Visualizing and interacting with large-volume biodiversity data using client–server web-mapping applications: The design and implementation of antmaps.org

Janicki, Julia; Narula, Nitish; Ziegler, Matt; Guénard, Benoit; Economo, Evan P.

doi:10.1016/j.ecoinf.2016.02.006

Cited by 251 publications

(221 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Our geographic data are based primarily on the GABI Project database (Guénard et al, ), which can be viewed through the website antmaps.org (Janicki, Narula, Ziegler, Guenard, & Economo, ), and secondarily on the personal collection records of the authors (all of which are available on AntWeb.org). The former focuses on described species, while the second was used to supplement data on morphospecies for taxa included in the phylogenetic analysis.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of the latitudinal diversity gradient in the hyperdiverse ant genus Pheidole

Economo

Huang

Fischer

et al. 2019

Global Ecol Biogeogr

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Aim The latitudinal diversity gradient is the dominant geographic pattern of life on Earth, but a consensus understanding of its origins has remained elusive. The analysis of recently diverged, hyper‐rich invertebrate groups provides an opportunity to investigate latitudinal patterns with the statistical power of large trees while minimizing potentially confounding variation in ecology and history. Here, we synthesize global phylogenetic and macroecological data on a hyperdiverse (> 1,100 species) ant radiation, Pheidole and test predictions of three general explanations for the latitudinal gradient: variation in diversification rates, tropical conservatism and ecological regulation. Location Global. Time period The past 35 million years. Major taxa studied The hyperdiverse ant genus Pheidole Westwood. Methods We assembled geographic data for 1,499 species and morphospecies, and inferred a dated phylogeny for 449 species of Pheidole, including 167 species newly sequenced for this study. We tested for correlations between diversification rate and latitude with Bayesian analysis of macroevolutionary mixtures (BAMM), hidden state speciation and extinction (HiSSE), geographic state speciation and extinction (GeoSSE), and a non‐parametric method (FiSSE), evaluated evidence for richness steady state, and examined patterns of diversification as Pheidole spread around the globe. Results There was no evidence of systematic variation of net diversification rates with latitude across any of the methods. We found that Pheidole diversification occurred in bursts when new continents were colonized, followed by a slowdown in each region, but there is no evidence richness has saturated at an equilibrium in any region. Additionally, we found latitudinal affinity is moderately conserved with a Neotropical ancestor and simulations show that phylogenetic inertia alone is sufficient to produce the gradient pattern. Main conclusions Our results provide no evidence that diversification rates vary systematically with latitude. Richness is far from steady state in each region, contrary to the ecological regulation hypothesis, although there is evidence that ecological opportunity promotes diversification after colonization of new areas. The fact that niche conservatism is strong enough to produce the gradient pattern is in accord with the tropical conservatism hypothesis. Overall, these results shed light on the mechanisms underlying the emergence of the diversity gradient within the past 34 million years, complementing recent work on deeper time‐scales, and more generally contribute toward much‐needed invertebrate perspective on global biodiversity dynamics.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of the latitudinal diversity gradient in the hyperdiverse ant genus Pheidole

Economo

Huang

Fischer

et al. 2019

Global Ecol Biogeogr

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“…Flower visitation by ants is frequently reported, although their functional relevance in pollination remains controversial (de Vega and Gómez 2014). South African fynbos, Australian deserts), where other pollinators or seed dispersers are scarce and where there is a high diversity of ant species (see antsmaps.org; Janicki et al 2016). Ants involved in DMs are mainly expected in semiarid or desert ecosystems (e.g.…”

Section: Traits Of the Double Mutualistsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global patterns of the double mutualism phenomenon

Fuster¹,

Kaiser‐Bunbury

Olesen

et al. 2018

Ecography

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A double mutualism (DM) occurs when two interacting species benefit each other in two different functions, e.g. when an animal species acts both as pollinator and seed disperser of the same plant. Besides the double benefit, a DM also imposes a larger risk to both functions if the performance of one partner declines. We conducted the first global review of DMs involving pollinators and seed dispersers, aiming to: 1) assess their prevalence across ecosystems and biogeographical regions; 2) identify the main plant and animal taxa, and their traits, implicated in DMs; and 3) evaluate the conservation status of double mutualist species. We compiled published and unpublished DM records using specific search terms, noting the species involved, their conservation status and geographic location, as well as the type of study (species vs communitylevel) in which the DM was detected. We identified 302 DM cases involving 207 plant and 92 animal species from 16 mainland and 17 island areas. Most records come from tropical regions and islands. Animals included birds (62%), mammals (22%), and reptiles (16%), mostly opportunist species; only 18% were nectarivores. Plants were mainly fleshy-fruited shrub or tree species (59%) with actinomorphic flowers that were visited by several or many pollinator species (87%). Most (56%) DMs were detected in community-level studies. DMs are mostly prevalent in ecosystems with limited food resources and mutualist partners, and with high generalization levels. Nearly 30% of the species involved in DMs are threatened according to IUCN criteria, 68% of which are found on islands. The high prevalence of DM on islands paired with the threat status of island species suggest that the loss of a double mutualists and its cascading consequences may have a severe impact on community composition and functioning of fragile island ecosystems.

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“…material 1: Table S1 for non-Chinese species). The other distributional data used for map generation was extracted from Antmaps.org (Janicki et al 2016, Guénard et al 2017). …”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Systematics of the ant genus Proceratium Roger (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Proceratiinae) in China – with descriptions of three new species based on micro-CT enhanced next-generation-morphology

Staab

Garcia²,

Liu³

et al. 2018

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The genus Proceratium Roger, 1863 contains cryptic, subterranean ants that are seldom sampled and rare in natural history collections. Furthermore, most Proceratium specimens are extremely hairy and, due to their enlarged and curved gaster, often mounted suboptimally. As a consequence, the poorly observable physical characteristics of the material and its scarcity result in a rather challenging alpha taxonomy of this group. In this study, the taxonomy of the Chinese Proceratium fauna is reviewed and updated by combining examinations of traditional light microscopy with x-ray microtomography (micro-CT). Based on micro-CT scans of seven out of eight species, virtual 3D surface models were generated that permit in-depth comparative analyses of specimen morphology in order to overcome the difficulties to examine physical material of Proceratium. Eight Chinese species are recognized, of which three are newly described: Proceratium bruelheidei Staab, Xu & Hita Garcia, sp. n. and P. kepingmai sp. n. belong to the P. itoi clade and have been collected in the subtropical forests of southeast China, whereas P. shohei sp. n. belongs to the P. stictum clade and it is only known from a tropical forest of Yunnan Province. Proceratium nujiangense Xu, 2006 syn. n. is proposed as a junior synonym of P. zhaoi Xu, 2000. These taxonomic acts raise the number of known Chinese Proceratium species to eight. In order to integrate the new species into the existing taxonomic system and to facilitate identifications, an illustrated key to the worker caste of all Chinese species is provided, supplemented by species accounts with high-resolution montage images and still images of volume renderings of 3D models based on micro-CT. Moreover, cybertype datasets are provided for the new species, as well as digital datasets for the remaining species that include the raw micro-CT scan data, 3D surface models, 3D rotation videos, and all light photography and micro-CT still images. These datasets are available online (Dryad, Staab et al. 2018, http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.h6j0g4p).

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Visualizing and interacting with large-volume biodiversity data using client–server web-mapping applications: The design and implementation of antmaps.org

Cited by 251 publications

References 36 publications

Evolution of the latitudinal diversity gradient in the hyperdiverse ant genus Pheidole

Evolution of the latitudinal diversity gradient in the hyperdiverse ant genus Pheidole

Global patterns of the double mutualism phenomenon

Systematics of the ant genus Proceratium Roger (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Proceratiinae) in China – with descriptions of three new species based on micro-CT enhanced next-generation-morphology

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