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Latitudinal directionality in ectotherm invasion success.
Priyanga Amarasekare1, Margaret W Simon1
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|February 21, 2020
Summary
Tropical ectotherms invade temperate zones due to higher summer survival and consumption. Seasonal changes create niches for coexistence, explaining biodiversity patterns.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Biogeography
Background:
- Tropical ectotherms are thermal specialists, facing harsh abiotic conditions and competition in temperate zones.
- A puzzling pattern exists: tropical ectotherms invade temperate habitats more successfully than temperate ectotherms invade tropical ones.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a mathematical framework explaining the invasion success of tropical ectotherms in temperate habitats.
- To investigate the ecological factors driving asymmetric invasion success between tropical and temperate ectotherms.
Main Methods:
- Mathematical modeling of species' trait responses to temperature.
- Analysis of consumption rates, mortality, and competitive interactions.
Main Results:
- Tropical ectotherms can invade temperate habitats if they exhibit higher consumption and lower mortality during warmer summers.
- Increased seasonal fluctuations in temperate zones create temporal niches, facilitating the coexistence of invaders and residents.
- Temperate ectotherms fail to invade tropical habitats primarily due to higher mortality, not lower competitive ability.
Conclusions:
- Species' trait responses to temperature are key predictors of invasion success and population-level outcomes.
- The framework offers an ecological explanation for the tropics serving as a biodiversity cradle and museum.
- Understanding thermal generalism and specialism is crucial for predicting species' responses to climate change and habitat shifts.
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