. temporal variation) are related to overall species climatic niche breadths (i.e. temporal and spatial variation) using phylogenetic comparative methods, focusing both on temperature extremes and precipitation. ResultsAcross the three clades, we find that niche breadths for single localities generally span most of the species' climatic niche breadth, and are strongly correlated with overall species niche breadths. However, species with wider climatic niches also tend to show greater climatic divergence between localities. Main conclusionsThe extent to which the climatic niche breadths of species are determined by variation within localities versus spatial variation between localities has been largely unexplored. Our results suggest that within-locality seasonal variation explains most variation in climatic niche breadths among species. However, between-locality variation and local adaptation may also play some role. These results require more general testing, but have several important implications.

Niche-tracking migrants and niche-switching residents: evolution of climatic niches in New World warblers (Parulidae)

“…Previous work has shown that niche breadth is strongly influenced by local climatic seasonality [34]. Therefore, a combination of narrower niches [6], less historical exposure to climatic changes [1,8] and potentially, greater importance of biotic interactions limiting species distributions and hence their ability to shift their ranges [50], have probably interacted to result in migration not evolving as frequently in species occurring in tropical latitudes.…”

“…The median and variance of these points along the first two environmental axes of the PCA was then measured using the 'ecospat' package in R [33]. We multiplied the variances from PC1 and PC2 in each season to obtain a measure of niche breadth (area) and then calculated the sum of these values as an estimate of total niche breadth of each study species [33,34].…”

Potential change in the distribution of an abundant and wide-ranging forest salamander in a context of climate change

“…1). In a recent study, Quintero and Wiens (2013a) suggested that local seasonal temperature variations are the main factors determining the niche breadth of some plethodontid species. Not surprisingly, and as shown by annual and grouped extreme climatic values in areas where P. cinereus is found, low-temperature extremes were observed in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Québec, and high-temperature extremes were observed in the American states of Indiana, Virginia and North Carolina, in the southern part of the species' range (Table 2; Fig.…”

Thermal Characterization of European Ant Communities Along Thermal Gradients and Its Implications for Community Resilience to Temperature Variability

“…Because the costs of maintaining thermal tolerance to high temperatures do not allow species to invest in thermal tolerance to low temperatures, species will display low thermal breadth and low thermal complementarity, which should decrease community thermal breadth. According to the climatic variability hypothesis (Stevens, 1989), species occurring in more variable climates should have broader thermal tolerances (e.g., Addo-Bediako et al, 2000;Quintero and Wiens, 2013;Khaliq et al, 2014). Support for this hypothesis comes from a variety of taxonomic groups-both endotherms and ectotherms-found along climatic and latitudinal gradients (e.g., Addo-Bediako et al, 2000;Quintero and Wiens, 2013;Khaliq et al, 2014).…”

“…According to the climatic variability hypothesis (Stevens, 1989), species occurring in more variable climates should have broader thermal tolerances (e.g., Addo-Bediako et al, 2000;Quintero and Wiens, 2013;Khaliq et al, 2014). Support for this hypothesis comes from a variety of taxonomic groups-both endotherms and ectotherms-found along climatic and latitudinal gradients (e.g., Addo-Bediako et al, 2000;Quintero and Wiens, 2013;Khaliq et al, 2014). This hypothesis implies that communities from regions with high thermal seasonality should display high mean thermal breadth.…”