Is the ecological belt zonation of the Swiss Alps relevant for moth diversity and turnover? |
| |
| Institution: | 1. University of Colorado, Museum of Natural History, Boulder, USA;2. University of Basel, Department of Environmental Science (Biogeography), Basel, Switzerland;3. University of Colorado, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, USA;1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Fungos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. da Engenharia, s/n, Cidade Universitária, CEP 50740-600, Recife, PE, Brazil;2. Laboratório de Microbiologia, Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco, Campus de Ciências Agrárias, Rodovia BR 407, Km 12, Lote 543, Projeto de Irrigação Nilo Coelho, s/n, ‘‘C1’’, Petrolina, PE CEP 56300-990, Brazil;3. Embrapa Milho e Sorgo, Núcleo de Biologia Aplicada, Rod. MG 424 KM 45 - Bairro Esmeraldas, SN, Caixa Postal 285, CEP 35701-970, Sete Lagoas, MG, Brazil;4. Agroscope, Ecotoxicology, Schloss 1, CH-8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland;1. Division of Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland;2. Swiss Ornithological Institute, Valais Field Station, 1950 Sion, Switzerland;1. University of Azores - Biotechnology Center of Azores (CBA-UAç), Department of Agricultural Sciences, Rua Capitão João d’Ávila, São Pedro, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Azores, Portugal;2. Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c) / Azorean Biodiversity Group (GBA), Department of Agricultural Sciences, Rua Capitão João d’Ávila, São Pedro, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Azores, Portugal;3. Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal;4. Biotechnology Center of Azores (CBA-UAç), University of Azores, Department of Agricultural Sciences, Rua Capitão João d’Ávila, São Pedro, 9700-042, Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira, Azores, Portugal;5. Academy of Sciences Czech Republic, Institute of Botany, CZ-25243 Pruhonice, Czech Republic;6. Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK;7. School of Plant Biology, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia;8. University of Aveiro, Department of Biology & GeoBioTec, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;9. Canarian Institute of Agricultural Research (ICIA), Finca “Isamar”, Ctra. de El Boquerón, Valle Guerra La Laguna, Tenerife, Canarias, Spain;1. Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Hedmark University of Applied Sciences, NO-2480, Koppang, Norway;2. P.O. Box 816, Otjiwarongo Namibia;1. Dept. of Natural Resources and Environment, College of Agriculture, Shiraz University, P.O. Box 7144165186, Shiraz, Iran;2. Forest Research Institute, Sekocin Stary, ul. Braci Leśnej 3, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland;1. Institute for Peat and Mire Research, Northeast Normal University, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecology and Vegetation Restoration, Renmin 5268, Changchun 130024, PR China;2. Institute of Grassland Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Key Laboratory for Vegetation Ecology, Ministry of Education, Changchun, PR China;3. Swedish Species Information Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7007, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden |
| |
| Abstract: | Mountain ecosystems are traditionally envisioned as elevational belts of homogenous vegetation, separated by intervening ecotones. Recent research has cast doubt on such predictable layering at least in animal communities. We test the link of two a priori defined ecological belt zonations to noctuid moth distributions in the Swiss Alps. Predictions, in particular, were a coincidence of proposed ecotones with increased range endpoint frequencies and with increased species turnover or species richness between equidistant elevational bands. Using >320,000 distributional records for >500 noctuid species, we found no support for these three predictions despite several contrasting analytical approaches. Concurrent with recently published vertebrate data, we conclude that simple ecological belt zonations are unrelated to the moth communities found along mountain slopes. Rather, species are distributed idiosyncratically following their specific niche requirements. Additional rigorous evidence, particularly comparing insect clades spanning a spectrum of host-plant relationships, may be required to support the relevance of the ecological belt concept in structuring mountain ecosystems beyond tree and plant communities. |
| |
| Keywords: | Biodiversity Ecotones Elevational gradient Lepidoptera Noctuidea Turnover |
| 本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录！ |
|
