A geometric basis for surface habitat complexity and biodiversity.

Autor: Torres-Pulliza D; Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kaneohe, HI, USA.; Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia., Dornelas MA; Centre for Biological Diversity, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK., Pizarro O; Australian Centre for Field Robotics, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia., Bewley M; Australian Centre for Field Robotics, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia., Blowes SA; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.; Department of Computer Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany., Boutros N; Australian Centre for Field Robotics, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia., Brambilla V; Centre for Biological Diversity, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK., Chase TJ; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia., Frank G; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia., Friedman A; Australian Centre for Field Robotics, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.; Greybits Engineering, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia., Hoogenboom MO; ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia., Williams S; Australian Centre for Field Robotics, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia., Zawada KJA; Centre for Biological Diversity, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK., Madin JS; Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kaneohe, HI, USA. jmadin@hawaii.edu.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Nature ecology & evolution [Nat Ecol Evol] 2020 Nov; Vol. 4 (11), pp. 1495-1501. Date of Electronic Publication: 2020 Aug 24.
DOI: 10.1038/s41559-020-1281-8
Abstrakt: Structurally complex habitats tend to contain more species and higher total abundances than simple habitats. This ecological paradigm is grounded in first principles: species richness scales with area, and surface area and niche density increase with three-dimensional complexity. Here we present a geometric basis for surface habitats that unifies ecosystems and spatial scales. The theory is framed by fundamental geometric constraints between three structure descriptors-surface height, rugosity and fractal dimension-and explains 98% of surface variation in a structurally complex test system: coral reefs. Then, we show how coral biodiversity metrics (species richness, total abundance and probability of interspecific encounter) vary over the theoretical structure descriptor plane, demonstrating the value of the theory for predicting the consequences of natural and human modifications of surface structure.
Databáze: MEDLINE