Biotic interactions are more often important at species' warm versus cool range edges. (27th August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Paquette, Alexandra; Hargreaves, Anna L.
• Editors: Ghalambor, Cameron
• Is Part Of: Ecology letters. Volume 24:Number 11(2021)
• Page Start: 2427
• Page End: 2438
• Publication Date: 2021-08-27
• Subjects: competition -- latitudinal gradients -- literature review -- pathogens -- predation -- range limits -- species distributions -- species interactions -- temperature; Ecology -- Periodicals; 577
• DOI: 10.1111/ele.13864
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-023X

Abstract

Abstract: Predicting which ecological factors constrain species distributions is a fundamental ecological question and critical to forecasting geographic responses to global change. Darwin hypothesised that abiotic factors generally impose species' high‐latitude and high‐elevation (typically cool) range limits, whereas biotic interactions more often impose species' low‐latitude/low‐elevation (typically warm) limits, but empirical support has been mixed. Here, we clarify three predictions arising from Darwin's hypothesis and show that previously mixed support is partially due to researchers testing different predictions. Using a comprehensive literature review (885 range limits), we find that biotic interactions, including competition, predation and parasitism, contributed to >60% of range limits and influenced species' warm limits more often than cool limits. Abiotic factors contributed more often than biotic interactions to cool range limits, but temperature contributed frequently to both cool and warm limits. Our results suggest that most range limits will be sensitive to climate warming, but warm‐limit responses in particular will depend strongly on biotic interactions. Abstract : We review 338 studies that assess the ecological causes of species' warm (low‐latitude/elevation) or cool (high‐latitude/elevation) range limits. We find that biotic interactions, including predation and competition, contributed to more than 60% of range limits, and confirm Darwin's prediction that biotic interactions influence species' warm limits more often than cool limits. Temperature contributed frequently to both cool and warm limits; our results suggest that most range limits will be sensitive to climate warming, but responses at warm limits will depend strongly on biotic interactions.