Plant Diversity Is More Important than Climate Factors in Driving Insect Richness Pattern along a Latitudinal Gradient
The insect data of 93 national nature reserves in China was used to identify the underlying drivers’ potential for species richness along geographical gradients. We assessed the correlations between predictors (climate and soil) and response variables (insect richness). We found that the following:...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-03-01
|
| Series: | Ecologies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4133/3/1/4 |
| _version_ | 1827629111679385600 |
|---|---|
| author | Yanling Peng Jie Gao Xing Zhang |
| author_facet | Yanling Peng Jie Gao Xing Zhang |
| author_sort | Yanling Peng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The insect data of 93 national nature reserves in China was used to identify the underlying drivers’ potential for species richness along geographical gradients. We assessed the correlations between predictors (climate and soil) and response variables (insect richness). We found that the following: insect diversity decreased significantly at higher latitudes. The latitudinal variation in insect richness seems to be driven by climate and soil variations and also the diversity of other biota. Among all the tested predictors, plant diversity explained the most latitudinal patterns of insect richness (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.498). Insect richness showed a positive correlation with the diversity of other biota and climate factors (mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation) and was negatively associated with soil pH. Overall, the interspecific relationship between organisms was the main driver of insect diversity’s latitudinal pattern. However, the effects of climate and soil factors cannot be ignored. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:46:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-572fc8200d7340c798c0f6669db26bae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-4133 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:46:04Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecologies |
| spelling | doaj.art-572fc8200d7340c798c0f6669db26bae2023-11-30T20:59:49ZengMDPI AGEcologies2673-41332022-03-0131303710.3390/ecologies3010004Plant Diversity Is More Important than Climate Factors in Driving Insect Richness Pattern along a Latitudinal GradientYanling Peng0Jie Gao1Xing Zhang2Department of Science and Technology, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, ChinaCollege of City and Environment, Peking University, Beijing 100683, ChinaQinhuangdao Key Rural Laboratory, Hebei University of Environmental Engineering, Qinhuangdao 066102, ChinaThe insect data of 93 national nature reserves in China was used to identify the underlying drivers’ potential for species richness along geographical gradients. We assessed the correlations between predictors (climate and soil) and response variables (insect richness). We found that the following: insect diversity decreased significantly at higher latitudes. The latitudinal variation in insect richness seems to be driven by climate and soil variations and also the diversity of other biota. Among all the tested predictors, plant diversity explained the most latitudinal patterns of insect richness (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.498). Insect richness showed a positive correlation with the diversity of other biota and climate factors (mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation) and was negatively associated with soil pH. Overall, the interspecific relationship between organisms was the main driver of insect diversity’s latitudinal pattern. However, the effects of climate and soil factors cannot be ignored.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4133/3/1/4insect richnesslatitudeclimate changesoil factor |
| spellingShingle | Yanling Peng Jie Gao Xing Zhang Plant Diversity Is More Important than Climate Factors in Driving Insect Richness Pattern along a Latitudinal Gradient Ecologies insect richness latitude climate change soil factor |
| title | Plant Diversity Is More Important than Climate Factors in Driving Insect Richness Pattern along a Latitudinal Gradient |
| title_full | Plant Diversity Is More Important than Climate Factors in Driving Insect Richness Pattern along a Latitudinal Gradient |
| title_fullStr | Plant Diversity Is More Important than Climate Factors in Driving Insect Richness Pattern along a Latitudinal Gradient |
| title_full_unstemmed | Plant Diversity Is More Important than Climate Factors in Driving Insect Richness Pattern along a Latitudinal Gradient |
| title_short | Plant Diversity Is More Important than Climate Factors in Driving Insect Richness Pattern along a Latitudinal Gradient |
| title_sort | plant diversity is more important than climate factors in driving insect richness pattern along a latitudinal gradient |
| topic | insect richness latitude climate change soil factor |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4133/3/1/4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yanlingpeng plantdiversityismoreimportantthanclimatefactorsindrivinginsectrichnesspatternalongalatitudinalgradient AT jiegao plantdiversityismoreimportantthanclimatefactorsindrivinginsectrichnesspatternalongalatitudinalgradient AT xingzhang plantdiversityismoreimportantthanclimatefactorsindrivinginsectrichnesspatternalongalatitudinalgradient |