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Spatial synchrony is related to environmental change in Finnish moth communities.

ABSTRACT: Spatially distinct pairs of sites may have similarly fluctuating population dynamics across large geographical distances, a phenomenon called spatial synchrony. However, species rarely exist in isolation, but rather as members of interactive communities, linked with other communities through dispersal (i.e. a metacommunity). Using data on Finnish moth communities sampled across 65 sites for 20 years, we examine the complex synchronous/anti-synchronous relationships among sites using the geography of synchrony framework. We relate site-level synchrony to mean and temporal variation in climatic data, finding that colder and drier sites-and those with the most drastic temperature increases-are important for spatial synchrony. This suggests that faster-warming sites contribute most strongly to site-level estimates of synchrony, highlighting the role of a changing climate to spatial synchrony. Considering the spatial variability in climate change rates is therefore important to understand metacommunity dynamics and identify habitats which contribute most strongly to spatial synchrony.

SUBMITTER: Dallas TA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7287349 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Spatial synchrony is related to environmental change in Finnish moth communities.

Dallas Tad A TA Antão Laura H LH Pöyry Juha J Leinonen Reima R Ovaskainen Otso O

Proceedings. Biological sciences 20200527 1927

Spatially distinct pairs of sites may have similarly fluctuating population dynamics across large geographical distances, a phenomenon called spatial synchrony. However, species rarely exist in isolation, but rather as members of interactive communities, linked with other communities through dispersal (i.e. a metacommunity). Using data on Finnish moth communities sampled across 65 sites for 20 years, we examine the complex synchronous/anti-synchronous relationships among sites using the geograph ...[more]

PMID: 32453988

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Dataset Information

Spatial synchrony is related to environmental change in Finnish moth communities.

Publications

Spatial synchrony is related to environmental change in Finnish moth communities.

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