Broad‐scale geographic patterns in body size and hind wing development of western Palaearctic carabid beetles(Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Abstract

Research into large‐scale ecological rules has a long tradition but has received increasing attention over the last two decades. Whereas environmental, especially climatic, influences on the geographic distribution of species traits such as body size are well understood in mammals and birds, our knowledge of the determinants and mechanisms which shape spatial patterns in invertebrate traits is still limited. This study analyzes macroecological patterns in two traits of the highly diverse invertebrate taxon of carabid beetles: body size and hind wing development, the latter being directly linked to species’ dispersal abilities. We tested for potential impacts of environmental variables (spatial, areal, topographic and climate‐related) representing both contemporary conditions and historical processes on large‐scale patterns in the two traits. Regression models revealed hump‐shaped relationships with latitude for both traits in the categories 1) all species, 2) widespread and 3) endemic (restricted‐range) species: body size and the proportion of flightless species increased from northern towards southern Europe and then decreased towards North Africa. The shared and independent influence of environmental factors was analyzed by variation partitioning. While contemporary environmental productivity and stability (represented by measures of ambient energy and water energy balance) had strong positive relationships with carabid body size, patterns in hind wing development were most notably influenced by topography (elevation range). Regions with high elevation range and low historical climate variability (since the last ice age), which likely offer long‐term stable habitats (i.e. glacial refugia), coincide with regions with high proportions of flightless species. Thus geographic patterns in carabid traits tend to be formed not only by recent climate but also by dispersal and historical climate and processes (i.e. glaciations and postglacial colonization).

Beyond body size: consistent decrease of traits within orthopteran assemblages with elevation

“…, Brehm and Fiedler , Homburg et al. ). Furthermore, a recent study showed that both the phylogenetic (the legacy of the phylogenetic relationship) as well as the species‐specific component (the deviation of a species from the phylogenetic legacy) of color contribute to the pattern of increasing color lightness in butterfly and dragonfly assemblages toward warm environments across Europe (Zeuss et al.…”

Carabids.org – a dynamic online database of ground beetle species traits (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

“…These microevolutionary processes enable carabid beetles to adapt to specific habitats (cf. Thiele, ) and might even drive patterns at smaller and larger geographical scales, which have been documented (Šerić Jelaska & Durbešić, ; Homburg et al ., ).…”

“…Invertebrate body size has been considered in an increasing number of macroecological studies on large geographical scales and reflects physiological abilities such as starvation and desiccation resistance (Remmert, ; Cushman et al ., ; Entling et al ., ) and energy allocation (Atkinson, ; Mousseau, ) as well as dispersal abilities (Cushman et al ., ). Broad‐scale patterns in body size distribution of western Palaearctic carabids showed increasing body size towards regions with (long‐term) stable climate conditions and high energy and water availability (Homburg et al ., ). On a more regional assemblage‐level, body size was found to be linked with habitat succession and stability (Schwerk & Szyszko, ; Šerić Jelaska et al ., ) as well as with distribution (Schwerk & Szyszko, ).…”

Macroecology of ground beetles: Species richness, range size and body size show different geographical patterns across a climatically heterogeneous area

“…Moreover, the semi‐passive or passive oxygen dissipation that is ubiquitous in insects involves a more effective respiration and cell functioning at higher temperatures, which would allow species to attain larger body sizes at higher ambient temperature and, hence, at lower latitudes (Fattorini, Lo Monaco, Giulio, & Ulrich, ). Finally, an increase in body size at lower latitudes might be due to increased productivity and metabolic rates in regions with high energy availability (Heino & Alahuhta, ; Homburg et al, ). However, studies on temperature relationships and latitudinal trends in arthropod body size have provided variable results, pointing to taxon and life history specific factors that constrain body size, such as taxon‐specific desiccation resistance, resource storage and starvation resistance, resource limitation, food availability, freezing resistance, net primary productivity, seasonality and metabolic constraints (Fattorini et al, ; Heino & Alahuhta, ).…”