Geological and climatic influences on mountain biodiversity

Alexandre Antonelli; W. Daniel Kissling; Suzette G. A. Flantua; Mauricio A. Bermúdez; Andreas Mulch; Alexandra N. Muellner-riehl; Holger Kreft; H. Peter Linder; Catherine Badgley; Jon Fjeldså; Susanne A. Fritz; Carsten Rahbek; Frédéric Herman; Henry Hooghiemstra; Carina Hoorn

doi:10.1038/s41561-018-0236-z

Geological and climatic influences on mountain biodiversity

Alexandre Antonelli, W. Daniel Kissling, Suzette G. A. Flantua, Mauricio A. Bermúdez, Andreas Mulch, Alexandra N. Muellner-riehl, Holger Kreft, H. Peter Linder, Catherine Badgley, Jon Fjeldså, Susanne A. Fritz, Carsten Rahbek, Frédéric Herman, Henry Hooghiemstra, Carina Hoorn

102 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Mountains are key features of the Earth’s surface and host a substantial proportion of the world’s species. However, the links between the evolution and distribution of biodiversity and the formation of mountains remain poorly understood. Here, we integrate multiple datasets to assess the relationships between species richness in mountains, geology and climate at global and regional scales. Specifically, we analyse how erosion, relief, soil and climate relate to the geographical distribution of terrestrial tetrapods, which include amphibians, birds and mammals. We find that centres of species richness correlate with areas of high temperatures, annual rainfall and topographic relief, supporting previous studies. We unveil additional links between mountain-building processes and biodiversity: species richness correlates with erosion rates and heterogeneity of soil types, with a varying response across continents. These additional links are prominent but under-explored, and probably relate to the interplay between surface uplift, climate change and atmospheric circulation through time. They are also influenced by the location and orientation of mountain ranges in relation to air circulation patterns, and how species diversification, dispersal and refugia respond to climate change. A better understanding of biosphere–lithosphere interactions is needed to understand the patterns and evolution of mountain biodiversity across space and time.

Original language	English
Journal	Nature Geoscience
Volume	11
Issue number	10
Pages (from-to)	718-725
ISSN	1752-0894
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-018-0236-z
Publication status	Published - 1 Oct 2018

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1038/s41561-018-0236-z

Cite this

Antonelli, A., Kissling, W. D., Flantua, S. G. A., Bermúdez, M. A., Mulch, A., Muellner-riehl, A. N., Kreft, H., Linder, H. P., Badgley, C., Fjeldså, J., Fritz, S. A., Rahbek, C., Herman, F., Hooghiemstra, H., & Hoorn, C. (2018). Geological and climatic influences on mountain biodiversity. Nature Geoscience, 11(10), 718-725. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-018-0236-z

@article{72bc9cab355e4d12bf3a0479afa3a555,

title = "Geological and climatic influences on mountain biodiversity",

abstract = "Mountains are key features of the Earth{\textquoteright}s surface and host a substantial proportion of the world{\textquoteright}s species. However, the links between the evolution and distribution of biodiversity and the formation of mountains remain poorly understood. Here, we integrate multiple datasets to assess the relationships between species richness in mountains, geology and climate at global and regional scales. Specifically, we analyse how erosion, relief, soil and climate relate to the geographical distribution of terrestrial tetrapods, which include amphibians, birds and mammals. We find that centres of species richness correlate with areas of high temperatures, annual rainfall and topographic relief, supporting previous studies. We unveil additional links between mountain-building processes and biodiversity: species richness correlates with erosion rates and heterogeneity of soil types, with a varying response across continents. These additional links are prominent but under-explored, and probably relate to the interplay between surface uplift, climate change and atmospheric circulation through time. They are also influenced by the location and orientation of mountain ranges in relation to air circulation patterns, and how species diversification, dispersal and refugia respond to climate change. A better understanding of biosphere–lithosphere interactions is needed to understand the patterns and evolution of mountain biodiversity across space and time.",

author = "Alexandre Antonelli and Kissling, {W. Daniel} and Flantua, {Suzette G. A.} and Berm{\'u}dez, {Mauricio A.} and Andreas Mulch and Muellner-riehl, {Alexandra N.} and Holger Kreft and Linder, {H. Peter} and Catherine Badgley and Jon Fjelds{\aa} and Fritz, {Susanne A.} and Carsten Rahbek and Fr{\'e}d{\'e}ric Herman and Henry Hooghiemstra and Carina Hoorn",

year = "2018",

month = oct,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1038/s41561-018-0236-z",

language = "English",

volume = "11",

pages = "718--725",

journal = "Nature Geoscience",

issn = "1752-0894",

publisher = "nature publishing group",

number = "10",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Geological and climatic influences on mountain biodiversity

AU - Antonelli, Alexandre

AU - Kissling, W. Daniel

AU - Flantua, Suzette G. A.

AU - Bermúdez, Mauricio A.

AU - Mulch, Andreas

AU - Muellner-riehl, Alexandra N.

AU - Kreft, Holger

AU - Linder, H. Peter

AU - Badgley, Catherine

AU - Fjeldså, Jon

AU - Fritz, Susanne A.

AU - Rahbek, Carsten

AU - Herman, Frédéric

AU - Hooghiemstra, Henry

AU - Hoorn, Carina

PY - 2018/10/1

Y1 - 2018/10/1

N2 - Mountains are key features of the Earth’s surface and host a substantial proportion of the world’s species. However, the links between the evolution and distribution of biodiversity and the formation of mountains remain poorly understood. Here, we integrate multiple datasets to assess the relationships between species richness in mountains, geology and climate at global and regional scales. Specifically, we analyse how erosion, relief, soil and climate relate to the geographical distribution of terrestrial tetrapods, which include amphibians, birds and mammals. We find that centres of species richness correlate with areas of high temperatures, annual rainfall and topographic relief, supporting previous studies. We unveil additional links between mountain-building processes and biodiversity: species richness correlates with erosion rates and heterogeneity of soil types, with a varying response across continents. These additional links are prominent but under-explored, and probably relate to the interplay between surface uplift, climate change and atmospheric circulation through time. They are also influenced by the location and orientation of mountain ranges in relation to air circulation patterns, and how species diversification, dispersal and refugia respond to climate change. A better understanding of biosphere–lithosphere interactions is needed to understand the patterns and evolution of mountain biodiversity across space and time.

AB - Mountains are key features of the Earth’s surface and host a substantial proportion of the world’s species. However, the links between the evolution and distribution of biodiversity and the formation of mountains remain poorly understood. Here, we integrate multiple datasets to assess the relationships between species richness in mountains, geology and climate at global and regional scales. Specifically, we analyse how erosion, relief, soil and climate relate to the geographical distribution of terrestrial tetrapods, which include amphibians, birds and mammals. We find that centres of species richness correlate with areas of high temperatures, annual rainfall and topographic relief, supporting previous studies. We unveil additional links between mountain-building processes and biodiversity: species richness correlates with erosion rates and heterogeneity of soil types, with a varying response across continents. These additional links are prominent but under-explored, and probably relate to the interplay between surface uplift, climate change and atmospheric circulation through time. They are also influenced by the location and orientation of mountain ranges in relation to air circulation patterns, and how species diversification, dispersal and refugia respond to climate change. A better understanding of biosphere–lithosphere interactions is needed to understand the patterns and evolution of mountain biodiversity across space and time.

U2 - 10.1038/s41561-018-0236-z

DO - 10.1038/s41561-018-0236-z

M3 - Review

SN - 1752-0894

VL - 11

SP - 718

EP - 725

JO - Nature Geoscience

JF - Nature Geoscience

IS - 10

ER -

Geological and climatic influences on mountain biodiversity

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this