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Niche Estimation Above and Below the Species Level

2018; Elsevier BV; Volume: 34; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.tree.2018.10.012

1872-8383

Adam B. Smith, William Godsoe, Francisco Rodríguez‐Sánchez, Hsiao‐Hsuan Wang, Dan L. Warren,

Rangeland and Wildlife Management

Modeling niches at the species level disregards information about evolutionary processes above and below the level of species. Species-level models ignore the potential for locally adaptive responses and assume that current distributions reflect the entire set of suitable conditions. In many cases splitting taxa into subunits and modeling each separately or lumping related taxa can improve niche estimates. Partial pooling of lineages into a single multiresponse framework has underutilized potential for niche estimation, especially when accounting for phylogenetic relationships. The advancement of evolutionarily informed niche models will be accelerated by emphasizing their ability to generate biologically plausible niche envelopes over their ability to recreate geographic distributions, which can be shaped by factors unrelated to the fundamental niche. Ecological niches reflect not only adaptation to local circumstances but also the tendency of related lineages to share environmental tolerances. As a result, information on phylogenetic relationships has underappreciated potential to inform ecological niche modeling. Here we review three strategies for incorporating evolutionary information into niche models: splitting lineages into subunits, lumping across lineages, and partial pooling of lineages into a common statistical framework that implicitly or explicitly accounts for evolutionary relationships. We challenge the default practice of modeling at the species level, which ignores the process of niche evolution and erroneously assumes that the species is always the appropriate level for niche estimation. Progress in the field requires reexamination of how we assess models of niches versus models of distributions. Ecological niches reflect not only adaptation to local circumstances but also the tendency of related lineages to share environmental tolerances. As a result, information on phylogenetic relationships has underappreciated potential to inform ecological niche modeling. Here we review three strategies for incorporating evolutionary information into niche models: splitting lineages into subunits, lumping across lineages, and partial pooling of lineages into a common statistical framework that implicitly or explicitly accounts for evolutionary relationships. We challenge the default practice of modeling at the species level, which ignores the process of niche evolution and erroneously assumes that the species is always the appropriate level for niche estimation. Progress in the field requires reexamination of how we assess models of niches versus models of distributions. a statistical method that identifies environmental conditions conducive to the persistence of a taxon. As used here, ENMs estimate niches whereas SDMs estimate geographic distributions. the set of environmental conditions in which a taxon can survive and reproduce ignoring biotic interactions. a set of genetically related populations that are typically monophyletic and typically assumed to be adaptive units. Lineages may form above, at, or below the level of the species. higher fitness of genotypes in their environment of origin relative to their fitness in other environments. as used here, modeling multiple lineages or sublineages together as a single statistical sample. generally, the set of requirements necessary for the persistence of a lineage. As used in this review, ‘niche’ refers to favorable environmental conditions. the tendency of closely related lineages to have similar ecological tolerances and preferences. In the current context we are specifically interested in environmental requirements. modeling multiple lineages simultaneously in a single statistical framework so that information is shared across lineages. There are many kinds of partial pooling models, which may or may not explicitly account for phylogenetic relationships. a statistical tool that estimates the environmental tolerances of a species. As used here, SDMs estimate geographic distribution while ENMs estimate niches. dividing lineages (genera, species, subspecies, etc.) into subunits and modeling each separately.