Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1016/j.tree.2018.11.009
Document author version
Title (Primary) The latitudinal diversity gradient: Novel understanding through mechanistic eco-evolutionary models
Author Pontarp, M.; Bunnefeld, L.; Cabral, J.S.; Etienne, R.S.; Fritz, S.A.; Gillespie, R.; Graham, C.H.; Hagen, O.; Hartig, F.; Huang, S.; Jansson, R.; Maliet, O.; Münkemüller, T.; Pellissier, L.; Rangel, T.F.; Storch, D.; Wiegand, T.; Hurlbert, A.H.
Source Titel Trends in Ecology & Evolution
Year 2019
Department OESA; iDiv
Volume 34
Issue 3
Page From 211
Page To 223
Language englisch
Keywords highlight; diversity patterns; mechanistic modeling; ecology; evolution; biogeography; macroecology
Abstract

the processes themselves.

The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is one of the most widely studied patterns in ecology, yet no consensus has been reached about its underlying causes. We argue that the reasons for this are the verbal nature of existing hypotheses, the failure to mechanistically link interacting ecological and evolutionary processes to the LDG, and the fact that empirical patterns are often consistent with multiple explanations. To address this issue, we synthesize current LDG hypotheses, uncovering their eco-evolutionary mechanisms, hidden assumptions, and commonalities. Furthermore, we propose mechanistic eco-evolutionary modeling and an inferential approach that makes use of geographic, phylogenetic, and trait-based patterns to assess the relative importance of different processes for generating the LDG.

Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=21343
Pontarp, M., Bunnefeld, L., Cabral, J.S., Etienne, R.S., Fritz, S.A., Gillespie, R., Graham, C.H., Hagen, O., Hartig, F., Huang, S., Jansson, R., Maliet, O., Münkemüller, T., Pellissier, L., Rangel, T.F., Storch, D., Wiegand, T., Hurlbert, A.H. (2019):
The latitudinal diversity gradient: Novel understanding through mechanistic eco-evolutionary models
Trends Ecol. Evol. 34 (3), 211 - 223 10.1016/j.tree.2018.11.009