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Species extinction and the relationship between distribution and abundance

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  • C. N. Johnson

    (James Cook University)

Abstract

Within taxonomic groups, there is almost always a positive relationship between the size of geographic range and the local abundance of species1,2,3,4. This pattern has attracted much interest, and several ecological mechanisms have been proposed as causes of it5. However, these hypotheses do not consider the effect of the extinction of rare species on range-abundance relationships. If both range size and local abundance influence the risk of extinction, species with small ranges might avoid extinction if they have high local abundance, whereas species with low local abundance might avoid extinction if they are widespread; species with both small range and low local abundance should be at high risk. This interaction between range, abundance and extinction should produce negative correlations between range and abundance in groups that have experienced many extinctions. Here I test this idea using Australian marsupials, and I show that although the relationship between range size and local abundance is positive for recently evolved species, it is negative for ancient species. This indicates that positive relationships between range size and abundance may be generated during adaptive radiation, but are then gradually reversed as a result of differential extinction.

Suggested Citation

  • C. N. Johnson, 1998. "Species extinction and the relationship between distribution and abundance," Nature, Nature, vol. 394(6690), pages 272-274, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:394:y:1998:i:6690:d:10.1038_28385
    DOI: 10.1038/28385
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    Cited by:

    1. Jorge Luis Becerra-López & Rigoberto Rosales-Serna & Muhammad Ehsan & Jesús Salvador Becerra-López & Alexander Czaja & José Luis Estrada-Rodríguez & Ulises Romero-Méndez & Saúl Santana-Espinosa & Césa, 2020. "Climatic Change and Habitat Availability for Three Sotol Species in México: A Vision towards Their Sustainable Use," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-12, April.
    2. Gabriel Fernando Cardoza-Martínez & Jorge Luis Becerra-López & Citlalli Edith Esparza-Estrada & José Luis Estrada-Rodríguez & Alexander Czaja & Muhammad Ehsan & Eduardo Baltierra-Trejo & Ulises Romero, 2019. "Shifts in Climatic Niche Occupation in Astrophytum Coahuilense (H. Möller) Kayser and Its Potential Distribution in Mexico," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-13, February.

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