Towards an interactive, process-based approach to understanding range shifts: developmental and environmental dependencies matter
Authored by Robert N L Fitt, Steve Palmer, Casey Hand, Justin M J Travis, Lesley T Lancaster
Date Published: 2019
DOI: 10.1111/ecog.03975
Sponsors:
No sponsors listed
Platforms:
Rangeshifter
Model Documentation:
Other Narrative
Model Code URLs:
Model code not found
Abstract
Many species are undergoing distributional shifts in response to climate
change. However, wide variability in range shifting rates has been
observed across taxa, and even among closely-related species. Attempts
to link climate-mediated range shifts to traits has often produced weak
or conflicting results. Here we investigate interactive effects of
developmental processes and environmental stress on the expression of
traits relevant to range shifts. We use an individual-based modelling
approach to assess how different developmental strategies affect range
shift rates under a range of environmental conditions. We find that
under stressful conditions, such as at the margins of the species'
fundamental niche, investment in prolonged development leads to the
greatest rates of range shifting, especially when longer time in
development leads to improved fecundity and dispersal-related traits.
However, under benign conditions, and when traits are less
developmentally plastic, shorter development times are preferred for
rapid range shifts, because higher generational frequency increases the
number of individual dispersal events occurring over time. Our results
suggest that the ability of a species to range shift depends not only on
their dispersal and colonisation characteristics but also how these
characteristics interact with developmental strategies. Benefits of any
trait always depended on the environmental and developmental sensitivity
of life history trait combinations, and the environmental conditions
under which the range shift takes place. Without considering
environmental and developmental sources of variation in the expression
of traits relevant to range shifts, there is little hope of developing a
general understanding of intrinsic drivers of range shift potential.
Tags
Dispersal
invasion
growth
Climate-change
Temperature
Life-history
Body-size
Plasticity
Species responses
Fecundity
Odonata
Voltinism
Life history trade offs
Range shifting
Spread
rates