Combining food web and species distribution models for improved community projections
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Date
2013
Authors
Pellissier, L.
Rohr, R. P.
Ndiribe, C.
Pradervand, J. N.
Salamin, N.
Guisan, A.
Wisz, M.
Journal Title
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Abstract
The ability to model biodiversity patterns is of prime importance in this era of
severe environmental crisis. Species assemblage along environmental gradients is
subject to the interplay of biotic interactions in complement to abiotic filtering
and stochastic forces. Accounting for complex biotic interactions for a wide
array of species remains so far challenging. Here, we propose using food web
models that can infer the potential interaction links between species as a constraint
in species distribution models. Using a plant–herbivore (butterfly) interaction
dataset, we demonstrate that this combined approach is able to improve
species distribution and community forecasts. The trophic interaction network
between butterfly larvae and host plant was phylogenetically structured and
driven by host plant nitrogen content allowing forecasting the food web model
to unknown interactions links. This combined approach is very useful in rendering
models of more generalist species that have multiple potential interaction
links, where gap in the literature may occur. Our combined approach
points toward a promising direction for modeling the spatial variation in entire
species interaction networks.
Description
Keywords
Biotic interactions, ecological niche modeling, phylogeny, plant–herbivore interactions, trophic network.
Citation
Pellissier, L., Rohr, R.P., Ndiribe, C., Pradervand, J.N., Salamin, N., Guisan, A. and Wisz, M., 2013. Combining food web and species distribution models for improved community projections. Ecology and evolution, 3(13), pp.4572-4583.