Assessing the congruence of thermal niche estimations derived from distribution and physiological data. A test using diving beetles.

ABSTRACT: A basic aim of ecology is to understand the determinants of organismal distribution, the niche concept and species distribution models providing key frameworks to approach the problem. As temperature is one of the most important factors affecting species distribution, the estimation of thermal limits is crucially important for inferring range constraints. It is expectable that thermal physiology data derived from laboratory experiments and species' occurrences may express different aspects of the species' niche. However, there is no study systematically testing this prediction in a given taxonomic group while controlling by potential phylogenetic inertia. We estimate the thermal niches of twelve Palaearctic diving beetles species using physiological data derived from experimental analyses

SUBMITTER: Sanchez-Fernandez D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3485027 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature