scholarly journals Do large-seeded herbs have a small range size? The seed mass-distribution range trade-off hypothesis

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (24) ◽  
pp. 11204-11212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judit Sonkoly ◽  
Balázs Deák ◽  
Orsolya Valkó ◽  
Attila Molnár V. ◽  
Béla Tóthmérész ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Distribution ◽  
Seed Mass ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Distribution Range ◽  
Small Range ◽  
Trade Off

scholarly journals Biological and extrinsic correlates of extinction risk in Chinese lizards

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuxi Zhong ◽  
Chuanwu Chen ◽  
Yanping Wang
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Species Traits ◽  
Geographic Range ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Habitat Specialization ◽  
Mean Annual Precipitation ◽  
Mean Annual Temperature ◽  
Small Range ◽  
Extrinsic Factors

Abstract China is a country with one of the most species rich reptile faunas in the world. However, nearly a quarter of Chinese lizard species assessed by the China Biodiversity Red List are threatened. Nevertheless, to date, no study has explicitly examined the pattern and processes of extinction and threat in Chinese lizards. In this study, we conducted the first comparative phylogenetic analysis of extinction risk in Chinese lizards. We addressed the following three questions: 1) What is the pattern of extinction and threat in Chinese lizards? 2) Which species traits and extrinsic factors are related to their extinction risk? 3) How can we protect Chinese lizards based on our results? We collected data on ten species traits (body size, clutch size, geographic range size, activity time, reproductive mode, habitat specialization, habitat use, leg development, maximum elevation, and elevation range) and seven extrinsic factors (mean annual precipitation, mean annual temperature, mean annual solar insolation, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), human footprint, human population density, and human exploitation). After phylogenetic correction, these variables were used separately and in combination to assess their associations with extinction risk. We found that Chinese lizards with small geographic range, large body size, high habitat specialization, and living in high precipitation areas were vulnerable to extinction. Conservation priority should thus be given to species with the above extinction-prone traits so as to effectively protect Chinese lizards. Preventing future habitat destruction should also be a primary focus of management efforts because species with small range size and high habitat specialization are particularly vulnerable to habitat loss.

Reproductive ecology and allometry of red pine (Pinus resinosa) at the northwestern limit of its distribution range in Manitoba, Canada

2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 482-493 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alanna Sutton ◽  
Richard J Staniforth ◽  
Jacques Tardif
Keyword(s):  
Seed Mass ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Pinus Resinosa ◽  
Threshold Value ◽  
Distribution Range ◽  
Red Pine ◽  
Range Limit ◽  
North West ◽  
Poor Seed ◽  
Individual Trees

Red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) has been described as a poor seed producer at its distribution range limit; however, few studies have verified this claim or have examined the factors influencing the reproduction of the species. In 2000, data were collected from 60 trees growing in Manitoba at the extreme northwest limit of the natural distribution range for this species. Cones per tree were counted and samples weighed and measured. Likewise, seeds per cone were counted, measured, weighed, and tested for germination. Correlation and regression analyses compared measured characteristics among cones, among individual trees, and among portions of tree crowns (north, west, south, and east portions). Cone abundance among individual trees was significantly and positively correlated with stem diameter and with basal area increment from 1 to 4 years preceding cone maturation. Cone size and fresh mass and seed abundance, mass, and germination were not significantly correlated with individual trees or crown portions; however, seed number per cone and seed size were found to be significantly and positively correlated with cone size. Germination success in red pine increased with seed mass to a certain threshold value, beyond which more than 80% of the seeds germinated no matter what their mass. Our data for 2000 and field observations for 1999 and 2001 showed that red pine at its northwest limit of distribution range produced numerous cones and viable seeds.Key words: red pine, Pinus resinosa, distribution limit, seeds, germination, cones.

scholarly journals Seed traits and phylogeny explain plant distribution at large geographic scale

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Chen ◽  
Kevin S. Burgess ◽  
Fangliang He ◽  
Xiang-Yun Yang ◽  
Lian-Ming Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seed Dispersal ◽  
Species Distribution ◽  
Seed Mass ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Species Range ◽  
Seed Plants ◽  
Seed Traits ◽  
Geographic Scale ◽  
Dispersal Mode ◽  
Joint Effects

Abstract. Understanding the mechanisms that shape the geographic distribution of plant species is a central theme of biogeography. Although seed mass, seed dispersal mode and phylogeny have long been suspected to affect species distribution, the link between the sources of variation of these attributes and their joint effects to the distribution of seed plants remain poorly documented. This study aims to quantify the joint effects of key seed traits and phylogeny on the species' distribution. We collected seed mass and seed dispersal mode from 1,616 species of seed plants representing 554 genera of 130 families. We used 5,639,009 specimens to calculate species range size through ArcGIS10.2. Phylogenetic generalized least squares regression modeling and variation partitioning were performed to estimate the joint effects of seed mass, seed dispersal mode and phylogeny on species distribution. We found that species range size was constrained by seed dispersal mode and phylogeny. Seed mass and its intraspecific variation were also important in limiting species distribution, but their effects were different among species with different dispersal modes. Variation partitioning revealed that seed mass, seed mass variability, seed dispersal mode and phylogeny together explained 40.44 % of the variance in species range size. Seed traits are not typically used to model the geographic distributions of seed plants. This study provides direct evidence that seed mass, seed dispersal modes and phylogeny explain species distribution variation on a large geographic scale. Our findings underscore the necessity to include seed traits and the phylogenetic history of species, together with existing climate-based niche models, in predicting the response of plant geographic distribution to climate change.

Small range size and narrow niche breadth predict range contractions in South African frogs

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 567-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily A. Botts ◽  
Barend F. N. Erasmus ◽  
Graham J. Alexander
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Niche Breadth ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Small Range

scholarly journals Predicting the geographic distribution habitats of Schizomyia buboniae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and its host plant Deverra tortuosa (Apiaceae) in Egypt by using MaxEnt modeling

2021 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Kamel ◽  
Ahmed S. Bream ◽  
Mohamed M. Moursy ◽  
Sanad H. Ragab
Keyword(s):  
Host Plant ◽  
Gall Midge ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Environmental Variable ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Distribution Range ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Habitat Distribution ◽  
Maxent Modeling

Abstract Background In some localities of the Mediterranean coast and the Nile land region, the gall midge Schizomyia buboniae Frauenfeld, 1859 (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) induce small barrel-shaped galls on the stem of Deverra tortuosa (Desf.) DC. (Family: Apiaceae). Host plants interact with several insects in a different manner. The current work studies the interaction of S. buboniae with D. tortuosa. Furthermore, the present work predicted the distribution of S. buboniae and its host plant D. tortuosa in Egypt by using MaxEnt modeling, in addition to the effect of elevation and vegetation cover on its distribution. Results The predominance of S. buboniae occurred during late winter to spring. The S. buboniae larvae are occasionally attacked by endoparasitoids of the genus Inostemma (Platygastridae). There was a significant positive correlation between the number of galls per plant and the plant cover within the study localities. Meanwhile, there was no significant correlation between the number of galls per plant and the altitude within the study localities. Also, the high temperature and altitude were the most important predictors for the habitat distribution of S. buboniae and its host plant D. tortuosa. The predicted distribution range size for S. buboniae is less than the total predicted distribution range size for D. tortuosa. Conclusions The current study suggests that the gall inducer prefers large plants more than small ones. The present study suggests that the habitat distribution patterns of S. buboniae and its host plant D. tortuosa in Egypt can be modeled using a small number of occurrence records together with environmental variable layers for the study area through the maximum entropy modeling technique.

Greenhouse biogeography: the relationship of geographic range to invasion and extinction in the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway

Paleobiology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinne E. Myers ◽  
Richard A. MacKenzie ◽  
Bruce S. Lieberman
Keyword(s):  
Geographic Range ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Small Range ◽  
Western Interior Seaway ◽  
Invasion Potential ◽  
Geographic Range Size ◽  
Extant Species ◽  
Near Term ◽  
Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway

Significant warming of Earth's climate in the near term seems increasingly likely. If significant enough, this climatic regime could, in the long term, come to resemble previous greenhouse intervals in earth history. Consequently, analysis of the fossil record during periods of extreme warmth may provide important lessons for species biology, including biogeography, in a much warmer world. To explore this issue, we analyzed the biogeographic response of 63 molluscan species to the long-term global warmth in the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway (WIS) of North America, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to quantitatively measure changes in range size and distribution throughout this interval. We specifically considered the role that geographic range size played in mediating extinction resistance and invasion potential of these WIS species. We found no relationship between geographic range size and survivorship. However, endemic species with small range sizes were more likely to become invasive. Finally, mollusks did not experience a poleward shift in range out of the tropics during this warm regime. To the extent that these patterns are representative, and the WIS and taxa considered constitute a reasonable ancient analogue to a warmer future world, these results suggest that some biogeographic “rules” may not prevail under greenhouse conditions of long-term, equable warmth. They also suggest that other factors beyond geographic range size, including distinctive niche characteristics, may play quite important roles in species survival and invasion potential. This potentially complicates predictions regarding the future responses of extant species to long-term warming.

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