Niche conservatism in a generalist felid: low differentiation of the climatic niche among subspecies of the leopard(Panthera pardus)

Abstract

Aim: Species distribution modelling can be used to reveal if the ecology of a species varies across its range, to investigate if range expansions entailed niche shifts, and to help assess ecological differentiation: the answers to such questions are vital for effective conservation. The leopard (Panthera pardus spp.) is a generalist species composed of one African and eight Asian subspecies, reflecting dispersal from an ancestral African range. This study uses species distribution models to compare the niches of leopard subspecies, to investigate if they conserved their niches when moving into new territories or adapted to local conditions and shifted niche. Location: Africa and Eurasia Methods: We assembled a database of P. pardus spp. presences. We then associated them with bioclimatic variables to identify which are relevant in predicting the distribution of the leopard. We then constructed a species distribution model and compared the distribution predicted from models based on presences from all subspecies versus the ones built only using African leopards. Finally, we used multivariate analysis to visualise the niche occupied by each subspecies in the climate space, and to compare niche overlaps to assess ecological differentiation. Results: Niche comparisons and model predictions suggest a general lack of niche separation between all subspecies. Most Asian subspecies have overlapping niches and occupy subsets of the niche of the African leopard. Nevertheless, we found the Persian leopard Panthera pardus saxicolor to have the most distinct niche, giving some evidence for niche expansion in more Northern Asian subspecies. Main conclusions: These results suggest little ecological differentiation among leopard subspecies and a lack of adaptation to novel climates after dispersal from Africa. This finding complements recent genetic studies in implying that the taxonomy of Asian leopards may not reflect biological differentiation, an issue that is important to resolve due to its relevance for the conservation of the species.