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Citation
Tags
HERO ID
5093369
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Biogeographical patterns of species richness and abundance distribution in stream diatoms are driven by climate and water chemistry
Author(s)
Passy, SI; Larson, CA; Jamoneau, A; Budnick, W; Heino, J; Leboucher, T; Tison-Rosebery, J; Soininen, J
Year
2018
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
American Naturalist
ISSN:
0003-0147
EISSN:
1537-5323
Volume
192
Issue
5
Page Numbers
605-617
Language
English
PMID
30332588
DOI
10.1086/699830
Abstract
In this intercontinental study of stream diatoms, we asked three important but still unresolved ecological questions: (1) What factors drive the biogeography of species richness and species abundance distribution (SAD)? (2) Are climate-related hypotheses, which have dominated the research on the latitudinal and altitudinal diversity gradients, adequate in explaining spatial biotic variability? and (3) Is the SAD response to the environment independent of richness? We tested a number of climatic theories and hypotheses (i.e., the species-energy theory, the metabolic theory, the energy variability hypothesis, and the climatic tolerance hypothesis) but found no support for any of these concepts, as the relationships of richness with explanatory variables were nonexistent, weak, or unexpected. Instead, we demonstrated that diatom richness and SAD evenness generally increased with temperature seasonality and at mid- to high total phosphorus concentrations. The spatial patterns of diatom richness and the SAD-mainly longitudinal in the United States but latitudinal in Finland-were defined primarily by the covariance of climate and water chemistry with space. The SAD was not entirely controlled by richness, emphasizing its utility for ecological research. Thus, we found support for the operation of both climate and water chemistry mechanisms in structuring diatom communities, which underscores their complex response to the environment and the necessity for novel predictive frameworks.
Tags
•
Nutrient Stressors and Biological Responses
Geographic Location
Other Location
US
Nutrient Stressor
TP
Biological Response
Diatoms
Document Type
Journal Article
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