Scaling between macro- to microscale climatic data reveals strong phylogenetic inertia in niche evolution in plethodontid salamanders
Authors/Creators
- 1. Yale University
- 2. Virginia Tech
- 3. Ohio University
Description
Macroclimatic niches are indirect and potentially inadequate predictors of the realized environmental conditions that many species experience. Consequently, analyses of niche evolution based on macroclimatic data alone may incompletely represent the evolutionary dynamics of species niches. Yet, understanding how an organisms' climatic (Grinnellian) niche responds to changing macroclimatic conditions is of vital importance for predicting their potential response to global change. In this study, we integrate microclimatic and macroclimatic data across 26 species of plethodontid salamanders to portray the relationship between microclimatic niche evolution in response to changing macroclimate. We demonstrate stronger phylogenetic signal in microclimatic niche variables than at the macroclimatic scale. Even so, we find that the microclimatic niche tracks climatic changes at the macroscale, but with a phylogenetic lag at million-year timescales. We hypothesize that behavioral tracking of the microclimatic niche over space and phenology generates the lag: salamanders preferentially select microclimates similar to their ancestral conditions rather than adapting with changes in physiology. We demonstrate that macroclimatic variables are weak predictors of niche evolution and that incorporating spatial scale into analyses of niche evolution is critical for predicting responses to climate change.
Notes
For data set one, the data can easily be easily used to calculate half-life, lambda, and cont maps using trhe mean values and standard errors (when possible) using the functions and packages presented in the manuscript.
For data set two, additional processoing is required. Each row contains data that pertains to both a specific random habitat point and the entire survey as a while (~10 random points per habitat survey). Data in each row that pertains to the entirety of a survey includes the site identifier, the date and time of the survey, latitude and longitude in WGS84 for the survey, and the results of the time contraint survey for the ENTIRE survey. The data thsi is for only one specific points incluides the 5 indvidual habitat measurements.
I have included this as a comment in the excel file as well.
The number of salamanders captured (Columns L through AK) are NOT for an individual point, but rather the particular survey as a whole (each survey includes ~10 random points).
For example for the Survey conducted at site HHM1 on 5/31/2014 at 10:19 PM there was 1 Plethodon cinereus encountered, but this is listed for each of the 10 random habitat points.
As another example for the survey at site MLH4 on 7/11/2014 at 8:39 PM there were 7 Eurycea wilderae and 1 Psuedotriton ruber encountered, and again this is listed for each random point during this survey (denoted by the site id, date, and time).
You can see in all cases, the number encountered is listed for each random point in the data set. This was accounted for in our analyses as we were using the number encountered per survey or at a given site and not for each individual habitat point. This was the easiest way to structure the data for all of our analyses. Please contact me if you have further questions or want additional clarification.
Funding provided by: National Science Foundation
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000001
Award Number: EF124848
Funding provided by: Explorers Club
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100002861
Award Number:
Funding provided by: American Philosophical Society
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100001461
Award Number:
Funding provided by: Sigma Xi
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100011084
Award Number:
Funding provided by: Society for the Study of Evolution
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100012454
Award Number:
Funding provided by: Ohio University
Crossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100008076
Award Number:
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