Physiology, Ecological Niches and Species Distribution
Although many studies have debated the theoreti-cal links between physiology, ecological niches and species distribution, few studies have provided evi-dence for a tight empirical coupling between these concepts at a macroecological scale. We used an ecophysiological model to assess the fundamental...
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| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.452.6016 http://lgmacweb.env.uea.ac.uk/green_ocean/publications/ROC/Helaouet_Beaugrand_Ecosystems_2009.pdf |
| Summary: | Although many studies have debated the theoreti-cal links between physiology, ecological niches and species distribution, few studies have provided evi-dence for a tight empirical coupling between these concepts at a macroecological scale. We used an ecophysiological model to assess the fundamental niche of a key-structural marine species. We found a close relationship between its fundamental and realized niche. The relationship remains constant at both biogeographical and decadal scales, showing that changes in environmental forcing propagate from the physiological to the macroecological level. A substantial shift in the spatial distribution is detected in the North Atlantic and projections of range shift using IPCC scenarios suggest a poleward movement of the species of one degree of latitude per decade for the 21st century. The shift in the spatial distribution of this species reveals a pro-nounced alteration of polar pelagic ecosystems with likely implications for lower and upper trophic levels and some biogeochemical cycles. Key words: fundamental niche; realized niche; physiology; spatial distribution; north Atlantic ocean; pelagic realm; Calanus finmarchicus. |
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