The Experts below are selected from a list of 3441 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Neil Reid - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Expertly Validated Models and Phylogenetically-Controlled Analysis Suggests Responses to Climate Change Are Related to Species Traits in the Order Lagomorpha
PloS one, 2015Co-Authors: Katie Leach, Ruth Kelly, Alison Cameron, W. Ian Montgomery, Neil ReidAbstract:Climate change during the past five decades has impacted significantly on natural ecosystems, and the rate of current climate change is of great concern among conservation biologists. Species Distribution Models (SDMs) have been used widely to project changes in species’ bioclimatic envelopes under future climate scenarios. Here, we aimed to advance this technique by assessing future changes in the bioclimatic envelopes of an entire mammalian order, the Lagomorpha, using a novel framework for model validation based jointly on subjective expert evaluation and objective model evaluation statistics. SDMs were built using climatic, topographical, and habitat variables for all 87 Lagomorph species under past and current climate scenarios. Expert evaluation and Kappa values were used to validate past and current models and only those deemed ‘modellable’ within our framework were projected under future climate scenarios (58 species). Phylogenetically-controlled regressions were used to test whether species traits correlated with predicted responses to climate change. Climate change is likely to impact more than two-thirds of Lagomorph species, with leporids (rabbits, hares, and jackrabbits) likely to undertake poleward shifts with little overall change in range extent, whilst pikas are likely to show extreme shifts to higher altitudes associated with marked range declines, including the likely extinction of Kozlov’s Pika (Ochotona koslowi). Smaller-bodied species were more likely to exhibit range contractions and elevational increases, but showing little poleward movement, and fecund species were more likely to shift latitudinally and elevationally. Our results suggest that species traits may be important indicators of future climate change and we believe multi-species approaches, as demonstrated here, are likely to lead to more effective mitigation measures and conservation management. We strongly advocate studies minimising data gaps in our knowledge of the Order, specifically collecting more specimens for biodiversity archives and targeting data deficient geographic regions.
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Biogeography, macroecology and species' traits mediate competitive interactions in the order Lagomorpha
Mammal Review, 2015Co-Authors: Katie Leach, W. Ian Montgomery, Neil ReidAbstract:In addition to abiotic determinants, biotic factors, including competitive, inter- specific interactions, limit species' distributions. Environmental changes in human disturbance, land use and climate are predicted to have widespread impacts on interactions between species, especially in the order Lagomorpha due to the higher latitudes and more extreme environmental conditions they occupy. 2. We reviewed the published literature on interspecific interactions in the order Lagomorpha and compared the biogeography, macroecology, phylogeny and traits of species known to interact with those of species with no reported interactions, to investigate how projected future environmental change may affect interactions and potentially alter species' distributions. 3. Thirty-three Lagomorph species have competitive interactions reported in the literature; the majority involve hares (Lepus sp.) or the eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus). Key regions for interactions are located between 30-50°N of the Equator, and include eastern Asia (southern Russia on the border of Mongolia) and North America (north-western USA). 4. Closely related, large-bodied, similarly sized species occurring in regions of human-modified, typically agricultural landscapes, or at high elevations, are sig- nificantly more likely to have reported competitive interactions than other lago- morph species. 5. We identify species' traits associated with competitive interactions, and high- light some potential impacts that future environmental change may have on inter- specific interactions. Our approach using bibliometric and biological data is widely applicable, and with relatively straightforward methodologies, can provide insights into interactions between species. 6. Our results have implications for predicting species' responses to global change, and we advise that capturing, parameterizing and incorporating interspe- cific interactions into analyses (e.g. species distribution modelling) may be more important than suggested by the literature.
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Diversity, extinction, and threat status in Lagomorphs
Ecography, 2015Co-Authors: Luis D. Verde Arregoitia, Katie Leach, Neil Reid, Diana O. FisherAbstract:A quarter of all Lagomorphs (pikas, rabbits, hares and jackrabbits) are threatened with extinction, including several genera that contain only one species. The number of species in a genus correlates with extinction risk in Lagomorphs, but not in other mammal groups, and this is concerning because the non-random extinction of small clades disproportionately threatens genetic diversity and phylogenetic history. Here, we use phylogenetic analyses to explore the properties of the Lagomorph phylogeny and test if variation in evolution, biogeography and ecology between taxa explains current patterns of diversity and extinction risk. Threat status was not related to body size (and, by inference, its biological correlates), and there was no phylogenetic signal in extinction risk. We show that the Lagomorph phylogeny has a similar clade-size distribution to other mammals, and found that genus size was unrelated to present climate, topography, or geographic range size. Extinction risk was greater in areas of higher human population density and negatively correlated with anthropogenically modified habitat. Consistent with this, habitat generalists were less likely to be threatened. Our models did not predict threat status accurately for taxa that experience region-specific threats. We suggest that pressure from human populations is so severe and widespread that it overrides ecological, biological, and geographic variation in extant Lagomorphs.
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Response to climate change is related to species traits in the Lagomorpha
2014Co-Authors: Katie Leach, Ruth Kelly, Alison Cameron, W. Ian Montgomery, Neil ReidAbstract:Climate change during the last five decades has impacted on natural systems significantly and the rate of current climate change is of great concern among conservation biologists. Here, we assess the projected change in the bioclimatic envelopes of all 87 species in the mammalian order Lagomorpha under future climate using expertly validated species distribution models. Results suggest that climate change will impact more than two-thirds of Lagomorphs, with leporids (rabbits, hares and jackrabbits) likely to undertake poleward shifts with little overall change in range extent, whilst pikas are likely to show extreme shifts to higher altitudes associated with marked range declines, including the likely extinction of Kozlovs Pika (Ochotona koslowi). Species traits were associated with predictions of change, with smaller-bodied species more likely to exhibit range contractions and elevational increases, but showing little poleward movement. Lagomorphs vulnerable to climate change require urgent conservation management to mitigate range declines and/or extinctions.
Jeffrey S. Fehmi - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Native Lagomorphs suppress grass establishment in a shrub‐encroached, semiarid grassland
Ecology and evolution, 2018Co-Authors: Samuel T. Abercrombie, John L. Koprowski, Mary H. Nichols, Jeffrey S. FehmiAbstract:Shrub encroachment into arid grasslands has been associated with reduced grass abundance, increased soil erosion, and local declines in biodiversity. Livestock overgrazing and the associated reduction of fine fuels has been a primary driver of shrub encroachment in the southwestern United States, but shrublands continue to persist despite livestock removal and grassland restoration efforts. We hypothesized that an herbivory feedback from native mammals may contribute to continued suppression of grasses after the removal of livestock. Our herbivore exclusion experiment in southeastern Arizona included five treatment levels and allowed access to native mammals based on their relative body size, separating the effects of rodents, Lagomorphs, and mule deer. We included two control treatments and replicated each treatment 10 times (n = 50). We introduced uniform divisions of lawn sod (Cynodon dactylon) into each exclosure for 24-hr periods prior to (n = 2) and following (n = 2) the monsoon rains and used motion-activated cameras to document herbivore visitations. In the pre-monsoon trials, treatments that allowed Lagomorph access had less sod biomass relative to other treatments (p
Katie Leach - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Expertly Validated Models and Phylogenetically-Controlled Analysis Suggests Responses to Climate Change Are Related to Species Traits in the Order Lagomorpha
PloS one, 2015Co-Authors: Katie Leach, Ruth Kelly, Alison Cameron, W. Ian Montgomery, Neil ReidAbstract:Climate change during the past five decades has impacted significantly on natural ecosystems, and the rate of current climate change is of great concern among conservation biologists. Species Distribution Models (SDMs) have been used widely to project changes in species’ bioclimatic envelopes under future climate scenarios. Here, we aimed to advance this technique by assessing future changes in the bioclimatic envelopes of an entire mammalian order, the Lagomorpha, using a novel framework for model validation based jointly on subjective expert evaluation and objective model evaluation statistics. SDMs were built using climatic, topographical, and habitat variables for all 87 Lagomorph species under past and current climate scenarios. Expert evaluation and Kappa values were used to validate past and current models and only those deemed ‘modellable’ within our framework were projected under future climate scenarios (58 species). Phylogenetically-controlled regressions were used to test whether species traits correlated with predicted responses to climate change. Climate change is likely to impact more than two-thirds of Lagomorph species, with leporids (rabbits, hares, and jackrabbits) likely to undertake poleward shifts with little overall change in range extent, whilst pikas are likely to show extreme shifts to higher altitudes associated with marked range declines, including the likely extinction of Kozlov’s Pika (Ochotona koslowi). Smaller-bodied species were more likely to exhibit range contractions and elevational increases, but showing little poleward movement, and fecund species were more likely to shift latitudinally and elevationally. Our results suggest that species traits may be important indicators of future climate change and we believe multi-species approaches, as demonstrated here, are likely to lead to more effective mitigation measures and conservation management. We strongly advocate studies minimising data gaps in our knowledge of the Order, specifically collecting more specimens for biodiversity archives and targeting data deficient geographic regions.
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Biogeography, macroecology and species' traits mediate competitive interactions in the order Lagomorpha
Mammal Review, 2015Co-Authors: Katie Leach, W. Ian Montgomery, Neil ReidAbstract:In addition to abiotic determinants, biotic factors, including competitive, inter- specific interactions, limit species' distributions. Environmental changes in human disturbance, land use and climate are predicted to have widespread impacts on interactions between species, especially in the order Lagomorpha due to the higher latitudes and more extreme environmental conditions they occupy. 2. We reviewed the published literature on interspecific interactions in the order Lagomorpha and compared the biogeography, macroecology, phylogeny and traits of species known to interact with those of species with no reported interactions, to investigate how projected future environmental change may affect interactions and potentially alter species' distributions. 3. Thirty-three Lagomorph species have competitive interactions reported in the literature; the majority involve hares (Lepus sp.) or the eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus). Key regions for interactions are located between 30-50°N of the Equator, and include eastern Asia (southern Russia on the border of Mongolia) and North America (north-western USA). 4. Closely related, large-bodied, similarly sized species occurring in regions of human-modified, typically agricultural landscapes, or at high elevations, are sig- nificantly more likely to have reported competitive interactions than other lago- morph species. 5. We identify species' traits associated with competitive interactions, and high- light some potential impacts that future environmental change may have on inter- specific interactions. Our approach using bibliometric and biological data is widely applicable, and with relatively straightforward methodologies, can provide insights into interactions between species. 6. Our results have implications for predicting species' responses to global change, and we advise that capturing, parameterizing and incorporating interspe- cific interactions into analyses (e.g. species distribution modelling) may be more important than suggested by the literature.
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Diversity, extinction, and threat status in Lagomorphs
Ecography, 2015Co-Authors: Luis D. Verde Arregoitia, Katie Leach, Neil Reid, Diana O. FisherAbstract:A quarter of all Lagomorphs (pikas, rabbits, hares and jackrabbits) are threatened with extinction, including several genera that contain only one species. The number of species in a genus correlates with extinction risk in Lagomorphs, but not in other mammal groups, and this is concerning because the non-random extinction of small clades disproportionately threatens genetic diversity and phylogenetic history. Here, we use phylogenetic analyses to explore the properties of the Lagomorph phylogeny and test if variation in evolution, biogeography and ecology between taxa explains current patterns of diversity and extinction risk. Threat status was not related to body size (and, by inference, its biological correlates), and there was no phylogenetic signal in extinction risk. We show that the Lagomorph phylogeny has a similar clade-size distribution to other mammals, and found that genus size was unrelated to present climate, topography, or geographic range size. Extinction risk was greater in areas of higher human population density and negatively correlated with anthropogenically modified habitat. Consistent with this, habitat generalists were less likely to be threatened. Our models did not predict threat status accurately for taxa that experience region-specific threats. We suggest that pressure from human populations is so severe and widespread that it overrides ecological, biological, and geographic variation in extant Lagomorphs.
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Response to climate change is related to species traits in the Lagomorpha
2014Co-Authors: Katie Leach, Ruth Kelly, Alison Cameron, W. Ian Montgomery, Neil ReidAbstract:Climate change during the last five decades has impacted on natural systems significantly and the rate of current climate change is of great concern among conservation biologists. Here, we assess the projected change in the bioclimatic envelopes of all 87 species in the mammalian order Lagomorpha under future climate using expertly validated species distribution models. Results suggest that climate change will impact more than two-thirds of Lagomorphs, with leporids (rabbits, hares and jackrabbits) likely to undertake poleward shifts with little overall change in range extent, whilst pikas are likely to show extreme shifts to higher altitudes associated with marked range declines, including the likely extinction of Kozlovs Pika (Ochotona koslowi). Species traits were associated with predictions of change, with smaller-bodied species more likely to exhibit range contractions and elevational increases, but showing little poleward movement. Lagomorphs vulnerable to climate change require urgent conservation management to mitigate range declines and/or extinctions.
Samuel T. Abercrombie - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Native Lagomorphs suppress grass establishment in a shrub‐encroached, semiarid grassland
Ecology and evolution, 2018Co-Authors: Samuel T. Abercrombie, John L. Koprowski, Mary H. Nichols, Jeffrey S. FehmiAbstract:Shrub encroachment into arid grasslands has been associated with reduced grass abundance, increased soil erosion, and local declines in biodiversity. Livestock overgrazing and the associated reduction of fine fuels has been a primary driver of shrub encroachment in the southwestern United States, but shrublands continue to persist despite livestock removal and grassland restoration efforts. We hypothesized that an herbivory feedback from native mammals may contribute to continued suppression of grasses after the removal of livestock. Our herbivore exclusion experiment in southeastern Arizona included five treatment levels and allowed access to native mammals based on their relative body size, separating the effects of rodents, Lagomorphs, and mule deer. We included two control treatments and replicated each treatment 10 times (n = 50). We introduced uniform divisions of lawn sod (Cynodon dactylon) into each exclosure for 24-hr periods prior to (n = 2) and following (n = 2) the monsoon rains and used motion-activated cameras to document herbivore visitations. In the pre-monsoon trials, treatments that allowed Lagomorph access had less sod biomass relative to other treatments (p
Enrique Baquedano - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Lagomorph predation represented in a middle Palaeolithic level of the Navalmaíllo Rock Shelter site (Pinilla del Valle, Spain), as inferred via a new use of classical taphonomic criteria
Quaternary International, 2017Co-Authors: Mari Carmen Arriaza, Rosa Huguet, César Laplana, Alfredo Pérez-gonzález, Belén Márquez, Juan Luis Arsuaga, Enrique BaquedanoAbstract:Lagomorph remains at Pleistocene sites may accumulate through the action of hominins, raptors or carnivores. Actualistic studies have described reliable taphonomic indicators that allow human and nonhuman involvement in such accumulations to be distinguished. However, discriminating between possible animal predators is not easy, because the prey remnants they leave may undergo the same kinds of taphonomic transformation. The main aim of the present work was to identify the agent, human or non-human, that accumulated the Lagomorph remains at the Navalmaillo Rock Shelter site (Pinilla del Valle, Madrid). For this, 1) established taphonomic criteria, such as anatomical representation, were taken into account, 2) the presence of infant Lagomorphs was examined by determining the age of the individual animals, 3) and coprolite remains adhered to fossils were identified. This new use of the latter two criteria aided in the identification of the predator responsible for the accumulation of remains. The results suggest that this was a small carnivore, probably an Iberian lynx.
