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Dimensions of passerine biodiversity along an elevational gradient: a nexus for historical biogeography and contemporary ecology

View ORCID ProfileKevin R. Burgio, Steven J. Presley, Laura M. Cisneros, Katie E. Davis, Lindsay M. Dreiss, Brian T. Klingbeil, Michael R. Willig
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/842138
Kevin R. Burgio
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3043, USA
2Education Department, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, 2801 Sharon Turnpike, Millbrook, NY, 12545, USA
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  • ORCID record for Kevin R. Burgio
  • For correspondence: kevin.burgio@uconn.edu
Steven J. Presley
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3043, USA
3Institute of the Environment, University of Connecticut, 3107 Horsebarn Hill Road, Storrs, CT, 06269
4Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, 3107 Horsebarn Hill Road, Storrs, CT, 06269
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Laura M. Cisneros
3Institute of the Environment, University of Connecticut, 3107 Horsebarn Hill Road, Storrs, CT, 06269
5Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, 1376 Storrs Road, Storrs, CT 06269
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Katie E. Davis
6Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York, YO10 5DD, UK
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Lindsay M. Dreiss
7Center for Conservation Innovation, Defenders of Wildlife, 1130 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA
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Brian T. Klingbeil
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3043, USA
4Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, 3107 Horsebarn Hill Road, Storrs, CT, 06269
8School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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Michael R. Willig
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, 75 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3043, USA
3Institute of the Environment, University of Connecticut, 3107 Horsebarn Hill Road, Storrs, CT, 06269
4Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, 3107 Horsebarn Hill Road, Storrs, CT, 06269
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ABSTRACT

Aim The incorporation of functional and phylogenetic information is necessary to comprehensively characterize spatial patterns of biodiversity and to evaluate the relative importance of ecological and evolutionary mechanisms in molding such patterns. We evaluated the relative importance of mechanisms that shape passerine biodiversity along an extensive elevational gradient.

Location Manu Biosphere Reserve in the Peruvian Andes

Taxon Songbirds (order Passeriformes)

Methods We quantified elevational gradients of species richness, phylogenetic biodiversity, and functional biodiversity for all passerines as well as separately for suboscines and oscines; determined if phylogenetic or functional biodiversity was consistent with random selection or if there was evidence of particular mechanisms dominating community assembly; and compared patterns for each dimension of biodiversity for the two suborders.

Results For all passerines and for suboscines, species richness decreased in a saturating fashion, phylogenetic biodiversity declined linearly, and functional biodiversity was stochastic along the elevation gradient. For oscines, species richness and phylogenetic biodiversity decreased linearly, and functional biodiversity decreased in a saturating fashion.

Main conclusions Elevational gradients of biodiversity at Manu result from a combination of adaptations associated with radiations that occurred elsewhere (suboscines in Amazonian lowlands, oscines in colder climes of North America) and an in situ radiation in the Andes (tanagers). Our results suggest a combination of temperature-related physiological constraints and a reduction in functional redundancy associated with decreasing resource abundance at higher elevations molded the passerine assemblages along this elevational gradient. Explicit consideration of historical biogeography and conservatism of ancestral niches is necessary to comprehensively understand the mechanisms that mold gradients of biodiversity.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission.
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Posted November 14, 2019.
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Dimensions of passerine biodiversity along an elevational gradient: a nexus for historical biogeography and contemporary ecology
Kevin R. Burgio, Steven J. Presley, Laura M. Cisneros, Katie E. Davis, Lindsay M. Dreiss, Brian T. Klingbeil, Michael R. Willig
bioRxiv 842138; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/842138
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Dimensions of passerine biodiversity along an elevational gradient: a nexus for historical biogeography and contemporary ecology
Kevin R. Burgio, Steven J. Presley, Laura M. Cisneros, Katie E. Davis, Lindsay M. Dreiss, Brian T. Klingbeil, Michael R. Willig
bioRxiv 842138; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/842138

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