Eltonian Niche Modelling: Applying Joint Hierarchical Niche Models to Ecological Networks.

ABSTRACT: There is currently a dichotomy in the modelling of Grinnellian and Eltonian niches. Despite similar underlying data, Grinnellian niches are modelled with species-distribution models (SDMs), whereas Eltonian niches are modelled with ecological-network analysis, mainly because the sparsity of species-interaction data prevents the application of SDMs to Eltonian-niche modelling. Here, we propose to adapt recently developed joint species distribution models (JSDMs) to data on ecological networks, functional traits, and phylogenies to model species' Eltonian niches. JSDMs overcome sparsity and improve predictions for individual species by considering non-independent relationships among co-occurring species; this unique ability makes them particularly suited for sparse datasets such as ecologica

SUBMITTER: Dehling DM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12121635 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature