A review of ecological gradient research in the Tropics: identifying research gaps, future directions, and conservation priorities

Publikation: Beiträge in ZeitschriftenÜbersichtsarbeitenForschung

Authors

The Tropics are global centers of biodiversity. Ecological and land use gradients play a major role in the origin and maintenance of this diversity, yet a comprehensive synthesis of the corresponding large body of literature is still missing. We searched all ISI-listed journals for tropical gradient studies. From the resulting 1023 studies, we extracted study-specific information, and analyzed it using descriptive analytical tools and GLMs. Our results reveal that dry tropical areas are vastly understudied compared to their humid counterparts. The same holds true for large parts of Africa, but also the Philippines and the South Asian region. However, we also found that (applied) research output of developing tropical countries is nowadays on par with the output of developed countries. Vegetation and elevation were the most studied response variable and gradient, respectively. By contrast, inconspicous organisms such as oribatid mites and edaphic gradients were largely missing in the literature. Regarding biodiversity, tropical gradient studies dealt extensively with species richness and ecosystem diversity, but much less with genetic diversity. We encourage a wider use of modern statistical learning tools such as non-linear (spatio-temporal) regression and classification techniques, and simulations. Finally, we would embrace an even further development of synergies between applied and basic research and between researchers based in developed and in tropical countries.

OriginalspracheEnglisch
ZeitschriftBiodiversity and Conservation
Jahrgang27
Ausgabenummer2
Seiten (von - bis)273-285
Anzahl der Seiten13
ISSN0960-3115
DOIs
PublikationsstatusErschienen - 01.02.2018

DOI

Zuletzt angesehen

Publikationen

  1. Verbalised Speechlessness: Online mourning practices
  2. Doppelrepräsentation und mathematische Begabung
  3. The link between supervisory board reporting and firm performance in Germany and Austria
  4. TeSeR - technology for self-removal - status of a horizon 2020 project to ensure the post-mission-disposal of any future spacecraft
  5. Methoden transdisziplinärer Forschung und Lehre
  6. Molecular analyses and species distribution models indicate cryptic northern mountain refugia for a forestdwelling ground beetle
  7. The spillover effect of mimicry: Being mimicked by one person increases prosocial behavior toward another person
  8. Corrosion behaviour of a nominally high purity Mg ingot produced by permanent mould direct chill casting
  9. Diagrammatische Visualisierung als ästhetische Information
  10. Flucht und Migration
  11. The influence of Reputation on Travel Decisions in the Internet
  12. Accounting for work conditions from modern slavery to decent work
  13. Unternehmerpersönlichkeit
  14. Einen Systemwandel brauchen wir nicht
  15. Sprachlerntagebuch
  16. Genetic erosion in habitat specialist shows need to protect large peat bogs
  17. Vom Sinn des Erzählens
  18. Management of Biodiversity in Protected Areas with Sustainability Control
  19. Theosophie
  20. Distribution and community structure of araneocoenoses (Araneae) along an altitudinal gradient on Kozuf Mountain (North Macedonia)
  21. The expression of non-alignment in British and German political interviews
  22. Are private banks the better banks?
  23. Form
  24. Elia, ein feuriger Kämpfer für Gott
  25. Evaluation und Evaluationsforschung
  26. Evidence for climatic changes around the Matuyama-Brunhes Boundary (MBB) inferred from a multi-proxy palaeoenvironmental study of the GBY#2 core, Jordan River Valley, Israel
  27. Loving the mess
  28. Aufsätze im SMS-Stil?
  29. Einleitung
  30. Walter Benjamin