Geographical variation in the importance of water and energy for oak diversity

TY - JOUR

T1 - Geographical variation in the importance of water and energy for oak diversity

AU - Xu, Xiaoting

AU - Wang, Zhiheng

AU - Rahbek, Carsten

AU - Sanders, Nate

AU - Fang, Jingyun

PY - 2016/2/1

Y1 - 2016/2/1

N2 - Aim: The water-energy dynamics hypothesis posits that species diversity is correlated with water availability and temperatures; diversity is lowest when water availability is reduced at low temperatures because few species can persist under such conditions. However, the relationship between water and energy availability and diversity likely varies geographically along environmental gradients. Here, we examined the drivers of such variability, using a global-scale data set on oaks. Location: Global. Method: To quantify spatial variation in both species diversity-water relationships and species diversity-energy relationships, we performed geographically weighted regressions (GWR) of (1) species diversity against energy availability, measured as potential evapotranspiration and temperature, and (2) species diversity against water availability, measured by precipitation and an aridity index. We then regressed the local slopes of these GWR models against water and energy separately, and water × energy combined to assess whether the regional-scale relationships among oak diversity, water and energy depended on climatic conditions at larger spatial extents. Results: We found that the effects of low water availability and cold temperatures on oak diversity varied geographically. In particular, the effects of water and energy availability on oak diversity increased as water and energy availability decreased. Furthermore, the interaction between water and energy availability influenced regional-scale oak diversity-energy relationships but not oak diversity-water relationships. Main conclusion: Our results suggest that the relationship between climate (and potentially climatic change) and oak diversity varies geographically, and that the effects of limiting water and temperature are likely to be most severe in arid environments.

AB - Aim: The water-energy dynamics hypothesis posits that species diversity is correlated with water availability and temperatures; diversity is lowest when water availability is reduced at low temperatures because few species can persist under such conditions. However, the relationship between water and energy availability and diversity likely varies geographically along environmental gradients. Here, we examined the drivers of such variability, using a global-scale data set on oaks. Location: Global. Method: To quantify spatial variation in both species diversity-water relationships and species diversity-energy relationships, we performed geographically weighted regressions (GWR) of (1) species diversity against energy availability, measured as potential evapotranspiration and temperature, and (2) species diversity against water availability, measured by precipitation and an aridity index. We then regressed the local slopes of these GWR models against water and energy separately, and water × energy combined to assess whether the regional-scale relationships among oak diversity, water and energy depended on climatic conditions at larger spatial extents. Results: We found that the effects of low water availability and cold temperatures on oak diversity varied geographically. In particular, the effects of water and energy availability on oak diversity increased as water and energy availability decreased. Furthermore, the interaction between water and energy availability influenced regional-scale oak diversity-energy relationships but not oak diversity-water relationships. Main conclusion: Our results suggest that the relationship between climate (and potentially climatic change) and oak diversity varies geographically, and that the effects of limiting water and temperature are likely to be most severe in arid environments.

KW - Cyclobalanopsis, Fagaceae, geographically weighted regression, oaks, physiological tolerance, Quercus, species diversity, water–energy dynamics

U2 - 10.1111/jbi.12620

DO - 10.1111/jbi.12620

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0305-0270

VL - 43

SP - 279

EP - 288

JO - Journal of Biogeography

JF - Journal of Biogeography

IS - 2

ER -