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Segregation structure in Odonata assemblages follows the latitudinal gradient

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Abstract

Latitude is known to deeply affect life with effects generalizable into ecological rules; the increasing species diversity toward tropics is the most paradigmatic. Several hypotheses tested patterns of biotic interactions’ intensity along latitude. Negative interactions (i.e. competition and predation) are expected to be among the processes that produce checkerboard distribution of species. However, no relationship between checkerboardness and latitude has been uncovered. We tested Odonata assemblages worldwide for segregation patterns using a faunistic dataset (395 species arranged in 386 natural communities) spanning a wide latitudinal range (87°). We used co-occurrence analyses (C-score index and Standardized Effect Size) as an estimate of checkerboardness then correlated the occurrence of segregation to latitude. Odonata followed the Latitudinal Diversity Gradient at the regional scale (i.e. country scale) within our analyzed assemblages spanning, whereas local richness (i.e. community scale) did not follow the same pattern. Odonata assemblages structured with segregation are more common going from high to low latitudes, and local species richness have no effect on the pattern. We summarized hypotheses on how biotic interactions or ecological and historical processes can influence the spatial patterns in the checkerboards of assemblages and presented promising ways to help to gain a better mechanistic understanding of the drivers of the Latitudinal Diversity Gradient.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the people who made available their data on Odonata distribution. Our special thank goes to Rob Cannings, Mike Blust and Régis Cereghino for their kind availability in sharing their data and suggestions. A big thank to Marta Carboni and Pierluigi Bombi for their suggestions. Also we would like to thank John Abbott for his work with OdonataCentral and for the kindness showed to FC in Austin. LV feels gratefully inspired by Roger Federer and thank him for the insanely good twelfth game 2nd set at Shanghai 2019 vs Zverev, with special mention to the last out of nowhere half volley. The Grant to Department of Science, Roma Tre University (MIUR-Italy Dipartimenti di Eccellenza, ARTICOLO 1, COMMI 314-337 LEGGE 232/2016) is acknowledged.

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  1. Dipartimento Di Scienze, Università Roma Tre, Rome, Italy

    Francesco Cerini, Luca Stellati & Leonardo Vignoli

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  1. Francesco Cerini
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  3. Leonardo Vignoli
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LV originally formulated the idea; FC, LS, and LV developed methodology; FC, LS, and LV conducted research work; FC and LS performed statistical analyses, and all the authors wrote the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Francesco Cerini.

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Additional information

Our study on Odonata is the first evidence for species pattern of checkerboardness along the latitudinal gradient. This lays the basis for new insights on LDG and further generalizations across taxa.

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Cerini, F., Stellati, L. & Vignoli, L. Segregation structure in Odonata assemblages follows the latitudinal gradient. Oecologia 194, 15–25 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-020-04687-9

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