Integrating geographic ranges across temporal scales. (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Darroch, Simon A.F.; Saupe, Erin E.; Casey, Michelle M.; Jorge, Maria L.S.P.
• Is Part Of: Trends in ecology & evolution. Volume 37:Number 10(2022)
• Page Start: 851
• Page End: 860
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: geographic range -- temporal scale -- macroecology -- macroevolution -- paleontology -- conservation paleobiology; Ecology -- Periodicals; Evolution (Biology) -- Periodicals; 576.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.05.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0169-5347

Abstract

Abstract : Geographic ranges are a fundamental unit of biogeography and macroecology. Increasingly, paleontologists and ecologists alike are reconstructing geographic ranges of species from fossils, in order to understand the long-term processes governing biogeographic and macroevolutionary patterns. As these reconstructions have become increasingly common, uncertainty has arisen over the equivalency of paleo-ranges and modern ranges. Here, we argue geographic ranges are time-averaged at all temporal scales, and reflect the biotic and abiotic processes operating across the equivalent range of time and space scales. This conceptual framework integrates the study of geographic ranges reconstructed using modern and ancient data, and highlights the potential for ranges to illuminate processes responsible for diversity patterns over intervals spanning days to tens of millions of years of Earth history. Highlights: Geographic ranges are increasingly being reconstructed from fossil data (paleogeographic ranges) as a means for understanding the deep-time processes behind macroecological and macroevolutionary patterns. We address three questions surrounding the use of paleogeographic ranges: to what extent can ranges and paleo-ranges be regarded as equivalent? How accurately do paleo-ranges preserve the original distributions of species? Finally, what are the processes governing the size of ranges on different temporal scales? We show that: (i) the fossil record preserves range dynamics with remarkable fidelity; and (ii) that the size and shape of ranges are affected by processes operating on timescales spanning from hours to millions of years. Integrating ranges across temporal scales thus offers a powerful means for understanding the shallow- and deep-time origins of present-day patterns in biodiversity, as well as a potential means for identifying at-risk species in the 6th mass extinction.