Perspectives on the use of lakes and ponds as model systems for macroecological research
Macroecology studies large-scale patterns aiming to identify the effects of general ecological processes. Although lakes (and ponds) are particularly suited for macroecological research due to their discrete nature and non geographically-structured variability, the development of this discipline in...
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doaj-d373c1c2fece469b8536ab8b1f9914a02020-11-25T03:26:09ZengPAGEPress PublicationsJournal of Limnology1129-57671723-86332014-04-0173s110.4081/jlimnol.2014.887636Perspectives on the use of lakes and ponds as model systems for macroecological researchJoaquín Hortal0João C. Nabout1Joaquín Calatayud2Fernanda M. Carneiro3André Padial4Ana M. C. Santos5Tadeu Siqueira6Folmer Bokma7L. Mauricio Bini8Marc Ventura9Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales; Universidade de LisboaUniversidade Estadual de GoiásUniversidad de AlcaláUniversidade Estadual de GoiásUniversidade Federal do ParanáUniversidade de Lisboa; Museo Nacional de Ciencias NaturalesUniversidade Estadual PaulistaUmeå UniversityUniversidade Federal de GoiásSpanish Research Council; Universitat de BarcelonaMacroecology studies large-scale patterns aiming to identify the effects of general ecological processes. Although lakes (and ponds) are particularly suited for macroecological research due to their discrete nature and non geographically-structured variability, the development of this discipline in lentic habitats is comparatively much smaller than for terrestrial environments. This is despite the interest of limnologists for large-scale phenomena, which results in the high level of development of some disciplines such as predictive limnology. Here we discuss how current state-of-the-art in macroecology may benefit from research in lentic habitats at five topics. First, by including an island biogeography analytical framework to incorporate the effects of lake origin and history on lentic biodiversity. Second, by studying local and regional effects on the latitudinal gradients of species richness. Third, by considering lakes and ponds altogether for the study of beta diversity and metacommunity structure, which is already common ground in limnological research. Fourth, by relating species traits with ecosystem structure and functioning; here we consider in particular the potential effects of body size-determined dispersal and competitive exclusion processes on lake-wide trophic organization. And fifth, by incorporating current research in functional (<em>i.e.</em> trait) and phylogenetic diversity to the study of community structure. We finally conclude that lentic habitats can be particularly important for the development of the most functional aspects of macroecology, due to the relative ease of studying the different biotic and abiotic components of the system separately, compared to most terrestrial systems. This can allow teasing apart many of the confounding factors that are characteristic of macroecological research, thus helping the development of future theoretical syntheses.http://www.jlimnol.it/index.php/jlimnol/article/view/887biodiversity gradients, body size, dispersal, ecosystem functioning, ecosystem structure, metacommunity |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Joaquín Hortal João C. Nabout Joaquín Calatayud Fernanda M. Carneiro André Padial Ana M. C. Santos Tadeu Siqueira Folmer Bokma L. Mauricio Bini Marc Ventura |
spellingShingle |
Joaquín Hortal João C. Nabout Joaquín Calatayud Fernanda M. Carneiro André Padial Ana M. C. Santos Tadeu Siqueira Folmer Bokma L. Mauricio Bini Marc Ventura Perspectives on the use of lakes and ponds as model systems for macroecological research Journal of Limnology biodiversity gradients, body size, dispersal, ecosystem functioning, ecosystem structure, metacommunity |
author_facet |
Joaquín Hortal João C. Nabout Joaquín Calatayud Fernanda M. Carneiro André Padial Ana M. C. Santos Tadeu Siqueira Folmer Bokma L. Mauricio Bini Marc Ventura |
author_sort |
Joaquín Hortal |
title |
Perspectives on the use of lakes and ponds as model systems for macroecological research |
title_short |
Perspectives on the use of lakes and ponds as model systems for macroecological research |
title_full |
Perspectives on the use of lakes and ponds as model systems for macroecological research |
title_fullStr |
Perspectives on the use of lakes and ponds as model systems for macroecological research |
title_full_unstemmed |
Perspectives on the use of lakes and ponds as model systems for macroecological research |
title_sort |
perspectives on the use of lakes and ponds as model systems for macroecological research |
publisher |
PAGEPress Publications |
series |
Journal of Limnology |
issn |
1129-5767 1723-8633 |
publishDate |
2014-04-01 |
description |
Macroecology studies large-scale patterns aiming to identify the effects of general ecological processes. Although lakes (and ponds) are particularly suited for macroecological research due to their discrete nature and non geographically-structured variability, the development of this discipline in lentic habitats is comparatively much smaller than for terrestrial environments. This is despite the interest of limnologists for large-scale phenomena, which results in the high level of development of some disciplines such as predictive limnology. Here we discuss how current state-of-the-art in macroecology may benefit from research in lentic habitats at five topics. First, by including an island biogeography analytical framework to incorporate the effects of lake origin and history on lentic biodiversity. Second, by studying local and regional effects on the latitudinal gradients of species richness. Third, by considering lakes and ponds altogether for the study of beta diversity and metacommunity structure, which is already common ground in limnological research. Fourth, by relating species traits with ecosystem structure and functioning; here we consider in particular the potential effects of body size-determined dispersal and competitive exclusion processes on lake-wide trophic organization. And fifth, by incorporating current research in functional (<em>i.e.</em> trait) and phylogenetic diversity to the study of community structure. We finally conclude that lentic habitats can be particularly important for the development of the most functional aspects of macroecology, due to the relative ease of studying the different biotic and abiotic components of the system separately, compared to most terrestrial systems. This can allow teasing apart many of the confounding factors that are characteristic of macroecological research, thus helping the development of future theoretical syntheses. |
topic |
biodiversity gradients, body size, dispersal, ecosystem functioning, ecosystem structure, metacommunity |
url |
http://www.jlimnol.it/index.php/jlimnol/article/view/887 |
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