Do large-scale associations in birds imply biotic interactions or environmental filtering?
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Do large-scale associations in birds imply biotic interactions or environmental filtering? / Elo, Merja; Kajanus, Mira H.; Tolvanen, Jere; Devictor, Vincent; Forsman, Jukka T.; Lehikoinen, Aleksi; Monkkonen, Mikko; Thorson, James T.; Vollstadt, Maximilian G. R.; Kivela, Sami M.
In: Journal of Biogeography, Vol. 50, No. 1, 2023, p. 169-182.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Do large-scale associations in birds imply biotic interactions or environmental filtering?
AU - Elo, Merja
AU - Kajanus, Mira H.
AU - Tolvanen, Jere
AU - Devictor, Vincent
AU - Forsman, Jukka T.
AU - Lehikoinen, Aleksi
AU - Monkkonen, Mikko
AU - Thorson, James T.
AU - Vollstadt, Maximilian G. R.
AU - Kivela, Sami M.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Aim There has been a wide interest in the effect of biotic interactions on species' occurrences and abundances at large spatial scales, coupled with a vast development of the statistical methods to study them. Still, evidence for whether the effects of within-trophic-level biotic interactions (e.g. competition and heterospecific attraction) are discernible beyond local scales remains inconsistent. Here, we present a novel hypothesis-testing framework based on joint dynamic species distribution models and functional trait similarity to dissect between environmental filtering and biotic interactions. Location France and Finland. Taxon Birds. Methods We estimated species-to-species associations within a trophic level, independent of the main environmental variables (mean temperature and total precipitation) for common species at large spatial scale with joint dynamic species distribution (a multivariate spatiotemporal delta model) models. We created hypotheses based on species' functionality (morphological and/or diet dissimilarity) and habitat preferences about the sign and strength of the pairwise spatiotemporal associations to estimate the extent to which they result from biotic interactions (competition, heterospecific attraction) and/or environmental filtering. Results Spatiotemporal associations were mostly positive (80%), followed by random (15%), and only 5% were negative. Where detected, negative spatiotemporal associations in different communities were due to a few species. The relationship between spatiotemporal association and functional dissimilarity among species was negative, which fulfils the predictions of both environmental filtering and heterospecific attraction. Main conclusions We showed that processes leading to species aggregation (mixture between environmental filtering and heterospecific attraction) seem to dominate assembly rules, and we did not find evidence for competition. Altogether, our hypothesis-testing framework based on joint dynamic species distribution models and functional trait similarity is beneficial in ecological interpretation of species-to-species associations from data covering several decades and biogeographical regions.
AB - Aim There has been a wide interest in the effect of biotic interactions on species' occurrences and abundances at large spatial scales, coupled with a vast development of the statistical methods to study them. Still, evidence for whether the effects of within-trophic-level biotic interactions (e.g. competition and heterospecific attraction) are discernible beyond local scales remains inconsistent. Here, we present a novel hypothesis-testing framework based on joint dynamic species distribution models and functional trait similarity to dissect between environmental filtering and biotic interactions. Location France and Finland. Taxon Birds. Methods We estimated species-to-species associations within a trophic level, independent of the main environmental variables (mean temperature and total precipitation) for common species at large spatial scale with joint dynamic species distribution (a multivariate spatiotemporal delta model) models. We created hypotheses based on species' functionality (morphological and/or diet dissimilarity) and habitat preferences about the sign and strength of the pairwise spatiotemporal associations to estimate the extent to which they result from biotic interactions (competition, heterospecific attraction) and/or environmental filtering. Results Spatiotemporal associations were mostly positive (80%), followed by random (15%), and only 5% were negative. Where detected, negative spatiotemporal associations in different communities were due to a few species. The relationship between spatiotemporal association and functional dissimilarity among species was negative, which fulfils the predictions of both environmental filtering and heterospecific attraction. Main conclusions We showed that processes leading to species aggregation (mixture between environmental filtering and heterospecific attraction) seem to dominate assembly rules, and we did not find evidence for competition. Altogether, our hypothesis-testing framework based on joint dynamic species distribution models and functional trait similarity is beneficial in ecological interpretation of species-to-species associations from data covering several decades and biogeographical regions.
KW - competition
KW - functional traits
KW - heterospecific attraction
KW - joint dynamic species distribution models
KW - macroecology
KW - VAST
KW - HETEROSPECIFIC ATTRACTION
KW - SPECIES INTERACTIONS
KW - FITNESS CONSEQUENCES
KW - HABITAT SELECTION
KW - INFORMATION USE
KW - MIGRANT
KW - MODELS
KW - TIME
KW - DISTRIBUTIONS
KW - ASSEMBLAGES
U2 - 10.1111/jbi.14520
DO - 10.1111/jbi.14520
M3 - Journal article
VL - 50
SP - 169
EP - 182
JO - Journal of Biogeography
JF - Journal of Biogeography
SN - 0305-0270
IS - 1
ER -
ID: 325834353