Abstract Detail

Ecology

Huang, Yi [1], Rose, Brooke [1], Velazco, Santiago [1], Morrison, Glen [2], Abbo, Tito [3], Buehlman, Angela [1], Franklin, Janet [1], Parker, V. T. [4], Litt, Amy [2].

Preliminary investigation on the niche overlap among Arctostaphylos species in the California Floristic Province.

Arctostaphylos (Ericaceae), also referred to as manzanita, is a diverse woody genus composed of 67 morphologically-defined species. Almost all of these plants are endemic to the California Floristic Province (CFP), a world biodiversity hotspot on the west coast of North America. As half of the manzanita species have restricted distributions and are considered rare and/or endangered, accurate species recognition becomes essential, including the reliable estimation of species differentiation and identification of useful taxonomic characters. This genus's species are widely distributed across exceptionally diverse environments, including coastal habitats, deserts, and high mountains, some are restricted to unique soil types that help differentiate them. Nonetheless, the ecological niche of Arctostaphylos species has not been described quantitatively. This lack of investigation on niche differentiation within Arctostaphylos adds a subjective element into the current manzanita taxonomy. In this study, we constructed Ecological Niche Models (ENMs) of closely-related manzanita species in the CFP, extracted their niche hypervolume, and measured niche overlap among them. To build the ENMs, we used herbarium collection records from the California Consortium of Herbarium, downloaded climate and soil data, and applied them in the Maxent algorithm. To improve the accuracy of constructed models, we used the Ensemble of Small Models approach for species with limited records and a posterior ENMs overprediction correction method. We calculated the niche hypervolume and niche overlap between species based on an approach that estimates the shape and volume of niches. Then we generated a niche overlap matrix and performed a clustering analysis to group manzanita species into different ecological distinct clusters. With this information, we will quantify niche differentiation, which will allow us to refine manzanita taxonomy and create more effective conservation management plans.

1 - University of California, Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States
2 - University Of California Riverside, Botany And Plant Sciences, 900 University Ave, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States
3 - University of California Riverside, 900 University Ave, Riverside, California, 92521, United States
4 - San Francisco State University, Department Of Biology, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94132, United States

Keywords:
Arctostaphylos
maxent
niche differentiation
Ericaceae
conservation
Niche Modeling.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: ECO9, Ecology: Species Ranges and Distributions
Location: /
Date: Friday, July 23rd, 2021
Time: 4:30 PM(EDT)
Number: ECO9007
Abstract ID:763
Candidate for Awards:Ecological Section Best Graduate Student Paper