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Environmental controls on the distribution and diversity of lentic Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) across an altitudinal gradient in tropical South America.

ABSTRACT: To predict the response of aquatic ecosystems to future global climate change, data on the ecology and distribution of keystone groups in freshwater ecosystems are needed. In contrast to mid- and high-latitude zones, such data are scarce across tropical South America (Neotropics). We present the distribution and diversity of chironomid species using surface sediments of 59 lakes from the Andes to the Amazon (0.1-17°S and 64-78°W) within the Neotropics. We assess the spatial variation in community assemblages and identify the key variables influencing the distributional patterns. The relationships between environmental variables (pH, conductivity, depth, and sediment organic content), climatic data, and chironomid assemblages were assessed using multivariate statistics (detrended correspondence analysis and canonical correspondence analysis). Climatic parameters (temperature and precipitation) were most significant in describing the variance in chironomid assemblages. Temperature and precipitation are both predicted to change under future climate change scenarios in the tropical Andes. Our findings suggest taxa of Orthocladiinae, which show a preference to cold high-elevation oligotrophic lakes, will likely see range contraction under future anthropogenic-induced climate change. Taxa abundant in areas of high precipitation, such as Micropsectra and Phaenopsectra, will likely become restricted to the inner tropical Andes, as the outer tropical Andes become drier. The sensitivity of chironomids to climate parameters makes them important bio-indicators of regional climate change in the Neotropics. Furthermore, the distribution of chironomid taxa presented here is a vital first step toward providing urgently needed autecological data for interpreting fossil chironomid records of past ecological and climate change from the tropical Andes.

SUBMITTER: Matthews-Bird F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4716524 | biostudies-other | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:Mountains provide an interesting context in which to study the many facets of biodiversity in response to macroclimate, since environmental conditions change rapidly due to elevation. Although the decrease in biodiversity with increasing elevation is generally accepted, our understanding of the variation of functional diversity along altitudinal gradients is still poorly known. The partitioning of diversity into spatial components can help to understand the processes that influence the distribution of species, and these studies are urgently needed in face of the increasing threats to mountain environments throughout the world. We describe the distribution of dung beetle diversity along an altitudinal gradient on a tropical mountain in southeastern Brazil, including the spatial partitioning of taxonomic and functional diversities. The altitudinal gradient ranged from 800 up to 1400 m a.s.l. and we collected dung beetles at every 100 m of altitude. We used the Rao Index to calculate γ, α and β diversity for taxonomic and functional diversity of dung beetles. Climatic, soil and vegetation variables were used to explain variation in community attributes along the altitudinal gradient. Dung beetle richness declined with altitude and was related to climatic and vegetation variables, but functional diversity did not follow the same pattern. Over 50% of γ taxonomic diversity was caused by among altitudes diversity (β), while almost 100% of functional diversity was due to the α component. Contrasting β taxonomic with β functional diversity, we suggest that there is ecological redundancy among communities and that the environment is filtering species in terms of the Grinnellian niche, rather than the Eltonian niche. β taxonomic diversity is caused mainly by the turnover component, reinforcing the hypothesis of environmental filtering. Global warming may have strong effects on mountain communities due to upslope range shifts and extinctions, and these events will lead to an even larger than previously expected loss of diversity as dung beetles γ taxonomic diversity is caused mainly by the β component.

Project description:South America, particularly within its tropical belt, is renowned for its unparalleled high levels of species richness, surpassing other major biomes. Certain neotropical areas harbor fragmented knowledge of insect diversity and face imminent threats from biodiversity loss and climate change. Hence, there is an urgent need for rapid estimation methods to complement slower traditional taxonomic approaches. A variety of algorithms for delimiting species through single-locus DNA barcodes have been developed and applied for rapid species diversity estimates across diverse taxa. However, tree-based and distance-based methods may yield different group assignments, leading to potential overestimation or underestimation of putative species. Here, we investigate the performance of different DNA-based species delimitation approaches to rapidly estimate the diversity of Polypedilum (Chironomidae, Diptera) in South America. Additionally, we test the hypothesis that significant differences exist in the community structure of Polypedilum fauna between South America and its neighboring regions, particularly the Nearctic. Our analysis encompasses a dataset of 1492 specimens from 598 locations worldwide, with a specific focus on South America. Within this region, we analyzed a subset of 247 specimens reported from 37 locations. Using various methods including the Barcode Index Number (BIN), Bayesian Poisson tree processes (bPTP), multi-rate Poisson tree processes (mPTP), single-rate Poisson tree processes (sPTP), and generalized mixed Yule coalescent (sGMYC), we identify molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) ranging from 267 to 520. Our results indicate that the sGMYC method is the most suitable for estimating putative species in our dataset, resulting in the identification of 75 species in the Neotropical region, particularly in South America. Notably, this region exhibited higher species richness in comparison to the Palearctic and Oriental realms. Additionally, our findings suggest potential differences in species composition of Polypedilum fauna between the Neotropical and the adjacent Nearctic realms, highlighting high levels of endemism and species richness in the first. These results support our hypothesis that there are substantial differences exist in species composition between the Polypedilum fauna in South America and the neighboring regions.

Project description:AimWe sought to determine the relationship of forest composition and alpha diversity (the species diversity of a local assemblage) to altitude, soil, and spatial factors over a 440-2,950 m a.s.l gradient.LocationAltitudinal gradient on the Caribbean slope of the Talamanca Cordillera, Costa Rica.TaxonAngiosperm and gymnosperm trees, palms, and tree ferns.MethodsWe measured and identified all stems ≥10 cm dbh in 32 0.25-ha undisturbed rain forest plots over the gradient. We determined compositional patterns using Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS) ordination, and used linear regressions to explore the relationship between four alpha diversity metrics and altitude. With variation partitioning (VARPART), we determined the compositional variation explained by altitude, soil, and spatial variables quantified using Principle Components of Neighbor matrices.ResultsWe identified 425 species. NMS axis 1 separated a lowland zone (440-1,120 m asl) from a transitional one dominated by holarctic Oreomunnea mexicana (1,400-1,600 m asl) and Quercus-dominated forests at altitudes >2,100 m asl. The lowland zone was separated into two clusters of plots on NMS axis 2, the first in the 430-620 m asl range and the second at 1,000-1,120 masl. Regressions showed that all alpha diversity metrics were strongly negatively related to altitude (R 2 > 0.78). Overall, adjusted R 2 from VARPART was 0.43, with 0.30, 0.21, and 0.17 for altitude, soil, and space respectively. The respective adjusted R 2 of individual matrices, on controlling for the other two, was 0.06, 0.05 and 0.09 (p < 0.001).Main conclusionsThere are two well-defined forest compositional zones on this gradient-lowlands 430-1,120 m asl and montane forests >2,150 m asl-with a transitional zone at 1,400-1,600 m asl, where lowland tropical and montane holarctic species are found together. Montane forests are very distinct in their composition and low alpha diversity. Vegetation and soil respond to altitude, and therefore temperature, as an integrated system, a model that goes beyond niche assembly as shown by the significant effect of space in the VARPART.

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Environmental controls on the distribution and diversity of lentic Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) across an altitudinal gradient in tropical South America.

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