Ecological niche modelling as an exploratory tool for identifying species limits: an example based on Mexican muroid rodents

Abstract

Niche conservatism theory suggests that recently diverged sister species share the same ecological niche. However, if the ecological niche evolves as part of the speciation process, the ecological pattern could be useful for recognizing cryptic species. In a broad sense systematists agree that the niche characters could be used for species differentiation. However, to date such characters have been ignored. We used the genetic algorithm for rule‐set production for modelling the ecological niche as a means of inferring ecological divergence in allopatric populations of muroid rodents for which taxonomic identity is uncertain. Our results show that niche differentiation is significant in most of the identified phylogroups. The differentiation is likely associated with natural evolutionary units, which can be identified by applying species concepts based on phylogenetic and ecological patterns (e.g. phylogenetic, cohesive, evolutionary). Even so, the role of the niche partition within phylogenetic reconstruction may be a limited one.

Integrative taxonomy and preliminary assessment of species limits in the Liolaemus walkeri complex (Squamata, Liolaemidae) with descriptions of three new species from Peru

“…In addition to this agreement with respect to GLC, there is a growing number of new empirical methods of species delimitation (SDL; Pons et al 2006, Knowles and Carstens 2007, Kubatko et al 2009, Carstens and Dewey 2010, Flot et al 2010, Hausdorf and Hennig 2010, Martínez-Gordillo et al 2010, Gurgel-Gonçalves et al 2011). These new methods for testing hypotheses of species boundaries have been accommodated under the new term “integrative taxonomy” (IT; Dayrat 2005, Padial and De la Riva 2010, Padial et al 2010).…”

Thermal niche evolution and geographical range expansion in a species complex of western Mediterranean diving beetles

“…This method has been used in a number of studies (e.g. [54,55]), including aquatic Coleoptera [56,57].…”

Peromyscus furvus (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

“…Differences in the ecological niches of these 3 phylogroups were due primarily to variation in temperature variables including annual mean, isothermality, and maximum of the warmest month, as well as means of the wettest, driest, and warmest quarters. Both the northern and southern phylogroups displayed significant ecological differentiation from each other and from the central phylogroup (Martínez-Gordillo et al 2009). …”