Phylogenetic patterns of climatic, habitat and trophic niches in a European avian assemblage.

ABSTRACT:

Aim

The origins of ecological diversity in continental species assemblages have long intrigued biogeographers. We apply phylogenetic comparative analyses to disentangle the evolutionary patterns of ecological niches in an assemblage of European birds. We compare phylogenetic patterns in trophic, habitat and climatic niche components.

Location

Europe.

Methods

From polygon range maps and handbook data we inferred the realized climatic, habitat and trophic niches of 405 species of breeding birds in Europe. We fitted Pagel's lambda and kappa statistics, and conducted analyses of disparity through time to compare temporal patterns of ecological diversification on all niche axes together. All observed patterns were compared with expectations based on neutral (Brownian) mode

SUBMITTER: Pearman PB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4001463 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature