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Scale effects and human impact on the elevational species richness gradients

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  • D. Nogués-Bravo

    (National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
    Center for Macroecology, Institute of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15
    Pyrenean Institute of Ecology, CSIC, Avda. Montañana, 1005, 50080 Zaragoza (Zaragoza), Spain)

  • M. B. Araújo

    (National Museum of Natural Sciences, CSIC, C/ José Gutiérrez Abascal, 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
    Center for Macroecology, Institute of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15)

  • T. Romdal

    (Center for Macroecology, Institute of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15)

  • C. Rahbek

    (Center for Macroecology, Institute of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15)

Abstract

Using a data set consisting of 400,000 records covering 3,000 Pyrenean species, it is shown that sampling and scale effects alone can give rise to many conflicting species-richness patterns. Rather than a monotonic decreasing pattern of richness with altitude, a hump-shaped pattern corresponding to a mid-altitudinal richness peak is identified. Apart from sampling issues, it is argued that global reduction in natural lowland habitats also hampers our ability to detect universal patterns in biodiversity.

Suggested Citation

  • D. Nogués-Bravo & M. B. Araújo & T. Romdal & C. Rahbek, 2008. "Scale effects and human impact on the elevational species richness gradients," Nature, Nature, vol. 453(7192), pages 216-219, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:453:y:2008:i:7192:d:10.1038_nature06812
    DOI: 10.1038/nature06812
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    Cited by:

    1. J Sebastián Tello & Jonathan A Myers & Manuel J Macía & Alfredo F Fuentes & Leslie Cayola & Gabriel Arellano & M Isabel Loza & Vania Torrez & Maritza Cornejo & Tatiana B Miranda & Peter M Jørgensen, 2015. "Elevational Gradients in β-Diversity Reflect Variation in the Strength of Local Community Assembly Mechanisms across Spatial Scales," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(3), pages 1-17, March.
    2. Tim Szewczyk & Christy M McCain, 2016. "A Systematic Review of Global Drivers of Ant Elevational Diversity," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-18, May.
    3. Hongdi Ding & Sicong Dong, 2023. "Elevation and fog-cloud similarity in Tibeto-Burman languages," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Youssef Chebli & Mouad Chentouf & Jean-François Cabaraux & Samira El Otmani, 2023. "Floristic Composition, Diversity, Palatability, and Forage Availability of Forest Rangelands in the Southern Mediterranean Region of Northern Morocco," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-18, January.
    5. Rubén G Mateo & Ángel M Felicísimo & Julien Pottier & Antoine Guisan & Jesús Muñoz, 2012. "Do Stacked Species Distribution Models Reflect Altitudinal Diversity Patterns?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(3), pages 1-9, March.
    6. D. R. Bhardwaj & Habibullah Tahiry & Prashant Sharma & Nazir A. Pala & Dhirender Kumar & Amit Kumar & Bharti, 2021. "Influence of Aspect and Elevational Gradient on Vegetation Pattern, Tree Characteristics and Ecosystem Carbon Density in Northwestern Himalayas," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-18, October.
    7. Hei Gao & Yubing Weng & Yutian Lu & Yan Du, 2022. "An Innovative Framework on Spatial Boundary Optimization of Multiple International Designated Land Use," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-33, January.
    8. Ya-Huang Luo & Jie Liu & Shao-Lin Tan & Marc William Cadotte & Yue-Hua Wang & Kun Xu & De-Zhu Li & Lian-Ming Gao, 2016. "Trait-Based Community Assembly along an Elevational Gradient in Subalpine Forests: Quantifying the Roles of Environmental Factors in Inter- and Intraspecific Variability," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-20, May.
    9. Eduardo Carneiro & Olaf Hermann Hendrik Mielke & Mirna Martins Casagrande & Konrad Fiedler, 2014. "Community Structure of Skipper Butterflies (Lepidoptera, Hesperiidae) along Elevational Gradients in Brazilian Atlantic Forest Reflects Vegetation Type Rather than Altitude," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(10), pages 1-11, October.

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