Micro‐scale geography of synchrony in a serpentine plant community

Walter, Jonathan A.; Hallett, Lauren M.; Sheppard, Lawrence W.; Anderson, Thomas L.; Zhao, Lei; Hobbs, Richard J.; Suding, Katharine N.; Reuman, Daniel C.

doi:10.1111/1365-2745.13503

Cited by 20 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…We estimated modularity for species‐specific networks and for the mean synchrony and mean anti‐synchrony networks. We determined the membership of each node using an extension of the method proposed by Newman (2006), which can be used when the network has some negative weights (Gómez et al., 2009; Walter et al., 2020). For this purpose, we used the functions cluseigen and modularity from the wsyn package (Reuman et al., 2019).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The relative influence of different mechanisms on spatial synchrony can be potentially investigated using matrix regression models (e.g., Anderson, Walter, et al., 2018; Haynes et al., 2013; Walter et al., 2017). Complementarily, the use of network‐based methods is a promising approach to detail the geography of synchrony (Dallas et al., 2020; Walter et al., 2017, 2020). In a network graph, nodes represent the local populations and edges represent the strength of pairwise synchrony (Walter et al., 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Drivers and spatial patterns of population synchrony of fish species in a floodplain

2022

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Spatial synchrony is the correlation between the temporal dynamics of local populations. This pattern may be driven by spatially correlated environmental variation (i.e., Moran effect), dispersal and trophic interactions. Investigating geographic patterns of synchrony can help disentangle the relative importance of these drivers. Using fish abundance data from long‐term ecological research (17 years) in the Upper Paraná River floodplain, we studied the relative roles of dispersal distance, density dependence differences, and environmental synchrony in determining spatial synchrony of the most common species in this floodplain. We also investigated the geography of spatial synchrony by estimating modularity and site‐level contributions to synchrony and anti‐synchrony networks. We found positive spatial synchrony for most species, but levels were relatively low. For most species, our explanatory matrices were poorly related to spatial synchrony. We detected modular structures in some species networks, which reflected complex spatial patterns in synchrony. We also detected sites with high importance to spatial synchrony patterns that could be managed to increase metapopulation stability. The variable levels of spatial synchrony for fish species in the Upper Paraná River floodplain implies the need to monitor several sites to understand their dynamics in this region. Also, some migratory species of high importance to regional fisheries, such as Prochilodus lineatus, may deserve special monitoring attention due to the increased regional extinction risk associated with their high levels of spatial synchrony. Finally, we speculate that hydrological manipulation from upstream reservoirs should consider the timing of water releases to avoid spatially correlated population declines.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drivers and spatial patterns of population synchrony of fish species in a floodplain

2022

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“…Nevertheless, heterogeneity in factors such as soil conditions and habitat structure within sites has the potential to affect community stability directly, as well as indirectly through effects on biomass production, species richness, and species composition (Wilcox et al, 2017). Yet, the question whether small‐scale spatial heterogeneity of conditions affects temporal biomass stability and species synchrony in the local plant community has been less studied (McGranahan et al, 2016; Walter et al, 2020). Furthermore, stabilizing mechanisms have been mostly examined in grasslands with high dominance of perennial species (Hallet et al, 2014; Xu et al, 2015; Lepš et al, 2018), but seldom studied in annual plant communities in resource‐limited systems (Valone & Barber, 2008; Grman et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal stability of biomass in annual plant communities is driven by species diversity and asynchrony, but not dominance

Kigel

Konsens

Segev

et al. 2021

J Vegetation Science

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Aims: Primary biomass production is a fundamental process for ecosystem functioning. Yet, little is known on the mechanisms driving temporal stability of biomass production in annual plant communities, particularly when subjected to highly variable environments and undergoing temporal changes in species composition. We aimed to disentangle the relative importance of biomass production, species diversity, dominance and asynchrony of species fluctuations as drivers of biomass stability in mediterranean and semi-arid annual plant communities.Location: Mediterranean (31°42′ N; 35°03′ E) and semi-arid (31°23′ N; 34°54′ E) sites, Israel.Methods: Above-ground biomass and species abundance were monitored in 15 plots of 250 m 2 per site during eight consecutive years. Relationships between stability drivers and community stability were studied at the regional (between sites) and local (within sites) spatial scales.Results: Community biomass stability (mean biomass/SD) increased from the semiarid to the mediterranean site concomitantly with higher biomass production, richness, and evenness. Differences in stability between sites were due to opposite effects of site conditions on the mean and SD of community biomass, leading to higher stability in the mediterranean site. Within sites, species asynchrony was the key driver of stability at the local spatial scale. Richness and biomass production affected stability indirectly through asynchrony, but in different ways at each site. At the mediterranean site, these factors had indirect negative effects on stability by reducing asynchrony, but did not rescind a positive effect of asynchrony on community stability. At the semi-arid site, biomass production had indirect positive effects on stability through asynchrony, while richness had no effect on asynchrony and stability. Stability was not driven by species evenness in either site. Conclusions:Our study provides new insights into the complex control of biomass stability in the dynamics of mediterranean and semi-arid annual plant communities, with different mechanisms driving stability across the regional vs local spatial scales.

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“…Spatial structure in abundance (i.e., detectable repeating patterns) across different scales was examined using a wavelet analysis (Fortin and Dale, 2005 ; Ma et al, 2021 ). Wavelet analyses have typically been used to detect patterns in time‐series datasets (e.g., Walter et al., 2020 ), but were applied here to a spatial signal, that is, patterns in sea urchin abundance along their linear range in South Africa. For each species, the wavelet power spectrum was generated with the Morlet wavelet (100 simulations).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intertidal estimates of sea urchin abundance reveal congruence in spatial structure for a guild of consumers

Kevin

Redelinghuys

Gusha

et al. 2021

Ecology and Evolution

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We hypothesized congruence in the spatial structure of abundance data sampled across multiple scales for an ecological guild of consumers that exploit similar nutritional and habitat resources. We tested this hypothesis on the spatial organization of abundance of an herbivorous guild of sea urchins. We also examined whether the amount of local along‐shore rocky habitat can explain the observed spatial patterns of abundance. Standardized estimates of abundance of four intertidal sea urchins—Diadema cf. savignyi, Echinometra mathaei, Parechinus angulosus, and Stomopneustes variolaris—were determined by six observers at 105 sites across 2,850 km of coast of South Africa. For each species and observer, wavelet analysis was used on abundance estimates, after controlling for potential biases, to examine their spatial structure. The relationship between local sea urchin abundance and the amount of upstream and downstream rocky habitat, as defined by the prevailing ocean current, was also investigated. All species exhibited robust structure at scales of 75–220 km, despite variability among observers. Less robust structure in the abundances of three species was detected at larger scales of 430–898 km. Abundance estimates of sympatric populations of two species (D. cf. savignyi and E. mathaei) were positively correlated with the amount of rocky habitat upstream of the site, suggesting that upstream populations act as larval sources across a wide range of scales. No relationship between abundance and habitat size was found for P. angulosus or S. variolaris. Within the range of scales examined, we found robust congruence in spatial structure in abundance at the lower, but not the larger, range of scales for all four species. The relationship between abundance and upstream habitat availability in two species suggests that larval supply from upstream populations was probably the mechanism linking habitat size and abundance.

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Micro‐scale geography of synchrony in a serpentine plant community

Cited by 20 publications

References 46 publications

Drivers and spatial patterns of population synchrony of fish species in a floodplain

Drivers and spatial patterns of population synchrony of fish species in a floodplain

Temporal stability of biomass in annual plant communities is driven by species diversity and asynchrony, but not dominance

Intertidal estimates of sea urchin abundance reveal congruence in spatial structure for a guild of consumers

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