RT Journal Article
T1 Species range size shapes distance-decay in community similarity
A1 Martín Devasa, Ramiro María
A1 Martínez Santalla, Sara
A1 Gómez Rodríguez, Carola
A1 Crujeiras Casais, Rosa María
A1 Baselga Fraga, Andrés
K1 Beta diversity
K1 Biological similarity
K1 Distance-decay
K1 Gompertz function
K1 Range size
K1 Sigmoidal relationship
AB Aim: (i) To assess the dependence between the form of the decrease in biological similarity with distance (distance-decay) and species range size and (ii) to introduce the use of a sigmoidal model, the Gompertz function, as a flexible alternative able to fit distance-decay models under a wide variety of species range sizes.Location: Applicable worldwide.Methods: We computed distance-decay curves from simulated communities to assess how the species range sizes shape the functional form of distance-decay patterns (i.e. negative exponential, power-law or sigmoidal [Gompertz] relationships). Simulations were performed using different sample sizes and species detection probabilities. We also used distribution data of South American mammals to explore the relationship between species range size and the distance-decay form in an empirical dataset. Results: Our simulations showed that the power-law is the best supported model when range sizes tend to be small. An increase in range sizes leads to a negative exponential relationship, taking the shape of a sigmoidal (Gompertz) relationship with the largest range size values. Similar results have been found in the distance-decay pattern of South American mammals. Remarkably, the Gompertz function fits the data reasonably well in all scenarios.Main conclusions: The functional form of distance-decay patterns depends on a key biogeographical attribute: species range size. This dependence makes it an interesting tool to detect biodiversity threats associated with species range expansion, such as the biotic homogenization of faunas. The Gompertz function is the mathematical model that best accommodates different frequency distributions of species range size and, thus, allows cross-taxa comparison of this biogeographical and ecological pattern.
PB John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
SN 1366-9516
YR 2022
FD 2022
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/33259
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/33259
LA eng
NO Martín-Devasa, R., Martínez-Santalla, S., Gómez-Rodríguez, C., Crujeiras, R. M., & Baselga, A. (2022). Species range size shapes distance-decay in community similarity. Diversity and Distributions, 28(7), 1348-1357. https://doi.org/10.1111/DDI.13550
NO We would like to thank F. Xavier Picó for his valuable comments on earlier versions of the manuscript. The authors were supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through grant PID2020-112935GB-I00 and a FPU scholarship (Ref.: FPU17/03016; Ministryof Education) to R.M.D.
DS Minerva
RD 24 abr 2026