Local experimental growth rates respond to macroclimate for the lichen epiphyte Lobaria pulmonaria
2012
Eaton, Sally | Ellis, Christopher J.
Background: Bioclimatic models are widely applied in biogeography and conservation biology; however, the functional relevance of macroclimate as an explanation for species performance (e.g. establishment, growth and survival, fecundity) has been challenged.Aims: In this study, we aimed to determine whether the ecological performance of an epiphytic lichen is related to coarse-grained macroclimate.Methods: A meta-analysis was carried out to compare local growth rates for a lichen epiphyte, Lobaria pulmonaria, to coarse-grained interpolated climate surfaces. Growth rates were sampled from small-scale experiments conducted within different forest settings and for different regions of the world. Generalised linear mixed models were used to compare thallus growth (response) to a suite of climatic variables derived from the WorldClim dataset.Results: A significant relationship between thallus growth measured for experimental forest microhabitats and macroclimatic variables (total precipitation and annual mean temperature) was found. This relationship was validated through a comparison with L. pulmonaria's North American range for which projected growth rates were higher and lower where the species tended to be present and absent, respectively.Conclusions: The ecological relevance of coarse-grained macroclimate applied in bioclimatic modelling has been challenged. We show that the use of macroclimatic data may be functionally defensible where correlated with independent measures of local ecological success.
Afficher plus [+] Moins [-]Mots clés AGROVOC
Informations bibliographiques
Cette notice bibliographique a été fournie par National Agricultural Library
Découvrez la collection de ce fournisseur de données dans AGRIS