On the Causes of Tropical Species Diversity: Niche Overlap

Klopfer, Peter H.; MacArthur, Robert H.

doi:10.1086/282179

Cited by 136 publications

(96 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…This fact is also supported by Proctor (1986), who opined that tropical forests contain more microhabitats per unit ground area than their temperate counterparts. However, Klopfer and MacArthur (1961) suggested that in tropical forests species may reside not in the number of niches available, but in an increase in the similarity of coexisting species. The extent to which all these informal explanations apply is a matter of further study at micro-habitat level.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in butterfly diversity and unique species richness along different habitats in Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary, Tripura, northeast India

Majumder¹,

Lodh²,

Agarwala³

2012

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Quantification of butterfly diversity and species richness is of prime importance for evaluating the status of protected areas. Permanent line transect counts were used to record species richness and abundance of butterfly communities of different habitat types in Trishna wildlife sanctuary. A total of 1005 individuals representing 59 species in 48 genera belonging to five families were recorded in the present study. Of these, 23 species belonged to the family Nymphalidae and accounted for 38.98% of the total species and 45.20% of the total number of individuals. Mature secondary mixed moist deciduous forest showed the maximum diversity and species richness, while exotic grassland showed minimum diversity and species richness. Out of 59 species, 31 are new records for Tripura state, while 21 are unique species and nine are listed in the threatened category. This study revealed that mature secondary forests are more important for butterfly communities, while exotic grasslands have a negative impact on species composition.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in butterfly diversity and unique species richness along different habitats in Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary, Tripura, northeast India

Majumder¹,

Lodh²,

Agarwala³

2012

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“…Based upon the geological history of the 2 regions, ecological requirements for the taxon, and paleontological evidence drawn from sister taxa, we propose that these differences are closely linked to concepts which led Sanders (1969) to propose the Time-Stability Hypothesis (also see Klopfer 1959, Klopfer & MacArthur 1960, 1961, Slobodkin & Sanders 1969. Over long periods of geological time, the Alcyonacea experienced broad taxonomic radiation in the Indo-Pacific.…”

Section: Biogeography: Caribbean Versus Indo-pacific Octocorals Distrmentioning

confidence: 98%

Chemical adaptations in the Octocorallia: evolutionary considerations

Sammarco¹,

Coll²

1992

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

110

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The Octocorallia are a highly diverse group, rich in secondary compounds which serve several ecological functions, including predator defense, interspecific competition for space, antifouling, and reproduction. The Alcyonacea are characterized by high frequencies of ichthyotoxicity and feeding deterrence which are not generally correlated with each other. This may be due to the multiple functions these compounds perform, m a s l n g correlations which would otherwise be apparent. Correlations between ichthyotoxicity and physical defense exist, but only at higher levels of taxonomic resolution. One resultant selective advantage of varlance in ichthyotoxlcity and feeding deterrence may be Diffuse Batesian Mimicry, whereby the toxic or feeding-deterrent characteristics of a majority of species help to protect a taxon with a small number of general morphological types and small variance in coloration from generalist predators. Surface-brooded planulae of Indo-Pacific coral species, similar in appearance but not possessing toxic or feeding deterrent attributes, may be similarly protected. The chemical characters of octocorals may serve the same functions which morphological characters in scleractinian corals serve, particularly in predator defense and competition for space. Most octocorals lack a rigid skeleton possessed by scleractinians, which can protect polyps from predation. Octocorals also lack toxic stinging nenlatocysts common to scleractinians, but possess allelopathic capabilities. In some octocorals, 'non-toxic' nematocysts on sweeper tentacles may still be effective in competition for space; in others, aggressive interactions can be avoided through re-orientation or movement, resulting in directed growth. Octocoral orders are distributed inequitably between the tropical Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. The Gorgonacea dominate the former; the Alcyonacea. the latter. Octocoral species diversity is higher in the western Indo-Pacific, as is the abundance and diversity of secondary rnetabolites and their functions. This may be a result of differential levels of extinction between the 2 regions dunng the early Miocene and the late Pliocene/early Pleistocene, with high extinction rates having been experienced in the Caribbean. These extinctions may also have affected radiation in the secondary metabolites produced by those species and the functions which those rnetabolites serve. Secondary metabolites appear to have contributed to the evolutionary success of the Indo-Pacific Alcyonacea. In accordance with the Time-Stability hypothesis, we believe that this high abundance and diversity evolved in the Indo-Pacific under conditions of reduced climatic change and lower extinction levels, when compared to the Caribbean.

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“…An alternative view-the 'niche packing' modelproposes that higher diversity is instead associated with the denser packing of niche space (figure 1b). This could arise either through finer specialization or greater overlap in resource use [7,8], which in turn may reflect differences in the ecological capacity for coexistence or regional differences in rates of species production [6,9]. These models of niche packing and expansion are not mutually exclusive and both may occur in tandem ( figure 1c,d).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional traits reveal the expansion and packing of ecological niche space underlying an elevational diversity gradient in passerine birds

2016

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Variation in species richness across environmental gradients may be associated with an expanded volume or increased packing of ecological niche space. However, the relative importance of these alternative scenarios remains unknown, largely because standardized information on functional traits and their ecological relevance is lacking for major diversity gradients. Here, we combine data on morphological and ecological traits for 523 species of passerine birds distributed across an Andes-to-Amazon elevation gradient. We show that morphological traits capture substantial variation in species dietary (75%) and foraging niches (60%) when multiple independent trait dimensions are considered. Having established these relationships, we show that the 14-fold increase in species richness towards the lowlands is associated with both an increased volume and density of functional trait space. However, we find that increases in volume contribute little to changes in richness, with most (78%) lowland species occurring within the range of trait space occupied at high elevations. Taken together, our results suggest that high species richness is mainly associated with a denser occupation of functional trait space, implying an increased specialization or overlap of ecological niches, and supporting the view that niche packing is the dominant trend underlying gradients of increasing biodiversity towards the lowland tropics.

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On the Causes of Tropical Species Diversity: Niche Overlap

Cited by 136 publications

References 4 publications

Variation in butterfly diversity and unique species richness along different habitats in Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary, Tripura, northeast India

Variation in butterfly diversity and unique species richness along different habitats in Trishna Wildlife Sanctuary, Tripura, northeast India

Chemical adaptations in the Octocorallia: evolutionary considerations

Functional traits reveal the expansion and packing of ecological niche space underlying an elevational diversity gradient in passerine birds

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