The unity and diversity of the subterranean realm with respect to invertebrate body size

Pipan, Tanja; Culver, David C.

doi:10.4311/2016lsc0119

Cited by 31 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Second, subterranean species are subjected to stratified environmental selection. The subterranean environment is generally compartmentalized into a series of nearly distinct microhabitats differing in light availability (Tierney et al, ), size of habitat pores (Pipan & Culver, ) and connectivity to the surface (Gers, ). A mosaic structure of subterranean microhabitats thereby provides a series of distinct experimental settings defined by distinct habitat‐filtering properties (Trontelj, Blejec, & Fišer, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental filtering and convergent evolution determine the ecological specialization of subterranean spiders

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1. Ecological specialization is an important mechanism enhancing species coexistence within a given community. Yet, unravelling the effect of multiple selective evolutionary and ecological factors leading the process of specialization remains a key challenge in ecology. Subterranean habitats provide highly replicated experimental arenas in which to disentangle the relative contribution of evolutionary history (convergent evolution vs. character displacement) and ecological setting (environmental filtering vs. competitive exclusion) in driving community assembly.2. We tested alternative hypotheses about the emergence of ecological specialization using the radiation of a lineage of sheet-weaver cave-dwelling spiders as model system. We observed that at the local scale, a differential specialization to cave microhabitats generally parallels moderate levels of morphological similarity and close phylogenetic relatedness among species. Conversely, geographic distance contributed little in explaining microhabitat occupation, possibly mirroring a limited role of competitive exclusion. Yet, compared to non-coexisting species, co-occurring species adapted to different microhabitats showed lower morphological niche overlap (i.e. higher dissimilarity) and deeper genetic distance.3. The framework here developed suggests that in the subterranean domain, habitat specialization is primarily driven by environmental filtering, secondarily by convergent evolution, and only marginally by character displacement or competitive exclusion. This pattern results in the establishment of replicated communities across geographical space, composed by ecologically equivalent species. Such process of community assembly well explains the numerous adaptive radiations observed in subterranean habitats, an eco-evolutionary pattern well documented in oceanic islands or mountain summit communities. K E Y W O R D S biotic interactions, cave, functional traits, n-dimensional hypervolume, niche space, phenotypic variability, subterranean biology, Western Italian Alps | 1065 Functional Ecology MAMMOLA et AL. S U PP O RTI N G I N FO R M ATI O N Additional supporting information may be found online in the Supporting Information section. How to cite this article: Mammola S, Arnedo MA, Fišer C, Cardoso P, Dejanaz AJ, Isaia M. Environmental filtering and convergent evolution determine the ecological specialization of subterranean spiders.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental filtering and convergent evolution determine the ecological specialization of subterranean spiders

et al. 2020

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…On a positive note, a number of studies have recently shown that SSHs actually represent promising model systems in ecology and evolution. SSHs are especially suitable models for understanding the role of habitat size as an evolutionary force constraining the size of organisms and conditioning their spatial niche Pipan 2015, Pipan andCulver 2017) and for investigating spatial and temporal dynamics of subterranean organisms (Crouau-Roy et al 1992, Gers 1998, Rendoš et al 2012, Ortuño et al 2013, Nitzu et al 2014, Jiménez-Valverde et al 2015, Brancelj et al 2016). Moreover, the investigation of these habitats is important for understanding the biogeography and the evolutionary patterns of the subterranean fauna (Christian 1987, Howarth 1993, Arnedo et al 2007, Ružička et al 2013.…”

Section: Shallow Subterranean Habitatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Finding answers in the dark: caves as models in ecology fifty years after Poulson and White

2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The use of semi-isolated habitats such as oceanic islands, lakes and mountain summits as model systems has played a crucial role in the development of evolutionary and ecological theory. Soon after the discovery of life in caves, different pioneering authors similarly recognized the great potential of these peculiar habitats as biological model systems. In their 1969 paper in Science, 'The cave environment', Poulson and White discussed how caves can be used as natural laboratories in which to study the underlying principles governing the dynamics of more complex environments. Together with other seminal syntheses published at the time, this work contributed to establishing the conceptual foundation for expanding the scope and relevance of cave-based studies. Fifty years after, the aim of this review is to show why and how caves and other subterranean habitats can be used as eco-evolutionary laboratories. Recent advances and directions in different areas are provided, encompassing community ecology, trophicwebs and ecological networks, conservation biology, macroecology and climate change biology. Special emphasis is given to discuss how caves are only part of the extended network of fissures and cracks that permeate most substrates and, thus, their ecological role as habitat islands is critically discussed. Numerous studies have quantified the relative contribution of abiotic, biotic and historical factors in driving species distributions and community turnovers in space and time, from local to regional scales. Conversely, knowledge of macroecological patterns of subterranean organisms at a global scale remains largely elusive, due to major geographical and taxonomical biases. Also, knowledge regarding subterranean trophic webs and the effect of anthropogenic climate change on deep subterranean ecosystems is still limited. In these research fields, the extensive use of novel molecular and statistical tools may hold promise for quickly producing relevant information not accessible hitherto.

show abstract

“…Habitat availability and habitat (pore) size are the first factors limiting the occurrence of a subterranean species Culver 2001, Pipan andCulver 2017). Logically, a higher habitat and topographic heterogeneity should enhance a wider distribution in most subterranean taxonomic groups (Cornu et al 2013, Eme et al 2015, Christman et al 2016.…”

Section: Topographic Factors and Habitat Heterogeneitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Applying species distribution models to caves and other subterranean habitats

Mammola¹,

Leroy

2017

Ecography

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Over the last two decades there has been an exponential increase in the use of correlative species distribution models (SDMs) to address a variety of topics in ecology, biogeography, evolution, and conservation biology. Conversely, the use of these statistical methods to study the potential distribution of subterranean organisms has lagged behind, relative to their above‐ground (epigean) counterparts. The reason for this is possibly related to a number of peculiarities of subterranean systems, which pose important limits, but also opportunities, for these correlative models. The aim of this forum is to explore the caveats that need to be made when generalizing these statistical techniques to caves and other subterranean habitats. We focus on the typical bias in spatial datasets of cave‐dwelling species, and provide advice for selecting the model calibration area. In parallel, we discuss the potential use of different large scale surface variables to represent the subterranean condition. A more widespread adoption of these statistical techniques in subterranean biology is highly attractive and has great potential in broadening our knowledge on a variety of ecological topics, especially in the fields of climate change and biodiversity conservation. Their use would especially benefit the study of the biogeographic patterns of subterranean fauna and the impact of past and future climate change on subterranean ecosystems.

show abstract

The unity and diversity of the subterranean realm with respect to invertebrate body size

Cited by 31 publications

References 27 publications

Environmental filtering and convergent evolution determine the ecological specialization of subterranean spiders

Environmental filtering and convergent evolution determine the ecological specialization of subterranean spiders

Finding answers in the dark: caves as models in ecology fifty years after Poulson and White

Applying species distribution models to caves and other subterranean habitats

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About