| 1. |
- Andermann, Tobias, et al.
(author)
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iucn_sim: a new program to simulate future extinctions based on IUCN threat status
- 2021
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In: Ecography. - : Wiley. - 0906-7590 .- 1600-0587. ; 44:2, s. 162-176
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The ongoing environmental crisis poses an urgent need to forecast the who, where and when of future species extinctions, as such information is crucial for targeting conservation efforts. Commonly, such forecasts are made based on conservation status assessments produced by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, when researchers apply these IUCN conservation status data for predicting future extinctions, important information is often omitted, which can impact the accuracy of these predictions. Here we present a new approach and a software for simulating future extinctions based on IUCN conservation status information, which incorporates generation length information of individual species when modeling extinction risks. Additionally, we explicitly model future changes in conservation status for each species, based on status transition rates that we estimate from the IUCN assessment history of the last decades. Finally, we apply a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm to estimate extinction rates for each species, based on the simulated future extinctions. These estimates inherently incorporate the chances of conservation status changes and the generation length for each given species and are specific to the simulated time frame. We demonstrate the utility of our approach by estimating future extinction rates for all bird species. Our average extinction rate estimate for the next 100 yr across all birds is 6.98 x 10(-4) extinctions per species-year, and we predict an expected biodiversity loss of between 669 and 738 bird species within that time frame. Further, the rate estimates between species sharing the same IUCN status show larger variation than the rates estimated with alternative approaches, which reflects expected differences in extinction risk among taxa of the same conservation status. Our method demonstrates the utility of applying species-specific information to the estimation of extinction rates, rather than assuming equal extinction risks for species assigned to the same conservation status.
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| 2. |
- Andermann, Tobias, et al.
(author)
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The past and future human impact on mammalian diversity
- 2020
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In: Science Advances. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 2375-2548. ; 6:36
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To understand the current biodiversity crisis, it is crucial to determine how humans have affected biodiversity in the past. However, the extent of human involvement in species extinctions from the Late Pleistocene onward remains contentious. Here, we apply Bayesian models to the fossil record to estimate how mammalian extinction rates have changed over the past 126,000 years, inferring specific times of rate increases. We specifically test the hypothesis of human-caused extinctions by using posterior predictive methods. We find that human population size is able to predict past extinctions with 96% accuracy. Predictors based on past climate, in contrast, perform no better than expected by chance, suggesting that climate had a negligible impact on global mammal extinctions. Based on current trends, we predict for the near future a rate escalation of unprecedented magnitude. Our results provide a comprehensive assessment of the human impact on past and predicted future extinctions of mammals.
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| 3. |
- Antonelli, Alexandre, 1978, et al.
(author)
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Conceptual and empirical advances in Neotropical biodiversity research
- 2018
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In: PeerJ. - : PeerJ. - 2167-8359. ; 2018:10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The unparalleled biodiversity found in the American tropics (the Neotropics) has attracted the attention of naturalists for centuries. Despite major advances in recent years in our understanding of the origin and diversification of many Neotropical taxa and biotic regions, many questions remain to be answered. Additional biological and geological data are still needed, as well as methodological advances that are capable of bridging these research fields. In this review, aimed primarily at advanced students and early-career scientists, we introduce the concept of "trans-disciplinary biogeography," which refers to the integration of data from multiple areas of research in biology (e.g., community ecology, phylogeography, systematics, historical biogeography) and Earth and the physical sciences (e.g., geology, climatology, palaeontology), as a means to reconstruct the giant puzzle of Neotropical biodiversity and evolution in space and time. We caution against extrapolating results derived from the study of one or a few taxa to convey general scenarios of Neotropical evolution and landscape formation. We urge more coordination and integration of data and ideas among disciplines, transcending their traditional boundaries, as a basis for advancing tomorrow's ground-breaking research. Our review highlights the great opportunities for studying the Neotropical biota to understand the evolution of life.
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| 4. |
- Antonelli, Alexandre, 1978, et al.
(author)
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Madagascar's extraordinary biodiversity : Evolution, distribution, and use
- 2022
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In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 378:6623, s. 962-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Madagascar's biota is hyperdiverse and includes exceptional levels of endemicity. We review the current state of knowledge on Madagascar's past and current terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity by compiling and presenting comprehensive data on species diversity, endemism, and rates of species description and human uses, in addition to presenting an updated and simplified map of vegetation types. We report a substantial increase of records and species new to science in recent years; however, the diversity and evolution of many groups remain practically unknown (e.g., fungi and most invertebrates). Digitization efforts are increasing the resolution of species richness patterns and we highlight the crucial role of field- and collections-based research for advancing biodiversity knowledge and identifying gaps in our understanding, particularly as species richness corresponds closely to collection effort. Phylogenetic diversity patterns mirror that of species richness and endemism in most of the analyzed groups. We highlight humid forests as centers of diversity and endemism because of their role as refugia and centers of recent and rapid radiations. However, the distinct endemism of other areas, such as the grassland-woodland mosaic of the Central Highlands and the spiny forest of the southwest, is also biologically important despite lower species richness. The documented uses of Malagasy biodiversity are manifold, with much potential for the uncovering of new useful traits for food, medicine, and climate mitigation. The data presented here showcase Madagascar as a unique " living laboratory" for our understanding of evolution and the complex interactions between people and nature. The gathering and analysis of biodiversity data must continue and accelerate if we are to fully understand and safeguard this unique subset of Earth's biodiversity.
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| 5. |
- Aronsson, Heléne, 1994, et al.
(author)
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Expert-based range maps cannot be replicated using data-driven methods but macroecological conclusions arising from them can
- 2024
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In: JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AimAnswering many fundamental and applied scientific questions relies on accurate geographic range maps for species, such as those compiled by experts working with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, these maps are resource demanding to produce and only available for a limited number of organisms. Here, we test to what extent standardized, data-driven methods based on publicly available occurrences can reproduce expert-based IUCN range maps and the macroecological conclusions drawn from them.LocationGlobal.Time PeriodPresent.TaxaBirds.Materials and MethodsWe estimated the geographic ranges for 7385 non-marine bird species which either were non-migratory or had spatially connected breeding and wintering ranges from publicly available, georeferenced point occurrences. We then quantified the spatial overlap between these range estimates and the IUCN expert-derived range estimates. Finally, we compared global species richness patterns and the environmental correlates that emerge from both approaches.ResultsWe find that range estimates based on point occurrence records overlap on average 52% with expert range estimates for the same species. The global species richness patterns estimated under both approaches are overall similar but show local and regional differences, for example, in the tropical Andes of northern South America and the Central Arc region of Africa. The estimated global drivers of richness are similar.Main ConclusionsExpert-derived estimates of species distributions are not reproducible by data-driven approaches relying on currently available public records, even for well-documented taxa such as birds. However, these discrepancies do not substantially change our macroecological understanding of global drivers of bird diversity.
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| 6. |
- Azevedo, Josué, et al.
(author)
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Contrasting patterns of phylogenetic turnover in amphibians and reptiles are driven by environment and geography in Neotropical savannas
- 2021
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 48:8, s. 2008-2021
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: Cross-taxonomic congruence in biodiversity patterns is key to understanding the main drivers of community structure, for biogeographical regionalization and to guide conservation. We aim to map the patterns of phylogenetic turnover and disentangle the geographical and environmental factors that drive the phylogenetic composition of distinct faunal assemblages. Location: The Cerrado savannas of South America. Taxa: Reptiles and amphibians. Methods: We measured the proportion of phylogenetic branches shared among sites (i.e. phylogenetic turnover) using presence-absence matrices for all species in the Cerrado and for endemics only, including only well-sampled localities from previously compiled inventories. We then tested whether phylogenetic turnover is different from null expectations based on taxonomic turnover. We used generalized dissimilarity modelling (GDM) to test whether geography, topography, soil or climate best explain phylogenetic turnover. Finally, we mapped the observed and the GDM-predicted clustering of phylogenetic turnover to assess geographical congruence between reptiles and amphibians. Results: For all reptiles, geographical distance is the most important factor explaining phylogenetic turnover, whereas for endemic reptiles and amphibians, in general, a set of climatic variables and relief roughness are more important. We did not find any significant correlation between the phylogenetic turnover of reptiles and amphibians, as evidenced by non-congruent phylogenetic clustering and by different responses to geographical and environmental gradients. Main conclusions: The different relationships of phylogenetic turnover of reptiles and amphibians to geographical and environmental distances have ultimately shaped the phylogenetic regionalization of these two groups. This incongruence indicates the differential importance of niche filtering, dispersal limitation and the influence of neighbouring biomes in the regionalization of different groups of organisms. Therefore, diversity patterns of one group should ideally not be used as a surrogate to map general patterns or to understand the drivers of diversity of other co-occurring groups. Thus, conservation efforts need to be designed and implemented for each organismal group. © 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
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| 7. |
- Azevedo, Josué, et al.
(author)
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Deforestation limits evolutionary rescue under climate change in Amazonian lizards
- 2024
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In: DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 30:7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- AimThe impact of climate change on biodiversity is often analysed under a stable evolutionary perspective focused on whether species can currently tolerate warmer climates. However, species may adapt to changes, and particularly under conditions of low habitat fragmentation, standing adaptive genetic variation can spread across populations tracking changing climates, increasing the potential for evolutionary rescue. Here, our aim is to integrate genomic data, niche modelling and landscape ecology to predict range shifts and the potential for evolutionary rescue.LocationThe megadiverse Amazonian rainforest.MethodsWe use genome-environment association analyses to search for candidate loci under environmental selection, while accounting for neutral genetic variation in a widespread Amazonian whiptail lizard (Teiidae: Kentropyx calcarata). We then model the distribution of individuals with genotypes adapted to different climate conditions. We predict range shifts for each genotype in distinct future climate change scenarios by integrating this information with dispersal constraints based on predicted scenarios of forest cover across Amazonia. The predicted ranges of each genotype were then overlapped to infer the potential for evolutionary rescue.ResultsWe find that the potential for evolutionary rescue and, therefore, a smaller degree of range loss buffering extinction risk in the future is considerably high, provided that current forest cover is retained and climate change is not extreme. However, under extreme environmental change scenarios, range loss will be high in central and southern Amazonia, irrespective of the degree of deforestation.Main ConclusionsOur results suggest that protecting the Amazonian rainforest against further deforestation and mitigating climate change to moderate scenarios until 2070 could foster evolutionary rescue of ectothermic organisms. These actions could prevent substantial biodiversity loss in Amazonia, emphasizing the importance of understanding species adaptability in maintaining biodiversity.
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| 8. |
- Azevedo, Josué, et al.
(author)
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Museums and cradles of diversity are geographically coincident for narrowly distributed Neotropical snakes
- 2020
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In: Ecography. - : Wiley. - 0906-7590 .- 1600-0587. ; 43:2, s. 328-339
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Factors driving the spatial configuration of centres of endemism have long been a topic of broad interest and debate. Due to different eco-evolutionary processes, these highly biodiverse areas may harbour different amounts of ancient and recently diverged organisms (paleo- and neo-endemism, respectively). Patterns of endemism still need to be measured at distinct phylogenetic levels for most clades and, consequently, little is known about the distribution, the age and the causes of such patterns. Here we tested for the presence of centres with high phylogenetic endemism (PE) in the highly diverse Neotropical snakes, testing the age of these patterns (paleo- or neo-endemism), and the presence of PE centres with distinct phylogenetic composition. We then tested whether PE is predicted by topography, by climate (seasonality, stability, buffering and relictualness), or biome size. We found that most areas of high PE for Neotropical snakes present a combination of both ancient and recently diverged diversity, which is distributed mostly in the Caribbean region, Central America, the Andes, the Atlantic Forest and on scattered highlands in central Brazil. Turnover of lineages is higher across Central America, resulting in more phylogenetically distinct PE centres compared to South America, which presents a more phylogenetically uniform snake fauna. Finally, we found that elevational range (topographic roughness) is the main predictor of PE, especially for paleo-endemism, whereas low paleo-endemism levels coincide with areas of high climatic seasonality. Our study highlights the importance of mountain systems to both ancient and recent narrowly distributed diversity. Mountains are both museums and cradles of snake diversity in the Neotropics, which has important implications for conservation in this region.
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| 9. |
- Bacon, Christine D., et al.
(author)
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Soil fertility and flood regime are correlated with phylogenetic structure of Amazonian palm communities
- 2019
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In: Annals of Botany. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0305-7364 .- 1095-8290. ; 123:4, s. 641-655
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and Aims Identifying the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity requires understanding of how evolutionary processes interact with abiotic conditions to structure communities. Edaphic gradients are strongly associated with floristic patterns but, compared with climatic gradients, have received relatively little attention. We asked (1) How does the phylogenetic composition of palm communities vary along edaphic gradients within major habitat types? and (2) To what extent are phylogenetic patterns determined by (a) habitat specialists, (b) small versus large palms, and (c) hyperdiverse genera? Methods We paired data on palm community composition from 501 transects of 0.25 ha located in two main habitat types (non-inundated uplands and seasonally inundated floodplains) in western Amazonian rain forests with information on soil chemistry, climate, phylogeny and metrics of plant size. We focused on exchangeable base concentration (cmol(+) kg(-1)) as a metric of soil fertility and a floristic index of inundation intensity. We used a null model approach to quantify the standard effect size of mean phylogenetic distance for each transect (a metric of phylogenetic community composition) and related this value to edaphic variables using generalized linear mixed models, including a term for spatial autocorrelation. Key Results Overall, we recorded 112 008 individuals belonging to 110 species. Palm communities in non-inundated upland transects (but not floodplain transects) were more phylogenetically clustered in areas of low soil fertility, measured as exchangeable base concentration. In contrast, floodplain transects with more severe flood regimes (as inferred from floristic structure) tended to be phylogenetically clustered. Nearly half of the species recorded (44 %) were upland specialists while 18 % were floodplain specialists. In both habitat types, phylogenetic clustering was largely due to the co-occurrence of small-sized habitat specialists belonging to two hyperdiverse genera (Bactris and Geonoma). Conclusions Edaphic conditions are associated with the phylogenetic community structure of palms across western Amazonia, and different factors (specifically, soil fertility and inundation intensity) appear to underlie diversity patterns in non-inundated upland versus floodplain habitats. By linking edaphic gradients with palm community phylogenetic structure, our study reinforces the need to integrate edaphic conditions in eco-evolutionary studies in order to better understand the processes that generate and maintain tropical forest diversity. Our results suggest a role for edaphic niche conservatism in the evolution and distribution of Amazonian palms, a finding with potential relevance for other clades.
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| 10. |
- Bakker, F. T., et al.
(author)
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The Global Museum: natural history collections and the future of evolutionary science and public education
- 2020
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In: PeerJ. - : PeerJ. - 2167-8359. ; 8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Natural history museums are unique spaces for interdisciplinary research and educational innovation. Through extensive exhibits and public programming and by hosting rich communities of amateurs, students, and researchers at all stages of their careers, they can provide a place-based window to focus on integration of science and discovery, as well as a locus for community engagement. At the same time, like a synthesis radio telescope, when joined together through emerging digital resources, the global community of museums (the 'Global Museum') is more than the sum of its parts, allowing insights and answers to diverse biological, environmental, and societal questions at the global scale, across eons of time, and spanning vast diversity across the Tree of Life. We argue that, whereas natural history collections and museums began with a focus on describing the diversity and peculiarities of species on Earth, they are now increasingly leveraged in new ways that significantly expand their impact and relevance. These new directions include the possibility to ask new, often interdisciplinary questions in basic and applied science, such as in biomimetic design, and by contributing to solutions to climate change, global health and food security challenges. As institutions, they have long been incubators for cutting-edge research in biology while simultaneously providing core infrastructure for research on present and future societal needs. Here we explore how the intersection between pressing issues in environmental and human health and rapid technological innovation have reinforced the relevance of museum collections. We do this by providing examples as food for thought for both the broader academic community and museum scientists on the evolving role of museums. We also identify challenges to the realization of the full potential of natural history collections and the Global Museum to science and society and discuss the critical need to grow these collections. We then focus on mapping and modelling of museum data (including place-based approaches and discovery), and explore the main projects, platforms and databases enabling this growth. Finally, we aim to improve relevant protocols for the long-term storage of specimens and tissues, ensuring proper connection with tomorrow's technologies and hence further increasing the relevance of natural history museums.
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| 11. |
- Belote, R. T., et al.
(author)
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Mammal species composition reveals new insights into Earth's remaining wilderness
- 2020
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In: Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. - : Wiley. - 1540-9295 .- 1540-9309. ; 18:7, s. 376-383
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Maps of the human footprint allow ecologists to identify the wildest lands on the planet, track their decline, and prioritize wildland conservation efforts. Other research efforts have mapped biological intactness and identified conservation priorities to protect biodiversity. However, little research has involved the use of historical references to evaluate intactness of species composition globally. We used a dataset estimating historical and current distributions of mammals to address whether the wildest places on Earth support the most intact mammal communities. Contrary to our expectations, we found that the global human footprint was not strongly correlated with mammal community intactness and uncovered surprising situations where both the human footprint and mammal species intactness were high, and other examples where both were low. Our results could be used to enhance maps and estimates of global wilderness areas by identifying wild and intact regions, while also prioritizing conservation of intact but human-modified landscapes. © The Ecological Society of America
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Camara-Leret, R., et al.
(author)
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Fundamental species traits explain provisioning services of tropical American palms
- 2017
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In: Nature Plants. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2055-026X .- 2055-0278. ; 3:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The well-being of the global human population rests on provisioning services delivered by 12% of the Earth's similar to 400,000 plant species(1). Plant utilization by humans is influenced by species traits(2-4), but it is not well understood which traits underpin different human needs(5). Here, we focus on palms (Arecaceae), one of the most economically important plant groups globally(6), and demonstrate that provisioning services related to basic needs, such as food and medicine, show a strong link to fundamental functional and geographic traits. We integrate data from 2,201 interviews on plant utilization from three biomes in South America-spanning 68 communities, 43 ethnic groups and 2,221 plant uses-with a dataset of 4 traits (leaf length, stem volume, fruit volume, geographic range size) and a species-level phylogeny(7). For all 208 palm species occurring in our study area, we test for relations between their traits and perceived value. We find that people preferentially use large, widespread species rather than small, narrow-ranged species, and that different traits are linked to different uses. Further, plant size and geographic range size are stronger predictors of ecosystem service realization for palm services related to basic human needs than less-basic needs (for example, ritual). These findings suggest that reliance on plant size and availability may have prevented our optimal realization of wild-plant services, since ecologically rare yet functionally important (for example, chemically) clades may have been overlooked. Beyond expanding our understanding of how local people use biodiversity in mega-diverse regions, our traitand phylogeny-based approach helps to understand the processes that underpin ecosystem service realization, a necessary step to meet societal needs in a changing world with a growing human population(5,8).
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| 14. |
- Carrillo, Juan D., et al.
(author)
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Disproportionate extinction of South American mammals drove the asymmetry of the Great American Biotic Interchange
- 2020
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424. ; 117:42, s. 26281-26287
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The interchange between the previously disconnected faunas of North and South America was a massive experiment in biological invasion. A major gap in our understanding of this invasion is why there was a drastic increase in the proportion of mammals of North American origin found in South America. Four nonmutually exclusive mechanisms may explain this asymmetry: 1) Higher dispersal rate of North American mammals toward the south, 2) higher origination of North American immigrants in South America, 3) higher extinction of mammals with South American origin, and 4) similar dispersal rate but a larger pool of native taxa in North versus South America. We test among these mechanisms by analyzing similar to 20,000 fossil occurrences with Bayesian methods to infer dispersal and diversification rates and taxonomic selectivity of immigrants. We find no differences in the dispersal and origination rates of immigrants. In contrast, native South American mammals show higher extinction. We also find that two clades with North American origin (Carnivora and Artiodactyla) had significantly more immigrants in South America than other clades. Altogether, the asymmetry of the interchange was not due to higher origination of immigrants in South America as previously suggested, but resulted from higher extinction of native taxa in southern South America. These results from one of the greatest biological invasions highlight how biogeographic processes and biotic interactions can shape continental diversity.
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| 15. |
- Chalmandrier, L., et al.
(author)
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Comparing spatial diversification and meta-population models in the indo-Australian Archipelago
- 2018
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In: Royal Society Open Science. - : The Royal Society. - 2054-5703. ; 5:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Reconstructing the processes that have shaped the emergence of biodiversity gradients is critical to understand the dynamics of diversification of life on Earth. Islands have traditionally been used as model systems to unravel the processes shaping biological diversity. MacArthur and Wilson’s island biogeographicmodel predicts diversity to be based on dynamic interactions between colonization and extinction rates, while treating islands themselves as geologically static entities. The current spatial configuration of islands should influence meta-population dynamics, but long-term geological changes within archipelagos are also expected to have shaped island biodiversity, in part by driving diversification. Here, we compare two mechanistic models providing inferences on species richness at a biogeographic scale: a mechanistic spatial-temporal model of species diversification and a spatial meta-population model. While the meta-population model operates over a static landscape, the diversification model is driven by changes in the size and spatial configuration of islands through time.We compare the inferences of both models to floristic diversity patterns among land patches of the Indo-Australian Archipelago. Simulation results from the diversification model better matched observed diversity than a meta-population model constrained only by the contemporary landscape. The diversification model suggests that the dynamic repositioning of islands promoting land disconnection and reconnection induced an accumulation of particularly high species diversity on Borneo, which is central within the island network. By contrast, the meta-population model predicts a higher diversity on the mainlands, which is less compatible with empirical data. Our analyses highlight that, by comparing models with contrasting assumptions, we can pinpoint the processes that are most compatible with extant biodiversity patterns. © 2018 The Authors.
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| 16. |
- Cooke, Rob, et al.
(author)
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Undiscovered bird extinctions obscure the true magnitude of human-driven extinction waves
- 2023
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 14:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Birds are among the best-studied animal groups, but their prehistoric diversity is poorly known due to low fossilization potential. Hence, while many human-driven bird extinctions (i.e., extinctions caused directly by human activities such as hunting, as well as indirectly through human-associated impacts such as land use change, fire, and the introduction of invasive species) have been recorded, the true number is likely much larger. Here, by combining recorded extinctions with model estimates based on the completeness of the fossil record, we suggest that at least ~1300–1500 bird species (~12% of the total) have gone extinct since the Late Pleistocene, with 55% of these extinctions undiscovered (not yet discovered or left no trace). We estimate that the Pacific accounts for 61% of total bird extinctions. Bird extinction rate varied through time with an intense episode ~1300 CE, which likely represents the largest human-driven vertebrate extinction wave ever, and a rate 80 (60–95) times the background extinction rate. Thus, humans have already driven more than one in nine bird species to extinction, with likely severe, and potentially irreversible, ecological and evolutionary consequences.
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| 17. |
- Daru, B. H., et al.
(author)
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Endemism patterns are scale dependent
- 2020
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Areas of endemism are important in biogeography because they capture facets of biodiversity not represented elsewhere. However, the scales at which they are relevant to research and conservation are poorly analysed. Here, we calculate weighted endemism (WE) and phylogenetic endemism (PE) separately for all birds and amphibians across the globe. We show that scale dependence is widespread for both indices and manifests across grain sizes, spatial extents and taxonomic treatments. Variations in taxonomic opinions—whether species are treated by systematic ‘lumping’ or ‘splitting’—can profoundly affect the allocation of WE hotspots. Global patterns of PE can provide insights into complex evolutionary processes but this congruence is lost at the continental to country extents. These findings are explained by environmental heterogeneity at coarser grains, and to a far lesser extent at finer resolutions. Regardless of scale, we find widespread deficits of protection for endemism hotspots. Our study presents a framework for assessing areas for conservation that are robust to assumptions on taxonomy, spatial grain and extent. © 2020, The Author(s).
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| 18. |
- Doughty, C. E., et al.
(author)
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Megafauna decline have reduced pathogen dispersal which may have increased emergent infectious diseases
- 2020
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In: Ecography. - : Wiley. - 0906-7590 .- 1600-0587. ; 43:8, s. 1107-1117
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The Late Quaternary extinctions of megafauna (defined as animal species > 44.5 kg) reduced the dispersal of seeds and nutrients, and likely also microbes and parasites. Here we use body-mass based scaling and range maps for extinct and extant mammal species to show that these extinctions led to an almost seven-fold reduction in the movement of gut-transported microbes, such as Escherichia coli (3.3-0.5 km(2) d(-1)). Similarly, the extinctions led to a seven-fold reduction in the mean home ranges of vector-borne pathogens (7.8-1.1 km(2)). To understand the impact of this, we created an individual-based model where an order of magnitude decrease in home range increased maximum aggregated microbial mutations 4-fold after 20 000 yr. We hypothesize that pathogen speciation and hence endemism increased with isolation, as global dispersal distances decreased through a mechanism similar to the theory of island biogeography. To investigate if such an effect could be found, we analysed where 145 zoonotic diseases have emerged in human populations and found quantitative estimates of reduced dispersal of ectoparasites and fecal pathogens significantly improved our ability to predict the locations of outbreaks (increasing variance explained by 8%). There are limitations to this analysis which we discuss in detail, but if further studies support these results, they broadly suggest that reduced pathogen dispersal following megafauna extinctions may have increased the emergence of zoonotic pathogens moving into human populations.
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| 19. |
- Dufour, Paul, 1992, et al.
(author)
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The importance of migratory drop-off for island colonization in birds
- 2024
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In: PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES. - 0962-8452 .- 1471-2954. ; 291:2021
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Seasonal migration is an underappreciated driver of animal diversification. Changes in migratory behaviour may favour the establishment of sedentary founder populations and promote speciation if there is sufficient reproductive isolation between sedentary and migratory populations. From a systematic literature review, we here quantify the role of migratory drop-off-the loss of migratory behaviour-in promoting speciation in birds on islands. We identify at least 157 independent colonization events likely initiated by migratory species that led to speciation, including 44 cases among recently extinct species. By comparing, for all islands, the proportion of island endemic species that derived from migratory drop-off with the proportion of migratory species among potential colonizers, we showed that seasonal migration has a larger effect on island endemic richness than direct dispersal. We also found that the role of migration in island colonization increases with the geographic isolation of islands. Furthermore, the success of speciation events depends in part on species biogeographic and ecological factors, here positively associated with greater range size and larger flock sizes. These results highlight the importance of shifts in migratory behaviour in the speciation process and calls for greater consideration of migratory drop-off in the biogeographic distribution of birds.
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| 20. |
- Farina, B. M., et al.
(author)
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Dollo meets Bergmann: morphological evolution in secondary aquatic mammals
- 2023
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In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences. - 0962-8452. ; 290:2002
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Secondary transitions to aquatic environments are common among vertebrates, and aquatic lineages display several adaptations to this realm, some of which might make these transitions irreversible. At the same time, discussions about secondary transitions often focus only on the marine realm, comparing fully terrestrial with fully aquatic species. This, however, captures only a fraction of land-to-water transitions, and freshwater and semi-aquatic groups are often neglected in macroevolutionary studies. Here, we use phylogenetic comparative methods to unravel the evolution of different levels of aquatic adaptations across all extant mammals, testing if aquatic adaptations are irreversible and if they are related to relative body mass changes. We found irreversible adaptations consistent with Dollo's Law in lineages that rely strongly on aquatic environments, while weaker adaptations in semi-aquatic lineages, which still allow efficient terrestrial movement, are reversible. In lineages transitioning to aquatic realms, including semi-aquatic ones, we found a consistent trend towards an increased relative body mass and a significant association with a more carnivorous diet. We interpret these patterns as the result of thermoregulation constraints associated with the high thermal conductivity of water leading to body mass increase consistently with Bergmann's rule and to a prevalence of more nutritious diets.
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| 21. |
- Farooq, Harith, 1986, et al.
(author)
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A call for improving the Key Biodiversity Areas framework
- 2023
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In: Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation. - : Elsevier BV. - 2530-0644. ; 21:1, s. 85-91
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Eight percent of all land surface has been designated as "Key Biodiversity Areas" (KBAs). Since these areas were established based on two percent of all terrestrial species estimated to exist, we ask what would happen if we used all species on Earth to identify additional KBAs. We explore this question at a global scale by using data from 64,110 species of animals and plants to identify how many areas could qualify as KBAs under current criteria. We find that between 26% and 68% of the world's terrestrial areas can be classified as KBAs, depending on the spatial resolution. The total area from potential KBAs increases drastically as more species are assessed, suggesting that if all species were included, all land surface could eventually meet the biological requirements for becoming a KBA. KBAs are intended to be areas that are both of biological importance and manageable, but since they lack a data-driven ranking system, the current framework largely sidesteps the biological component. We, therefore, make an urgent call for stricter criteria in the KBA methodology or alternative methodologies that allow for biologically robust area prioritization, help secure evidence-based investments, and support progress toward the targets under the new Global Biodiversity Framework.(c) 2023 Associacao Brasileira de Ciencia Ecol ogica e Conservacao. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ ).
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| 22. |
- Farooq, Harith, 1986, et al.
(author)
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Mapping Africa's Biodiversity: More of the Same Is Just Not Good Enough
- 2021
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In: Systematic Biology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1063-5157 .- 1076-836X. ; 70:3, s. 623-633
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Species distribution data are fundamental to the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes. Yet, such data are strongly affected by sampling biases, mostly related to site accessibility. The understanding of these biases is therefore crucial in systematics, biogeography, and conservation. Here we present a novel approach for quantifying sampling effort and its impact on biodiversity knowledge, focusing on Africa. In contrast to previous studies assessing sampling completeness (percentage of species recorded in relation to predicted), we investigate whether the lack of knowledge of a site attracts scientists to visit these areas and collect samples of species. We then estimate the time required to sample 90% of the continent under a Weibull distributed biodiversity sampling rate and the number of sampling events required to record 50% of the species. Using linear and spatial regression models, we show that previous sampling has been strongly influencing the resampling of areas, attracting repeated visits. This bias has existed for over two centuries, has increased in recent decades, and is most pronounced among mammals. It may take between 172 and 274 years, depending on the group, to achieve at least one sampling event per grid cell in the entire continent. Just one visit will, however, not be enough: in order to record 50% of the current diversity, it will require at least 12 sampling events for amphibians, 13 for mammals, and 27 for birds. Our results demonstrate the importance of sampling areas that lack primary biodiversity data and the urgency with which this needs to be done. Current practice is insufficient to adequately classify and map African biodiversity; it can lead to incorrect conclusions being drawn from biogeographic analyses and can result in misleading and self-reinforcing conservation priorities.
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| 23. |
- Farooq, Harith, 1986, et al.
(author)
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Snakebite incidence in rural sub-Saharan Africa might be severely underestimated
- 2022
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In: Toxicon. - : Elsevier BV. - 0041-0101. ; 219
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Snakebites in sub-Saharan Africa account for 20,000 to 32,000 annual deaths. But since most data is retrieved from hospital or incomplete central databases, and many victims do not seek hospital treatment or prefer traditional remedies, the current numbers are likely underestimated. In order to reduce snakebite incidence by 50% by 2030 as targeted by World Health Organization, it is crucial to accurately quantify and understand the current rates of snakebite incidence, which can only be reliably measured through household surveys. In this study, we interviewed 1037 households in nine communities in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique. Our aim was to quantify true snakebite incidence and under-reporting, by comparing the total number of snakebites reported to our team during household surveys with the subset of reports that reached health centers. We additionally quantified snakebite incidence in terms of species, location of the attack, type of treatment, season, and gender of the victims. These data allow us to propose conservative extrapolations of snakebite incidence and mortality for the province of Cabo Delgado and for Mozambique. Of all snakebites reported in the surveys (N = 296), most incidents were treated exclusively by traditional doctors (N = 174; 59%) and 25% were not seen by any doctor. Most bites occurred on farms and during the rainy season. Using a conservative estimation where we assume our results to be extrapolatable for the whole of rural Mozambique, but considering snakebites in urban areas to be inexistent, we propose that in Cabo Delgado, every year at least 6124 people are victims of snakebites, of which at least 791 result in deaths. In Mozambique, we extrapolated that every year at least 69,261 people are victims of snakebite, of which at least 8950 result in death (one in eight snakebites is fatal). Our estimates are the first for Mozambique based on data retrieved in the country, and despite being an underestimation they increase snakebite incidence levels ten-fold and the number of deaths by 30-fold. Urgent and widespread surveys are needed to further assess the full extent of snakebites in sub-Saharan Africa, explore regional patterns and develop mitigation plans. © 2022 The Authors
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| 24. |
- Farooq, Harith, 1986, et al.
(author)
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Species perceived to be dangerous are more likely to have distinctive local names
- 2021
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In: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1746-4269. ; 17:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Species with direct uses, such as sources of food, shelter, building material and medicine tend to have more specific local names. But could the same apply for species that people fear? Methods To address this question, here we explore the behavior and perception of species diversity and dangerousness through a survey of 1037 households in nine villages in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique. We compare people's knowledge of snakes with that of lizards and amphibians. Results We find that northern Mozambicans know four to five times more local names for snakes than for lizards and frogs, despite the local species richness of snakes being comparable to the diversity of lizards and frogs. We further find that local knowledge was on par with the academic literature regarding snakebite symptoms. Conclusions Our results suggest that fear can increase the level of specificity in naming species among indigenous communities, which could lead to biases in the mapping and protection of species that include data from citizen reports.
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| 25. |
- Farooq, Harith, 1986, et al.
(author)
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WEGE: A new metric for ranking locations for biodiversity conservation
- 2020
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In: Diversity and Distributions. - : Wiley. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642.
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim Effective policymaking for biological conservation requires the identification and ranking of the most important areas for protection or management. One of the most frequently used systems for selecting priority areas is the Key Biodiversity Areas (hereafter KBAs), developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, KBAs cannot be used to rank areas, potentially limiting their use when limited funding is available. To tackle this shortcoming and facilitate spatial prioritization, here we develop and validate the "WEGE index" (Weighted Endemism including Global Endangerment index), consisting of an adaptation of the EDGE score (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered). WEGE allows the ranking of any set of locations according to the KBA guidelines and on a continuous scale. Location Global. Methods We calculated the EDGE score, Weighted Endemism, Evolutionary distinctiveness, Extinction risk and our newly developed WEGE index for all terrestrial species of amphibians, mammals and birds accessed by IUCN. We then compared the performance of each of those five indices at prioritizing areas according to the KBA guidelines. Results We found that for all taxa surveyed, WEGE was consistently better at identifying areas that trigger KBA status. Main conclusions In our analyses, WEGE outperformed all other methods and metrics designed for similar purposes. It can serve as a robust evidence-based methodology to prioritize among otherwise equally qualified sites according to the KBA categories. WEGE can therefore support transparent, evidence-based and biologically meaningful decision-making for conservation priorities.
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| 26. |
- Faurby, Sören, 1981, et al.
(author)
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Anthropogenic impacts weaken Bergmann's rule
- 2017
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In: Ecography. - : Wiley. - 0906-7590. ; 40:6, s. 683-684
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Humans have modified species distributions in most of the world's natural ecosystems. Analyses of species distributions tend to ignore these modifications, potentially masking the signatures of natural processes on them. We examine the strength of a classic pattern in ecology-the body mass-latitudinal relationship, aka Bergmann's rule-for all mammal species worldwide using both contemporary and estimated natural distributions. We show that human modifications of mammal species distributions lead to substantially underestimating the strength of the Bergmann's rule. We speculate that other broad-scale ecological patterns might be similarly affected.
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| 27. |
- Faurby, Sören, 1981, et al.
(author)
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Anthropogenic range contractions bias species climate change forecasts
- 2018
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In: Nature Climate Change. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1758-678X .- 1758-6798. ; 8:3
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Forecasts of species range shifts under climate change most often rely on ecological niche models, in which characterizations of climate suitability are highly contingent on the species range data used. If ranges are far from equilibrium under current environmental conditions, for instance owing to local extinctions in otherwise suitable areas, modelled environmental suitability can be truncated, leading to biased estimates of the effects of climate change. Here we examine the impact of such biases on estimated risks from climate change by comparing models of the distribution of North American mammals based on current ranges with ranges accounting for historical information on species ranges. We find that estimated future diversity, almost everywhere, except in coastal Alaska, is drastically underestimated unless the full historical distribution of the species is included in the models. Consequently forecasts of climate change impacts on biodiversity for many clades are unlikely to be reliable without acknowledging anthropogenic influences on contemporary ranges.
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| 28. |
- Faurby, Sören, 1981, et al.
(author)
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Brain expansion in early hominins predicts carnivore extinctions in East Africa
- 2020
-
In: Ecology Letters. - : Wiley. - 1461-023X .- 1461-0248. ; 23:3, s. 537-544
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- While the anthropogenic impact on ecosystems today is evident, it remains unclear if the detrimental effect of hominins on co-occurring biodiversity is a recent phenomenon or has also been the pattern for earlier hominin species. We test this using the East African carnivore fossil record. We analyse the diversity of carnivores over the last four million years and investigate whether any decline is related to an increase in hominin cognitive capacity, vegetation changes or climatic changes. We find that extinction rates in large carnivores correlate with increased hominin brain size and with vegetation changes, but not with precipitation or temperature changes. While temporal analyses cannot distinguish between the effects of vegetation changes and hominins, we show through spatial analyses of contemporary carnivores in Africa that only hominin causation is plausible. Our results suggest that substantial anthropogenic influence on biodiversity started millions of years earlier than currently assumed.
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| 29. |
- Faurby, Sören, 1981, et al.
(author)
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CarniFOSS: A database of the body mass of fossil carnivores
- 2021
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In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1466-822X .- 1466-8238. ; 30:10, s. 1958-1964
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Motivation Body mass is one of the most important determinants of animal ecology. Unlike other important traits it is also readily inferable from fossils and it is therefore one of the only traits that can be directly analysed and compared between fossil and contemporary communities. Despite this, no comprehensive database of the body mass of larger clades of extinct species exists. Analysis of fossils has therefore been restricted to small clades or to smaller, potentially biased, subsets of species. We here describe CarniFoss, an open-access database of body masses of all 1,322 extinct species of non-pinniped Carnivoramorpha and two related extinct groups of carnivorous mammals, Hyaenodonta and Oxyaenidae. Main types of variables contained We gathered lengths of teeth of fossil and extant species and body mass for extant species and a few of the best-known fossil species. Following this we estimated body mass for all species through phylogenetic imputation. Spatial location and grain Global, terrestrial. Time period and grain We collected data on all known species within the focal groups. The known species all lived in the Palaeogene, Neogene or Quaternary (i.e., the last 66 Myr). Major taxa and level of measurement We searched for data on reported tooth size of all described species of Carnivoramorpha (excluding pinnipeds) and selected extinct related groups (Hyaenodonta and Oxyaenidae). We combined this with measured body mass for all extant species and inferred body mass based on long-bones for selected extinct species, as well as a species-level phylogeny including all extant and extinct species in the group, and inferred the body mass for all species using phylogenetic imputation. Software format Data are provided as a series of .csv files, with all metadata in a separate PDF file.
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| 30. |
- Faurby, Sören, 1981, et al.
(author)
-
Evolutionary and ecological success is decoupled in mammals
- 2018
-
In: Journal of Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 0305-0270 .- 1365-2699. ; 45:10, s. 2227-2237
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Range size for mammalian clades is mainly predicted by colonization ability, suggesting that most clades are limited by dispersal rather than their ability to adapt to new environments. The most ecologically successful (i.e., most widespread) mammalian clades tend to possess traits that reduce geographical isolation among populations, but the same traits tend to decrease diversification rates. Our results unveil a decoupling between evolutionary and ecological success in mammals.
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| 31. |
- Faurby, Sören, 1981, et al.
(author)
-
PHYLACINE 1.2: The Phylogenetic Atlas of Mammal Macroecology
- 2018
-
In: Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0012-9658 .- 1939-9170. ; 99:11, s. 2626-2626
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Data needed for macroecological analyses are difficult to compile and often hidden away in supplementary material under non-standardized formats. Phylogenies, range data, and trait data often use conflicting taxonomies and require ad hoc decisions to synonymize species or fill in large amounts of missing data. Furthermore, most available data sets ignore the large impact that humans have had on species ranges and diversity. Ignoring these impacts can lead to drastic differences in diversity patterns and estimates of the strength of biological rules. To help overcome these issues, we assembled PHYLACINE, The Phylogenetic Atlas of Mammal Macroecology. This taxonomically integrated platform contains phylogenies, range maps, trait data, and threat status for all 5,831 known mammal species that lived since the last interglacial (similar to 130,000 years ago until present). PHYLACINE is ready to use directly, as all taxonomy and metadata are consistent across the different types of data, and files are provided in easy-to-use formats. The atlas includes both maps of current species ranges and present natural ranges, which represent estimates of where species would live without anthropogenic pressures. Trait data include body mass and coarse measures of life habit and diet. Data gaps have been minimized through extensive literature searches and clearly labelled imputation of missing values. The PHYLACINE database will be archived here as well as hosted online so that users may easily contribute updates and corrections to continually improve the data. This database will be useful to any researcher who wishes to investigate large-scale ecological patterns. Previous versions of the database have already provided valuable information and have, for instance, shown that megafauna extinctions caused substantial changes in vegetation structure and nutrient transfer patterns across the globe.
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| 32. |
- Faurby, Sören, 1981, et al.
(author)
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The counteracting effects of anthropogenic speciation and extinction on mammal species richness and phylogenetic diversity
- 2022
-
In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1466-822X .- 1466-8238. ; 31:9, s. 1810-1823
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim Human activities are causing massive increases in extinction rates but might also lead to drastic increases in speciation rates; for example, after human-mediated spread of species to otherwise unreachable landmasses. The long-term net anthropogenic effects on biodiversity therefore remain uncertain. Our aim was to assess the combined anthropogenic effects of extinctions and speciations on biodiversity over geological time-scales. Location Global. Time period Present and predicted future. Major taxa studied Terrestrial mammals. Methods We estimated known anthropogenic and predicted future extinctions based on Red List categories from the International Union for Conservation of Nature. We inferred potential anthropogenic speciations, assuming that all introductions to isolated landmasses would, over time, evolve into distinct species. We then estimated changes in regional and global species richness and phylogenetic diversity attributable to these extinctions and speciations. Results We demonstrated that if all species introduced onto new landmasses develop into new species, the number of anthropogenic speciation and extinctions eventually become similar. However, even after accounting for an anthropogenic increase in speciation, our estimates suggest recovery times for phylogenetic diversity of several millions of years. Main conclusions Our results highlight that although humans are causing drastic biodiversity losses, human-driven speciation could eventually counterbalance these losses in species numbers, whereas phylogenetic diversity, at least within our simulation scenarios, would remain permanently reduced. This conclusion, however, requires our pressures on biodiversity to cease soon and requires us to consider geological time-scales rather than changes over this century.
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| 33. |
- Gomes, D. F., et al.
(author)
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Taxonomic revision of the genus Xenopholis Peters, 1869 (Serpentes: Dipsadidae): Integrating morphology with ecological niche
- 2020
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In: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 15:12
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A reliable identification and delimitation of species is an essential pre-requisite for many fields of science and conservation. The Neotropical herpetofauna is the world's most diverse, including many taxa of uncertain or debated taxonomy. Here we tackle one such species complex, by evaluating the taxonomic status of species currently allocated in the snake genus Xenopholis (X. scalaris, X. undulatus, and X. werdingorum). We base our conclusions on concordance between quantitative (meristic and morphometric) and qualitative (color pattern, hemipenes and skull features) analyses of morphological characters, in combination with ecological niche modeling. We recognize all three taxa as valid species and improve their respective diagnosis, including new data on color in life, pholidosis, bony morphology, and male genitalia. We find low overlap among the niches of each species, corroborating the independent source of phenotypic evidence. Even though all three species occur in the leaf litter of distinct forested habitats, Xenopholis undulatus is found in the elevated areas of the Brazilian Shield (Caatinga, Cerrado and Chaco), whereas X. scalaris occurs in the Amazon and Atlantic rainforests, and X. werdingorum in the Chiquitanos forest and Pantanal wetlands. We discuss the disjunct distribution between Amazonian and Atlantic Forest snake species in the light of available natural history and ecological aspects. This study shows the advantages of combining multiple data sources for reliable identification and circumscription of ecologically similar species.
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| 34. |
- Guedes, Thaís, et al.
(author)
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Patterns, biases and prospects in the distribution and diversity of Neotropical snakes
- 2018
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In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1466-822X .- 1466-8238. ; 27:1, s. 14-21
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Motivation: We generated a novel database of Neotropical snakes (one of the world's richest herpetofauna) combining the most comprehensive, manually compiled distribution dataset with publicly available data. We assess, for the first time, the diversity patterns for all Neotropical snakes as well as sampling density and sampling biases. Main types of variables contained: We compiled three databases of species occurrences: a dataset downloaded from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), a verified dataset built through taxonomic work and specialized literature, and a combined dataset comprising a cleaned version of the GBIF dataset merged with the verified dataset. Spatial location and grain: Neotropics, Behrmann projection equivalent to 1 degrees x 1 degrees. Results: The combined dataset provides the most comprehensive distribution database for Neotropical snakes to date. It contains 147,515 records for 886 species across 12 families, representing 74% of all species of snakes, spanning 27 countries in the Americas. Species richness and phylogenetic diversity show overall similar patterns. Amazonia is the least sampled Neotropical region, whereas most well-sampled sites are located near large universities and scientific collections. We provide a list and updated maps of geographical distribution of all snake species surveyed. Main conclusions: The biodiversity metrics of Neotropical snakes reflect patterns previously documented for other vertebrates, suggesting that similar factors may determine the diversity of both ectothermic and endothermic animals. We suggest conservation strategies for high-diversity areas and sampling efforts be directed towards Amazonia and poorly known species.
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| 35. |
- Hill, Adrian, et al.
(author)
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Apparent effect of range size and fruit colour on palm diversification may be spurious
- 2023
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In: Journal of Biogeography. - 0305-0270. ; 50:10, s. 1724-1736
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim Fruit selection by animal dispersers with different mobility directly impacts plant geographical range size, which, in turn, may impact plant diversification. Here, we examine the interaction between fruit colour, range size and diversification rate in palms by testing two hypotheses: (1) species with fruit colours attractive to birds have larger range sizes due to high dispersal ability and (2) disperser mobility affects whether small or large range size has higher diversification, and intermediate range size is expected to lead to the highest diversification rate regardless of disperser.Location Global.Time Period Contemporary (or present).Major Taxa Studied Palms (Arecaceae).Methods Palm species were grouped based on likely animal disperser group for given fruit colours. Range sizes were estimated by constructing alpha convex hull polygons from distribution data. We examined disperser group, range size or an interaction of both as possible drivers of change in diversification rate over time in a likelihood dynamic model (Several Examined State-dependent Speciation and Extinction [SecSSE]). Models were fitted, rate estimates were retrieved and likelihoods were compared to those of appropriate null models.Results Species with fruit colours associated with mammal dispersal had larger ranges than those with colours associated with bird dispersal. The best fitting SecSSE models indicated that the examined traits were not the primary driver of the heterogeneity in diversification rates in the model. Extinction rate complexity had a marked impact on model performance and on diversification rates.Main Conclusions Two traits related to dispersal mobility, range size and fruit colour, were not identified as the main drivers of diversification in palms. Increased model extinction rate complexity led to better performing models, which indicates that net diversification should be estimated rather than speciation alone. However, increased complexity may lead to incorrect SecSSE model conclusions without careful consideration. Finally, we find palms with more mobile dispersers do not have larger range sizes, meaning other factors are more important determinants of range size.
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| 36. |
- Hoeks, Selwyn, et al.
(author)
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Shifts in ecosystem equilibria following trophic rewilding
- 2023
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In: Diversity and Distributions. - 1366-9516 .- 1472-4642. ; 29:12, s. 1512-1526
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: Trophic rewilding is proposed as an approach to tackle biodiversity loss by restoring ecosystem dynamics through the reintroduction of keystone species. Currently, evidence on the ecological consequences of reintroduction programmes is sparse and difficult to generalize. To better understand the ecological consequences of trophic rewilding, we simulated the extinction and reintroduction of large-bodied mammals under different environmental conditions. Location: Europe. Methods: We selected four locations varying in productivity and seasonality in Europe and used a general ecosystem model called Madingley to run simulations. We initialized the model using body mass limits of a European Holocene baseline; we then removed large mammals and let the model converge to a new equilibrium. Next, we reintroduced the previously removed groups to assess whether the equilibrium would shift back to the initial condition. We tested three different reintroduction scenarios, in order to disentangle the importance of the different large mammal groups. Results: The removal of large-bodied mammals led to cascading effects, mainly resulting in increases in smaller-bodied herbivores and the release of mesopredators. Post-reintroduction, the system's new equilibrium state was closer to the initial equilibrium for stable and productive locations compared to highly seasonal and low-productive locations. The maximum trait space volume of the initial state and the post-reintroduction state varied by 9.1% on average over all locations, with an average decrease in trait combinations of 6.6%. The body mass distribution differed by 28%, comparing the initial state to the post-reintroduction state. Main Conclusions: Our simulation results suggest that reintroducing locally extinct large-bodied mammals can broadly restore shifts in ecosystem structure, roughly resembling the baseline ecosystem conditions. However, the extent to which the ecosystem's state resembles the original ecosystem is largely dependent on the reintroduction strategy (only herbivores and omnivores vs. also carnivores) and timing, as well as local environmental conditions.
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| 37. |
- Lim, J. Y., et al.
(author)
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Frugivore-fruit size relationships between palms and mammals reveal past and future defaunation impacts
- 2020
-
In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mammalian frugivores are critical seed dispersers, but many are under threat of extinction. Futhermore, the impact of past and future defaunation on plant assemblages has yet to be quantified at the global scale. Here, we integrate palm and mammalian frugivore trait and occurrence data and reveal a global positive relationship between fruit size and frugivore body size. Global variation in fruit size is better explained by present-day frugivore assemblages than by Late Pleistocene assemblages, suggesting ecological and evolutionary reorganization after end-Pleistocene extinctions, except in the Neotropics, where some large-fruited palm species may have outlived their main seed dispersers by thousands of years. Our simulations of frugivore extinction over the next 100 years suggest that the impact of defaunation will be highest in the Old World tropics, and an up to 4% assemblage-level decrease in fruit size would be required to maintain the global body size-fruit size relationship. Overall, our results suggest that while some palm species may be able to keep pace with future defaunation through evolutionary changes in fruit size, large-fruited species may be especially vulnerable to continued defaunation.
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| 38. |
- Middleton, O., et al.
(author)
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CarniDIET 1.0: A database of terrestrial carnivorous mammal diets
- 2021
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In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. - : Wiley. - 1466-822X .- 1466-8238. ; 30:6, s. 1175-1182
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Motivation A species' diet is central to understanding many aspects of its biology, including its behaviour, movement, and ecological niche. The diets of terrestrial carnivorous mammals, defined here as species primarily consuming other mammals (hereafter, mammal-consumers), have been extensively studied and can vary in the proportion of different food types, and species, consumed across their geographic ranges. Accessibility to data capturing such variation in diets of mammal-consumers across the variety of ecosystems they occur in would provide valuable information for conservation, and open research avenues for macroevolution and macroecology. However, data on mammal-consumer diets across their geographic ranges have not been systematically collated. Here, we present CarniDIET (version 1.0), an open-access database containing quantitative data on the diets of terrestrial mammal-consumers collated from the literature. Main types of variable contained Diet records capturing the percentage of mammalian prey, to the highest taxonomic resolution available, and non-mammalian food types (e.g., birds, invertebrates) in the diets of mammal-consumers at specific sites and times. Associated data with each diet record include, where available, age and sex of mammal-consumer, sample size, sample origin, and quantification method as well as spatial and temporal variables including dates, season, study site, altitude and coordinates. Spatial location and grain Global, terrestrial. The spatial grain varies among sites from 0.03 to 100,000 km(2), with a median of 170 km(2). Study centroids are provided as latitude-longitude coordinates. Time period and grain Original diet samples were collected between 1933 and 2017, with half of studies collected between 1994 and 2008. Studies summarize diets from 1 month to 66 years, with a median of 1 year. Major taxa and level of measurement Terrestrial carnivorous mammals that primarily consume other mammals (103 species). Studies generally represent species' population averages, although can include demographic breakdowns.
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| 39. |
- Midolo, G., et al.
(author)
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Individual fitness is decoupled from coarse-scale probability of occurrence in North American trees
- 2021
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In: Ecography. - : Wiley. - 0906-7590 .- 1600-0587. ; 44:5, s. 789-801
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Habitat suitability estimated with probability of occurrence in species distribution models (SDMs) is used in conservation to identify geographic areas that are most likely to harbor individuals of interest. In theory, probability of occurrence is coupled with individual fitness so that individuals have higher fitness at the centre of their species environmental niche than at the edges, which we here define as 'fitness-centre' hypothesis. However, such relationship is uncertain and has been rarely tested across multiple species. Here, we quantified the relationship between coarse-scale probability of occurrence projected with SDMs and individual fitness in 66 tree species native of North America. We used 1) field data of individuals' growth rate (height and diameter standardized by age) available from the United States Forest Inventory Analysis plots; and 2) common garden data collected from 23 studies reporting individual growth rate, survival, height and diameter of individuals originated from different provenances in United States and Canada. We show 'fitness-centre' relationships are rare, with only 12% and 11% of cases showing a significant positive correlation for field and common garden data, respectively. Furthermore, we found the 'fitness-centre' relationship is not affected by the precision of the SDMs and it does not depend upon dispersal ability and climatic breath of the species. Thus, although the 'fitness-centre' relationship is supported by theory, it does not hold true in nearly any species. Because individual fitness plays a relevant role in buffering local extinction and range contraction following climatic changes and biotic invasions, our results encourage conservationists not to assume the 'fitness-centre' relationship when modelling species distribution.
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| 40. |
- Moleon, M., et al.
(author)
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Rethinking megafauna
- 2020
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In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 0962-8452 .- 1471-2954. ; 287:1922
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Concern for megafauna is increasing among scientists and non-scientists. Many studies have emphasized that megafauna play prominent ecological roles and provide important ecosystem services to humanity. But, what precisely are 'megafauna'? Here, we critically assess the concept of megafauna and propose a goal-oriented framework for megafaunal research. First, we review definitions of megafauna and analyse associated terminology in the scientific literature. Second, we conduct a survey among ecologists and palaeontologists to assess the species traits used to identify and define megafauna. Our review indicates that definitions are highly dependent on the study ecosystem and research question, and primarily rely on ad hoc size-related criteria. Our survey suggests that body size is crucial, but not necessarily sufficient, for addressing the different applications of the term megafauna. Thus, after discussing the pros and cons of existing definitions, we propose an additional approach by defining two function-oriented megafaunal concepts: 'keystone megafauna' and 'functional megafauna', with its variant 'apex megafauna'. Assessing megafauna from a functional perspective could challenge the perception that there may not be a unifying definition of megafauna that can be applied to all eco-evolutionary narratives. In addition, using functional definitions of megafauna could be especially conducive to cross-disciplinary understanding and cooperation, improvement of conservation policy and practice, and strengthening of public perception. As megafaunal research advances, we encourage scientists to unambiguously define how they use the term 'megafauna' and to present the logic underpinning their definition.
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| 41. |
- Obst, Matthias, 1974, et al.
(author)
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Molecular phylogeny of extant horseshoe crabs (Xiphosura, Limulidae) indicates Paleogene diversification of Asian species
- 2012
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In: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. - : Elsevier BV. - 1055-7903. ; 62:1, s. 21-26
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Horseshoe crabs are marine invertebrates well known for their exceptionally low rates of diversification during their entire evolutionary history. Despite the low species diversity in the group, the phylogenetic relationships among the extant species, especially among the three Asian species are still unresolved. Here we apply a new set of molecular genetic data in combination with a wide geographic sampling of the intra-specific diversity to reinvestigate the evolutionary history among the four living limulid xiphosurans. Our analysis of the intraspecific diversity reveals low levels of connectivity among Carci- noscorpius rotundicauda lineages, which can be explained by the estuarine-bound ecology of this species. Moreover, a clear genetic break across the Thai–Malay Peninsula suggests the presence of cryptic species in C. rotundicauda. The limulid phylogeny finds strong support for a monophyletic genus Tachypleus and a diversification of the three Asian species during the Paleogene period, with speciation events well sepa- rated in time by several million years. The tree topology suggests that the three Asian species originated in central South East Asia from a marine stem group that inhabited the shallow coastal waters between the Andaman Sea, Vietnam, and Borneo. In this region C. rotundicauda probably separated from the Tachypleus stem group by invading estuarine habitats, while Tachypleus tridentatus most likely migrated northeast along the Southern coast of China and towards Japan.
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| 42. |
- Onstein, Renske E, et al.
(author)
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Frugivory-related traits promote speciation of tropical palms.
- 2017
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In: Nature ecology & evolution. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2397-334X. ; 1:12, s. 1903-1911
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Animal-mediated seed dispersal by frugivorous birds and mammals is central to the ecology and functioning of ecosystems, but whether and how frugivory-related traits have affected plant speciation remains little explored. Fruit size is directly linked to plant dispersal capacity and therefore influences gene flow and genetic divergence of plant populations. Using a global species-level phylogeny with comprehensive data on fruit sizes and plant species distributions, we test whether fruit size has affected speciation rates of palms (Arecaceae), a plant family characteristic of tropical rainforests. Globally, the results reveal that palms with small fruit sizes have increased speciation rates compared with those with large (megafaunal) fruits. Speciation of small-fruited palms is particularly high in the understory of tropical rainforests in the New World, and on islands in the Old World. This suggests that frugivory-related traits in combination with geography and the movement behaviour of frugivores can influence the speciation of fleshy-fruited plants.
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| 43. |
- Onstein, R. E., et al.
(author)
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To adapt or go extinct? The fate of megafaunal palm fruits under past global change
- 2018
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In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences. - : The Royal Society. - 0962-8452 .- 1471-2954. ; 285:1880
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Past global change may have forced animal-dispersed plants with megafaunal fruits to adapt or go extinct, but these processes have remained unexplored at broad spatio-temporal scales. Here, we combine phylogenetic, distributional and fruit size data for more than 2500 palm (Arecaceae) species in a time-slice diversification analysis to quantify how extinction and adaptation have changed over deep time. Our results indicate that extinction rates of palms with megafaunal fruits have increased in the New World since the onset of the Quaternary (2.6 million years ago). In contrast, Old World palms show a Quaternary increase in transition rates towards evolving small fruits from megafaunal fruits. We suggest that Quaternary climate oscillations and concurrent habitat fragmentation and defaunation of megafaunal frugivores in the New World have reduced seed dispersal distances and geographical ranges of palms with megafaunal fruits, resulting in their extinction. The increasing adaptation to smaller fruits in the Old World could reflect selection for seed dispersal by ocean-crossing frugivores (e.g. medium-sized birds and bats) to colonize Indo-Pacific islands against a background of Quaternary sea-level fluctuations. Our macro-evolutionary results suggest that megafaunal fruits are increasingly being lost from tropical ecosystems, either due to extinctions or by adapting to smaller fruit sizes.
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| 44. |
- Pedersen, R. O., et al.
(author)
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Late-Quaternary megafauna extinctions have strongly reduced mammalian vegetation consumption
- 2023
-
In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. - 1466-822X. ; 32:10, s. 1814-1826
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: How much stronger would the effects of herbivorous mammals be in natural ecosystems if human-linked extinctions and extirpations had not occurred? Many mammal species have experienced range contractions, and numerous species have gone extinct in the late Quaternary, completely or in large part linked to human pressures. Therefore, herbivore consumption rates in seemingly natural ecosystems will deviate from their pre-anthropogenic state. Here, we estimate the size of this deviation. Location: Terrestrial systems, globally. Time period: Current. Major taxa studied: All late-Quaternary terrestrial mammals. Methods: We estimated and mapped vegetation consumption rate by all late-Quaternary terrestrial mammals. We did this through the estimation of natural densities and dietary needs. We mapped their consumption rate in both current ranges and present-natural ranges, that is estimated ranges in the absence of human-linked range contractions and extinctions. We compared these estimated consumption rates to current net primary productivity (NPP). We summarized the results across ecosystem types everywhere as well as for only the last remaining wilderness areas. Results: We estimate that wild mammals consume a median of 11% of NPP (at the scale of 96.5 km x 96.5 km grid cells) in current natural areas and that this would have been much higher in the absence of extinctions and extirpations, namely 21%. Looking at the change per grid cell, the mammal losses result in a median 42% reduction in consumption rate. Importantly, we estimate very similar declines in herbivory in what are considered the last remaining wilderness areas. Main conclusions: Our results suggest that the natural interaction of mammalian herbivores with vegetation in ecosystems across the world is strongly reduced by prehistoric and historic to recent species losses, even in the last remaining wilderness areas, likely with major effects on ecosystem structure and functioning.
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| 45. |
- Pedersen, R. O., et al.
(author)
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Shallow size-density relations within mammal clades suggest greater intra-guild ecological impact of large-bodied species
- 2017
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In: Journal of Animal Ecology. - : Wiley. - 0021-8790. ; 86:5, s. 1205-1213
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- 1. Population densities of species have a predictable relationship with their body mass on a global scale. This relationship is known as the size-density relationship (SDR). The relationship was originally found to be directly opposite of metabolic rate scaling, which led to the hypothesis of energetic equivalence. However, recent studies have suggested that the SDR varies between clades. Specifically, the SDR for certain mammal clades has been found to be less negative than the relationship across all mammals. 2. The aim of the present study is to estimate phylogenetic variation in the scaling relationship, using a data-driven identification of natural phylogenetic substructure in the body size-density relation, and discuss its potential drivers. The classic model is often used to estimate natural population densities, and a further, practical aim is to improve it by incorporating variability among phylogenetic groups. 3. We expand the model for the SDR relation of mammals to include clade-specific variation. We used a dataset with population and body mass estimates of 924 terrestrial mammal species, covering 97 families, and applied an algorithm identifying group-specific changes in the relationship across a family-level phylogeny. 4. We show increased performance in species density estimation is achieved by incorporating clade-specific changes in the relationship compared to the classic model (increasing r(2) from .56 to .74 and Delta AIC(c) = 466). While the global SDR across clades was confirmed to be similar to previous findings (r = -.74), the relationship within all sub-clades was less negative than the overall trend. 5. Our results show that data-driven identification of phylogenetic substructure in the size-density relation substantially improves predictive accuracy of the model. The less negative relationship within clades compared to the overall trend and compared to within clade metabolic scaling suggest that the energetic equivalence rule does not hold. This relationship shows that large species within clades use proportionally more energy than smaller species. Therefore, our results are consistent with a greater intra-guild ecological impact of large-bodied species via partial monopolisation of resources by the largest species of a given guild, and hence size-asymmetric intra-guild competition.
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| 46. |
- Pereira, Anieli G., et al.
(author)
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Two Major Extinction Events in the Evolutionary History of Turtles: One Caused by an Asteroid, the Other by Hominins
- 2024
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In: AMERICAN NATURALIST. - 0003-0147 .- 1537-5323. ; 203:6
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We live in a time of accelerated biological extinctions that has the potential to mirror past mass extinction events. However, the rarity of mass extinctions and the restructuring of diversity they cause complicate direct comparisons between the current extinction crisis and earlier events. Among animals, turtles (Testudinata) are one of few groups that have both a rich fossil record and sufficiently stable ecological and functional roles to enable meaningful comparisons between the end-Cretaceous mass extinction (similar to 66 Ma) and the ongoing wave of extinctions. Here we analyze the fossil record of the entire turtle clade and identify two peaks in extinction rates over their evolutionary history. The first coincides with the Cretaceous-Paleogene transition, reflecting patterns previously reported for other taxa. The second major extinction event started in the Pliocene and continues until now. This peak is detectable only for terrestrial turtles and started much earlier in Africa and Eurasia than elsewhere. On the basis of the timing, geography, and functional group of this extinction event, we postulate a link to co-occurring hominins rather than climate change as the cause. These results lend further support to the view that negative biodiversity impacts were already incurred by our ancestors and related lineages and demonstrate the severity of this continued impact through human activities.
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| 47. |
- Plumptre, A. J., et al.
(author)
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Where Might We Find Ecologically Intact Communities?
- 2021
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In: Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2624-893X. ; 4
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Conservation efforts should target the few remaining areas of the world that represent outstanding examples of ecological integrity and aim to restore ecological integrity to a much broader area of the world with intact habitat and minimal species loss while this is still possible. There have been many assessments of "intactness" in recent years but most of these use measures of anthropogenic impact at a site, rather than faunal intactness or ecological integrity. This paper makes the first assessment of faunal intactness for the global terrestrial land surface and assesses how many ecoregions have sites that could qualify as Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs - sites contributing significantly to the global persistence of biodiversity) based on their outstanding ecological integrity (under KBA Criterion C). Three datasets are combined on species loss at sites to create a new spatially explicit map of numbers of species extirpated. Based on this map it is estimated that no more than 2.9% of the land surface can be considered to be faunally intact. Additionally, using habitat/density distribution data for 15 large mammals we also make an initial assessment of areas where mammal densities are reduced, showing a further decrease in surface area to 2.8% of the land surface that could be considered functionally intact. Only 11% of the functionally intact areas that were identified are included within existing protected areas, and only 4% within existing KBAs triggered by other criteria. Our findings show that the number of ecoregions that could qualify as Criterion C KBAs could potentially increase land area up to 20% if their faunal composition was restored with the reintroduction of 1-5 species. Hence, if all necessary requirements are met in order to reintroduce species and regain faunal integrity, this will increase ecological integrity across much of the area where human impacts are low (human footprint <= 4). Focusing restoration efforts in these areas could significantly increase the area of the planet with full ecological integrity.
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| 48. |
- Puruleia, A., et al.
(author)
-
Rediscovery of the lost skink Proscelotes aenea and implications for conservation
- 2023
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In: Scientific Reports. - 2045-2322. ; 13:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biodiversity loss is recognized as a grand challenge of the twenty-first century but ascertaining when a species is "lost" can be incredibly difficult-since the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. This may be a relatively easy task for large and conspicuous animals, but extremely difficult for those living hidden lives or at low population sizes. We showcase this challenge by focusing on Africa's montane skink, Proscelotes aenea (Barbour & Loveridge 1928). In this study, we embarked on a year-long intensive survey to find this fossorial species in Lumbo, Northern Mozambique, the only remaining location where it may still occur but was recorded for the last time over 100 years ago. We located the species already after 20 days of intensive and targeted searching by five members of our team. The finding allowed us to describe, for the first time, details on the biology and ecology of the species, alongside photos and videos of live specimens (including a pregnant female), and to sequence DNA from the species, which we used to infer the phylogenetic placement. Our combined 12S and 16S phylogenetic analysis weakly suggest that the genus Proscelotes may not be monophyletic and therefore requires further phylogenetic work and potentially taxonomic revision. We also gathered evidence of a possible decrease in population abundance and, based on the species' ecology, we identified urbanization as a potential key threat, which could lead to the local or global extirpation of the species. We call for urgent conservation actions that help protect the future of the montane skink, and additional surveys to map its full distribution. As countries now work towards implementing the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, our study demonstrates the need for proper investments in biodiversity inventories and monitoring in order to halt species extinctions by 2030.
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| 49. |
- Ralimanana, H., et al.
(author)
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Madagascar’s extraordinary biodiversity: Threats and opportunities
- 2022
-
In: Science. - : American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). - 0036-8075 .- 1095-9203. ; 378:6623
-
Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Madagascar’s unique biota is heavily affected by human activity and is under intense threat. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on the conservation status of Madagascar’s terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity by presenting data and analyses on documented and predicted species-level conservation statuses, the most prevalent and relevant threats, ex situ collections and programs, and the coverage and comprehensiveness of protected areas. The existing terrestrial protected area network in Madagascar covers 10.4% of its land area and includes at least part of the range of the majority of described native species of vertebrates with known distributions (97.1% of freshwater fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals combined) and plants (67.7%). The overall figures are higher for threatened species (97.7% of threatened vertebrates and 79.6% of threatened plants occurring within at least one protected area). International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assessments and Bayesian neural network analyses for plants identify overexploitation of biological resources and unsustainable agriculture as the most prominent threats to biodiversity. We highlight five opportunities for action at multiple levels to ensure that conservation and ecological restoration objectives, programs, and activities take account of complex underlying and interacting factors and produce tangible benefits for the biodiversity and people of Madagascar.
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| 50. |
- Ritter, Camila, et al.
(author)
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The pitfalls of biodiversity proxies: Differences in richness patterns of birds, trees and understudied diversity across Amazonia
- 2019
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 9:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- © 2019, The Author(s). Most knowledge on biodiversity derives from the study of charismatic macro-organisms, such as birds and trees. However, the diversity of micro-organisms constitutes the majority of all life forms on Earth. Here, we ask if the patterns of richness inferred for macro-organisms are similar for micro-organisms. For this, we barcoded samples of soil, litter and insects from four localities on a west-to-east transect across Amazonia. We quantified richness as Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) in those samples using three molecular markers. We then compared OTU richness with species richness of two relatively well-studied organism groups in Amazonia: trees and birds. We find that OTU richness shows a declining west-to-east diversity gradient that is in agreement with the species richness patterns documented here and previously for birds and trees. These results suggest that most taxonomic groups respond to the same overall diversity gradients at large spatial scales. However, our results show a different pattern of richness in relation to habitat types, suggesting that the idiosyncrasies of each taxonomic group and peculiarities of the local environment frequently override large-scale diversity gradients. Our findings caution against using the diversity distribution of one taxonomic group as an indication of patterns of richness across all groups.
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