Biodiversity dynamics in landscapes with fluctuating connectivity

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Abstract

Biodiversity can increase in both high‐ and low‐connected landscapes. However, we lack predictions related to biodiversity dynamics when accounting for the temporal heterogeneity in the connections among the habitats of a landscape. Here, we study the relationship between fluctuations in landscape connectivity and biodiversity dynamics at local and regional scales. We contrast predictions about species richness between landscapes with and without fluctuations in connectivity. Our results show that local (α) and regional ( γ) richness can increase together in dynamic landscapes characterized by periodic connectivity, clarifying empirical findings of high biodiversity in both low and high‐connected landscapes. Our results also suggest that fluctuations in connectivity increase the overall number of species coexisting in dynamic landscapes when compared with static landscapes with no fluctuations in connectivity. Extending metacommunity theory, by including fluctuations in landscape connectivity, can thus provide new testable predictions about species diversity across broad spatiotemporal scales in rapidly changing landscapes.

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Nils Stenseth, Atle Mysterud, Geir Ottersen … (2002)

Climate influences a variety of ecological processes. These effects operate through local weather parameters such as temperature, wind, rain, snow, and ocean currents, as well as interactions among these. In the temperate zone, local variations in weather are often coupled over large geographic areas through the transient behavior of atmospheric planetary-scale waves. These variations drive temporally and spatially averaged exchanges of heat, momentum, and water vapor that ultimately determine growth, recruitment, and migration patterns. Recently, there have been several studies of the impact of large-scale climatic forcing on ecological systems. We review how two of the best-known climate phenomena-the North Atlantic Oscillation and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation-affect ecological patterns and processes in both marine and terrestrial systems.

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The metacommunity concept: a framework for multi-scale community ecology

M. Leibold, M Holyoak, N Mouquet … (2004)

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The velocity of climate change.

Scott Loarie, Philip B. Duffy, Healy Hamilton … (2009)

The ranges of plants and animals are moving in response to recent changes in climate. As temperatures rise, ecosystems with 'nowhere to go', such as mountains, are considered to be more threatened. However, species survival may depend as much on keeping pace with moving climates as the climate's ultimate persistence. Here we present a new index of the velocity of temperature change (km yr(-1)), derived from spatial gradients ( degrees C km(-1)) and multimodel ensemble forecasts of rates of temperature increase ( degrees C yr(-1)) in the twenty-first century. This index represents the instantaneous local velocity along Earth's surface needed to maintain constant temperatures, and has a global mean of 0.42 km yr(-1) (A1B emission scenario). Owing to topographic effects, the velocity of temperature change is lowest in mountainous biomes such as tropical and subtropical coniferous forests (0.08 km yr(-1)), temperate coniferous forest, and montane grasslands. Velocities are highest in flooded grasslands (1.26 km yr(-1)), mangroves and deserts. High velocities suggest that the climates of only 8% of global protected areas have residence times exceeding 100 years. Small protected areas exacerbate the problem in Mediterranean-type and temperate coniferous forest biomes. Large protected areas may mitigate the problem in desert biomes. These results indicate management strategies for minimizing biodiversity loss from climate change. Montane landscapes may effectively shelter many species into the next century. Elsewhere, reduced emissions, a much expanded network of protected areas, or efforts to increase species movement may be necessary.