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Ecological and evolutionary processes at expanding range margins
C D Thomas1, E J Bodsworth, R J Wilson
1Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. c.d.thomas@leeds.ac.uk
Nature
|June 1, 2001
Summary
Climate warming is enabling sedentary insects to expand their ranges by increasing habitat variety and dispersal. This ecological and evolutionary shift accelerates invasion rates, aiding adaptation to changing environments.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Climate Change Biology
Background:
- Species at the cool margins of their geographic ranges are often sedentary and specialized.
- These species are typically slow to colonize new habitats.
- Recent climate warming has led to rapid range expansion in many species at their cool distribution margins.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms behind rapid range expansion in four insect species in Britain over the past 20 years.
- To determine if changes in habitat breadth or dispersal ability contribute to range expansion.
- To quantify the impact of these changes on species' expansion rates.
Main Methods:
- Examined four insect species exhibiting range expansion in Britain.
- Assessed changes in habitat colonization variety for two butterfly species.
- Quantified the proportion of longer-winged (dispersive) individuals in newly founded populations of two bush cricket species.
Main Results:
- Two butterfly species demonstrated an increased variety of colonizable habitats.
- Two bush cricket species showed a higher proportion of dispersive individuals in recent populations.
- Expansion rates increased by 3- to 15-fold due to enhanced habitat breadth and dispersal.
Conclusions:
- Both ecological and evolutionary processes drive rapid insect range expansion.
- Increased habitat breadth and dispersal tendencies facilitate crossing of previously impassable habitat barriers.
- The emergence of dispersive phenotypes is crucial for rapid species invasion and adaptation to climate change.
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