Spatial Covariation Research Articles

The effects of microstructural changes on montmorillonite–microbial interactions

Clay minerals are important natural adsorbents of soil organic matter (SOM) and therefore are natural modulators of soil-atmospheric carbon fluxes. Although such effects have been reported, little is known about the spatial distribution of organic matter (OM) on the surfaces of soil minerals and even less is known about the effects of microstructural changes on clay–organo interactions. Here we employ acid hydrolysis to induce varying degrees of microstructural changes to montmorillonite clay mineral as a function of time and combine IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and SEM-EDX as primary techniques to independently provide molecular-level information on the effects these changes on microbial interactions with the mineral. We observed that progressive dissolution of octahedral cations and the simultaneous enrichment of amorphous silica are prominent structural changes induced by hydrolysis, and that the adsorption of microbial-derived components (in particular lipids) on the surfaces of acid-treated clay decreases with increasing acid dissolution time. Although the precise mechanism(s) of interactions remains unclear, we speculate that this adsorption behavior is most likely due to spatial co-variation of microbial-derived OM with octahedral cations in the mineral, acid erosion of biochemically active binding sites, and/or a progressive increase in the hydrophilicity of the mineral surfaces by acid attack over time.

Inferring local processes from macro‐scale phenological pattern: a comparison of two methods

Summary Understanding the processes responsible for macro‐scale spatial and temporal phenological patterns is a critical step in developing predictive phenological models. While phenological responses may involve the integration of multiple environmental cues, the spring phenology of many plant and animal species appears to be especially sensitive to temperature. As a result of the success of citizen science schemes in mobilizing amateur naturalists, for some parts of the world, there now exist extensive data sets of phenological timings, spanning many species, locations and years. In macroecology, two types of models – time windows and growing degree‐days – are widely used to predict phenology on the basis of temperature. Here, we compare the performance of the two methods in predicting spatiotemporal variation in the timing of Quercus robur first leafing. The methods agree on the time at which leafing becomes sensitive to temperature and provide weak support for a delay in initiation of thermal sensitivity with increasing latitude due to a day‐length requirement. Both methods explain c. 50% of the variation in first dates and identify plasticity, rather than local adaptation, as the major cause of spatial covariation between temperature and phenology. For a 1°C rise in spring temperatures we predict that a plastic response of first leafing will give rise to an advance of about seven days. Synthesis: Time‐window and growing degree‐day methods provide remarkably congruent insights into the processes underpinning geographic variation in Quercus robur first leafing dates. We find that a spatially invariant plastic response to temperature dominates spatiotemporal phenological variation, which means that it may be reasonable to substitute space for time to project how this species will respond to climate change. This study demonstrates the contribution that top‐down macroecological approaches can make to our understanding of the processes that give rise to intraspecific phenological variation.

Competitive hierarchies among three species of juvenile coral reef fishes

Interspecific competition is often asymmetric, and it can limit the spatial distributions of competitively inferior species within a community. When asymmetric competition involves 2 or more component species, the ranking of species' competitive abilities may form competitive hier- archies (all species of higher rank out-compete all species of lower rank) or competitive networks (at least 1 species of lower rank out-competes ≥1 species of higher rank). Expectations of resource monopolization and patterns of distribution and abundance among species in competitive net- works are expected to differ from those in competitive hierarchies. We conducted a field experi- ment to evaluate the relative competitive abilities of juveniles of 3 closely related species of reef fish (bird wrasse Gomphosus varius, fivestripe wrasse Thalassoma quinquevittatum and the sixbar wrasse T. hardwicke) on Moorea, French Polynesia. We controlled for intrinsic variation in sur- vivorship among species and found that competition among these 3 species was highly asymmet- ric, resulting in a simple competitive hierarchy (sequence of competitive ability from superior to inferior competitors): fivestripe wrasse > bird wrasse > sixbar wrasse. We surveyed densities of the 3 reef fish species on 55 patch reefs and observed significant negative spatial covariation between superior and inferior competitors, consistent with competitive hierarchies that limit the spatial dis- tributions of the inferior species (sixbar wrasse). Our work demonstrates that intense asymmetric competition and the formation of competitive hierarchies may be an important determinant of resource monopolization and patterns of distribution and abundance in reef fishes.

Multiscale analysis of heavy metal contents in soils: Spatial variability in the Duero river basin (Spain)

Source identification of heavy metals in soil is not straightforward since several inputs of either an anthropogenic or natural origin contribute to their total content. Here we explore the spatial variation and covariation of seven heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cu and Hg) in the agricultural soils of the Duero river basin (one of the largest in Spain) where both anthropogenic activities (mainly agriculture and industry) and natural factors may be responsible for their total concentration. Factorial kriging and principal components analysis were used on a data set that comprised 721 soil samples. We found that the concentrations of heavy metals in the analysed samples do not exceed the limits set by Spanish legislation excepting mercury that presents high values in a limited number of samples (maximum 1041μg/kg). The linear model of coregionalization–the basic model for factorial kriging analysis–was composed of two structures (representing two scales of variation) with ranges of 20km (local scale) and 130km (regional scale). Six of seven elements (Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn and Cu) were found to be strongly correlated regardless of the spatial scale considered. In contrast, correlations of Hg with other elements were small at the local spatial scale but augmented substantially at the regional scale. We conclude that agricultural practices in the Duero basin have not altered yet the natural content for Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, Zn and Cu. On the other hand, Hg inputs from human origin, most probably related to airborne emission and deposition from industrial plants, are observable at the local spatial scale. Finally, no human-induced correlations among heavy metals were detected at the regional spatial scale. Based on the results of this study and in accordance with the results obtained in the nearby Ebro river basin (Rodríguez et al., 2008) we conclude that anthropogenic heavy metals in soil are visible only at local spatial scales. In contrast, natural factors maximize their influence on the distribution of heavy metals when considering larger spatial scales.

On the functional local linear estimate for spatial regression

Abstract Consider Z i = (X i ,Y i ), i ∈ ℤ N be an F×ℝ-valued measurable strictly stationary spatial process, where F is a semi-metric space. We study the spatial covariation between X i and Y i by using the local linear estimate of the functional spatial regression E[Y i |X i ]. The main result of this work is the establishment of the almost complete convergence for the proposed estimator, under some general conditions. We illustrate our methodology by applying the estimator to climatological data.

Spontaneous High-Gamma Band Activity Reflects Functional Organization of Auditory Cortex in the Awake Macaque

In the absence of sensory stimuli, spontaneous activity in the brain has been shown to exhibit organization at multiple spatiotemporal scales. In the macaque auditory cortex, responses to acoustic stimuli are tonotopically organized within multiple, adjacent frequency maps aligned in a caudorostral direction on the supratemporal plane (STP) of the lateral sulcus. Here, we used chronic microelectrocorticography to investigate the correspondence between sensory maps and spontaneous neural fluctuations in the auditory cortex. We first mapped tonotopic organization across 96 electrodes spanning approximately two centimeters along the primary and higher auditory cortex. In separate sessions, we then observed that spontaneous activity at the same sites exhibited spatial covariation that reflected the tonotopic map of the STP. This observation demonstrates a close relationship between functional organization and spontaneous neural activity in the sensory cortex of the awake monkey.

Geographic patterns and environmental drivers of flower and leaf variation in an endemic legume of Southern Patagonia

Background: In widely distributed species, geographic patterns of phenotypic variation can appear in a clinal (linear or central–marginal) or mosaic fashion in response to environmental factors. Aim: We assessed spatial patterns and possible abiotic drivers of flower and leaf variation in Anarthrophyllum desideratum, an endemic legume found throughout a wide environmental gradient in southern Patagonia. Methods: We measured 10 floral and foliar traits from 26 populations, distributed along the entire range of the species. We examined phenotypic variation within and among populations, geographical patterns, relationships with climatic and edaphic factors and spatial covariation between flowers and leaves, using uni- and multivariate analyses. Results: Most of the studied traits showed higher variability among than within populations. Within-population variability was not associated with population size. Phenotypic differences among populations were structured by geographic distances. Clinal variation patterns, mainly central–marginal, were detected along a south-west to north-east gradient. Flower and leaf size co-varied across populations, whereas, overall phenotypes were weakly coupled. Phenotypic variation was associated with temperature and soil potassium content. Conclusions: Our results support geographically structured patterns of phenotypic variation and suggest that the abiotic environment has an important role in shaping floral and foliar differences among A. desideratum populations. Non-stochastic processes may account for the geographical variation found in this species.

Soil carbon stock in the tropical rangelands of Australia: Effects of soil type and grazing pressure, and determination of sampling requirement

On-going, high-profile public debate about climate change has focussed attention on how to monitor the soil organic carbon stock ( C s) of rangelands (savannas). Unfortunately, optimal sampling of the rangelands for baseline C s – the critical first step towards efficient monitoring – has received relatively little attention to date. Moreover, in the rangelands of tropical Australia relatively little is known about how C s is influenced by the practice of cattle grazing. To address these issues we used linear mixed models to: (i) unravel how grazing pressure (over a 12-year period) and soil type have affected C s and the stable carbon isotope ratio of soil organic carbon ( δ 13 C) (a measure of the relative contributions of C 3 and C 4 vegetation to C s); (ii) examine the spatial covariation of C s and δ 13 C; and, (iii) explore the amount of soil sampling required to adequately determine baseline C s. Modelling was done in the context of the material coordinate system for the soil profile, therefore the depths reported, while conventional, are only nominal. Linear mixed models revealed that soil type and grazing pressure interacted to influence C s to a depth of 0.3 m in the profile. At a depth of 0.5 m there was no effect of grazing on C s, but the soil type effect on C s was significant. Soil type influenced δ 13 C to a soil depth of 0.5 m but there was no effect of grazing at any depth examined. The linear mixed model also revealed the strong negative correlation of C s with δ 13 C, particularly to a depth of 0.1 m in the soil profile. This suggested that increased C s at the study site was associated with increased input of C from C 3 trees and shrubs relative to the C 4 perennial grasses; as the latter form the bulk of the cattle diet, we contend that C sequestration may be negatively correlated with forage production. Our baseline C s sampling recommendation for cattle-grazing properties of the tropical rangelands of Australia is to: (i) divide the property into units of apparently uniform soil type and grazing management; (ii) use stratified simple random sampling to spread at least 25 soil sampling locations about each unit, with at least two samples collected per stratum. This will be adequate to accurately estimate baseline mean C s to within 20% of the true mean, to a nominal depth of 0.3 m in the profile.

Detecting spatial heterogeneity in intertidal algal functional groups, grazers and their co-variation among shore levels and sites

Few studies have examined the nature of spatial structure in intertidal systems, especially that of macroalgae and grazers, and it is not clear how consistent spatial heterogeneity is among sites and levels on the shore. Here we studied the consistency of spatial heterogeneity in several algal functional groups and in grazer biomass between two sites and across the shore using a combination of semivariograms and fractal analysis of data collected from transects. Additionally, we tested for consistency in spatial co-variation between algae and grazers using cross-semivariograms. The study was conducted at two sites in South Africa and across a gradient of physiological stress at three levels on the shore (low, mid and high shore). We observed spatial heterogeneity in macroalgal functional groups and in the biomass of grazers at one of the sites and at different levels of environmental harshness (i.e. heights on the shore), while the other site showed consistently random patterns. In terms of alga–grazer co-variation, most transects showed significant co-variation, but with more differences in the sign and the number of lags between sites than among levels on the same shore, suggesting stronger differences in spatial patterns between sites. Also we observed differences in co-variation between macro and mesograzers on the midshore. Variability in spatial patterns among levels on the shore and between sites is not explained by topographic complexity, but may be a product of several biotic factors interacting at small scales (cm–m). Differences in spatial patterns among shore levels and between shores also appear to reflect the indirect effects of an upshore reduction in algal biomass (due to heat and desiccation stress) and human harvesting of grazers at one of the sites, respectively. The results show that spatial heterogeneity of particular organisms (algal groups and grazers) and co-variation between them can emerge at small spatial lags, and reduction in spatial heterogeneity in the intertidal can be induced by a cascading effect driven by disturbance.

Spatial covariation between freshwater and terrestrial ecosystem services

To inform the design and implementation of land-use policies that consider the variety of goods and services people derive from ecosystems, it is essential to understand spatial patterns of individual services, how multiple services relate to each other, and how these relationships vary across spatial scales and localities. Despite the importance of freshwater as a determinant of regional economic and human demographic patterns, there are surprisingly few studies that map the provision of a range of services associated with the quality of the aquatic environment. Here we examine relationships between indicators of riverine water and associated habitat quality, freshwater biodiversity, three terrestrial ecosystem services, and terrestrial biodiversity across England and Wales. The results indicate strong associations between our indicators of freshwater services. However, a comparison of these indicators of freshwater services with other ecosystem services (carbon storage, agricultural production, recreation) and biodiversity of species of conservation concern in the surrounding terrestrial landscape shows no clear relationships. While there are potential policy "win-wins" for the protection of multiple services shown by associations between indicators of freshwater services and carbon storage in upland areas of Britain, the other ecosystem services showed either negative or no relationships with the indicators of freshwater services. We also consider the influence that spatial scale has on these relationships using River Basin Districts. Our results indicate that relationships between indicators of services can change dramatically depending on the societal pressures and other regional conditions. Thus, the delivery of multiple ecosystem services requires the development of regional strategies, or of national strategies that take account of regional variation.

Dispersal Promotes Compensatory Dynamics and Stability in Forced Metacommunities

Understanding the factors that govern the stability of populations and communities has gained increasing importance as habitat fragmentation and environmental perturbations continue to escalate due to human activities. Dispersal is commonly viewed as essential to the maintenance of diversity in spatially subdivided communities, but few experiments have explored how dispersal interacts with the spatiotemporal components of environmental perturbations to determine community-level stability. We examined these processes using an experimental planktonic system composed of three competing species of zooplankton. We subjected zooplankton metacommunities to varying levels of dispersal and pH perturbations that varied in their degree of spatial synchrony. We show that dispersal can reverse the destabilizing effects of environmental forcing when perturbations are spatially asynchronous. Asynchrony in pH perturbations generated spatially and temporally varying species refugia that promoted source-sink dynamics and allowed prolonged persistence of zooplankton species that were otherwise extirpated in synchronously varying metacommunities. This, in turn, increased local species diversity, promoted compensatory population dynamics, and enhanced local community-level stability. Our results indicate that patterns of spatial covariation in environmental variability are critical to predicting the effects of dispersal on the dynamics and persistence of communities.

Region-wide temporal and spatial variation in Caribbean reef architecture: is coral cover the whole story?

The architectural complexity of coral reefs is largely generated by reef-building corals, yet the effects of current regional-scale declines in coral cover on reef complexity are poorly understood. In particular, both the extent to which declines in coral cover lead to declines in complexity and the length of time it takes for reefs to collapse following coral mortality are unknown. Here we assess the extent of temporal and spatial covariation between coral cover and reef architectural complexity using a Caribbean-wide dataset of temporally replicated estimates spanning four decades. Both coral cover and architectural complexity have declined rapidly over time, with little evidence of a time-lag. However, annual rates of change in coral cover and complexity do not covary, and levels of complexity vary greatly among reefs with similar coral cover. These findings suggest that the stressors influencing Caribbean reefs are sufficiently severe and widespread to produce similar regional-scale declines in coral cover and reef complexity, even though reef architectural complexity is not a direct function of coral cover at local scales. Given that architectural complexity is not a simple function of coral cover, it is important that conservation monitoring and restoration give due consideration to both architecture and coral cover. This will help ensure that the ecosystem services supported by architectural complexity, such as nutrient recycling, dissipation of wave energy, fish production and diversity, are maintained and enhanced.

Sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) infestations and the productivity of pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) in the Broughton Archipelago, British Columbia, Canada

The spread of salmon lice ( Lepeophtheirus salmonis ) from salmon farms may threaten some wild salmon populations. Infestations of wild juvenile pink salmon ( Oncorhynchus gorbuscha ) have been associated with high mortality and population decline. Using stock–recruit data for pink salmon from the central coast of British Columbia, we analyzed how fishing mortality and spatial covariation combine with louse infestation to affect pink salmon population dynamics. The results indicate substantial coherence in survival at nested spatial scales — large-scale regional covariation and smaller scale covariation within management areas. Populations exposed to salmon farms (those from the Broughton Archipelago) show a sharp decline in productivity during sea lice infestations relative to pre-infestation years. Unexposed populations (comprising four management areas) did not experience a change in productivity during infestation years and had similar productivity to exposed populations before infestations. Our results suggest that sea lice infestations may result in declines of pink salmon populations and that management and policy of salmon farms should consider protecting wild juvenile salmon from exposure to sea lice.

Placing the Effects of Leaf Litter Diversity on Saprotrophic Microorganisms in the Context of Leaf Type and Habitat

Because of conflicting results in previous studies, it is unclear whether litter diversity has a predictable impact on microbial communities or ecosystem processes. We examined whether effects of litter diversity depend on factors that could confound comparisons among previous studies, including leaf type, habitat type, identity of other leaves in the mixture, and spatial covariance at two scales within habitats. We also examined how litter diversity affects the saprotrophic microbial community using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism to profile bacterial and fungal community composition, direct microscopy to quantify bacterial biomass, and ergosterol extraction to quantify fungal biomass. We found that leaf mixture diversity was rarely significant as a main effect (only for fungal biomass), but was often significant as an interaction with leaf type (for ash-free dry mass recovered, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, fungal biomass, and bacterial community composition). Leaf type and habitat were significant as main effects for all response variables. The majority of variance in leaf ash-free dry mass and C/N ratio was explained after accounting for treatment effects and spatial covariation at the meter (block) and centimeter (litterbag) scales. However, a substantial amount of variability in microbial communities was left unexplained and must be driven by factors at other spatial scales or more complex spatiotemporal dynamics. We conclude that litter diversity effects are primarily dependent on leaf type, rather than habitat type or identity of surrounding leaves, which can guide the search for mechanisms underlying effects of litter diversity on ecosystem processes.

Spatial uncoupling of biodegradation, soil respiration, and PAH concentration in a creosote contaminated soil

Hotspots and coldspots of concentration and biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) marginally overlapped at the 0.5–100 m scale in a creosote contaminated soil in southern Sweden, suggesting that concentration and biodegradation had little spatial co-variation. Biodegradation was substantial and its spatial variability considerable and highly irregular, but it had no spatial autocorrelation. The soil concentration of PAHs explained only 20–30% of the variance of their biodegradation. Soil respiration was spatially autocorrelated. The spatial uncoupling between biodegradation and soil respiration seemed to be governed by the aging of PAHs in the soil, since biodegradation of added 13C phenanthrene covaried with both soil respiration and microbial biomass. The latter two were also correlated with high concentrations of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) that are common in gram-negative bacteria. However, several of the hotspots of biodegradation coincided with hotspots for the distribution of a PLFA indicative of fungal biomass.

Modeling high-frequency position data of large herbivores with a phase-state model

Understanding the rules and factors that drive the foraging behavior of large herbivores is important to describe their interaction with the landscape at various spatial scales. Some unresolved questions refer to landscape–behavioral interactions that result in oriented or random search in seasonally changing landscapes. Remotely sensed position data indicate that herbivores select local patches of heterogeneous landscapes depending on a complex host of dynamically varying animal and environmental conditions. Since foraging paths consist in successions of relatively short steps, increasing the frequency at which position information is acquired would contribute to entangle the mechanisms resulting in herbivores’ foraging paths. We addressed the question whether herbivores would obtain information at a patch scale that would modify their distribution at a landscape scale based on directed movement or navigation ability. We considered a set of 100,000 high-frequency (1 min intervals) position data of several free-ranging sheep ( Ovis aries) at a seasonal-varying range (Patagonian Monte, Argentina) and observed their movements at landscape and at single vegetation patch scales. At a landscape scale, we inspected the spatial co-variation of seasonally varying forage offer and ewes’ movement speeds. At a patch scale, we developed a phase-state (P-S) model of movement cycles based on the occurrence of behavioral phases along foraging paths, and fitted it to the observed daily time series of ewes’ movement speeds. Ewes were preferentially distributed in areas with high forage offer during periods of low forage availability and the reverse occurred during the season of high forage availability. Parameters of the model of activity cycles amenable to control by ewes (duration of speed phases, time elapsed between speed cycles) did not covariate with forage offer, but varied significantly among ewes. The shape (kurtosis) parameter of the model of movement cycles, one which is unlikely under ewes’ control, co-varied significantly with spatial forage offer but did not differ among ewes. We conclude that ewes allocated foraging time along a series of similar movement efforts irrespective of forage availability at small patches. Average forage scarcity at multi-patch level increases the ratio of searching to feeding time. This results in apparent selective time allocation to richer forage areas but does not imply evidence for oriented movement at a landscape scale. We advance a behavioral-based definition of forage patches and discuss its implications in developing foraging theory and models. The P-S model applied to high-frequency position data of large herbivores substantially improves the interpretation of the factors controlling their time allocation in space with respect to previous models of herbivore spatial behavior by discriminating among behavioral-based and environmentally induced components of their movements.

On the representativeness of plot size and location for scaling transpiration from trees to a stand

Scaling transpiration from trees to larger areas is a fundamental problem in ecohydrology. For scaling stand transpiration from sap flux sensors we asked if plot representativeness depended on plot size and location, the magnitude of environmental drivers, parameter needs for ecosystem models, and whether the goal was to estimate transpiration per unit ground area (EC), per unit leaf area (EL), or canopy stomatal conductance (GS). Sap flux data were collected in 108 trees with heat dissipation probes, and biometric properties were measured for 752 trees within a 1.44 ha Populus tremuloides stand along an upland‐to‐wetland gradient. EC was estimated for the stand using eight different plot sizes spanning a radius of 2.0–12.0 m. Each estimate of EC was derived from 200 plots placed randomly throughout the stand. We also derived leaf area index (L), canopy closure (PCC), and the canopy average reference stomatal conductance (GSref), which are key parameters used in modeling transpiration and evapotranspiration. With increasing plot size, EC declined monotonically but EL and GSref were largely invariant. Interplot variance of EC also declined with increasing plot size, at a rate that was independent of vapor pressure deficit. Plot representativeness was dependent on location within the stand. Scaling to the stand required three plots spanning the upland to wetland, with one to at most 10 trees instrumented for sap flux. Plots that were chosen to accurately reflect the spatial covariation of L, PCC, and GSref were most representative of the stand.

Kinematic redundancy and variance of eye, head and trunk displacements during large horizontal gaze reorientations in standing humans

Shifting the direction of the line of sight in everyday life often involves rotations not only of the eyes and head but also of the trunk. Here, we investigated covariation patterns of eye-in-orbit, head-on-trunk and trunk-in-space angular horizontal displacements during whole-body rotations to targets of up to 180 degrees eccentricity performed by standing healthy human subjects. The spatial covariation was quantified statistically across various behavioral task conditions (unpredictable, memory driven predictable, visual feedback) and constraints (accuracy) by principal components (PC) analysis. Overall, the combined movement was stereotyped such that the first two PCs accounted for essentially the whole data variance of combined gaze transfers up to about 400 ms, suggesting that the three mechanical degrees of freedom under consideration are reduced to two kinematic degrees of freedom. Moreover, quantification of segment velocity variability across repetitions showed that velocities of eye-in-space and head-in-space (i.e. 'end-point' velocity) were less variable than those of the elemental variables composing them. In contrast, three statistically significant PCs accounted for the covariation of the three segments during presumably vestibularly mediated nystagmic transfers, suggesting control by a separate driving circuit. We conclude that progression of the line of sight is initially stereotypic and fulfills criteria defining a motor synergy.

Cross-taxon congruence and environmental conditions.

BackgroundDiversity patterns of different taxa typically covary in space, a phenomenon called cross-taxon congruence. This pattern has been explained by the effect of one taxon diversity on taxon diversity, shared biogeographic histories of different taxa, and/or common responses to environmental conditions. A meta-analysis of the association between environment and diversity patterns found that in 83 out of 85 studies, more than 60% of the spatial variability in species richness was related to variables representing energy, water or their interaction. The role of the environment determining taxa diversity patterns leads us to hypothesize that this would explain the observed cross-taxon congruence. However, recent analyses reported the persistence of cross-taxon congruence when environmental effect was statistically removed. Here we evaluate this hypothesis, analyzing the cross-taxon congruence between birds and mammals in the Brazilian Cerrado, and assess the environmental role on the spatial covariation in diversity patterns.ResultsWe found a positive association between avian and mammal richness and a positive latitudinal trend for both groups in the Brazilian Cerrado. Regression analyses indicated an effect of latitude, PET, and mean temperature over both biological groups. In addition, we show that NDVI was only associated with avian diversity; while the annual relative humidity, was only correlated with mammal diversity. We determined the environmental effects on diversity in a path analysis that accounted for 73% and 76% of the spatial variation in avian and mammal richness. However, an association between avian and mammal diversity remains significant. Indeed, the importance of this link between bird and mammal diversity was also supported by a significant association between birds and mammal spatial autoregressive model residuals.ConclusionOur study corroborates the main role of environmental conditions on diversity patterns, but suggests that other important mechanisms, which have not been properly evaluated, are involved in the observed cross-taxon congruence. The approaches introduced here indicate that the prevalence of a significant association among taxa, after considering the environmental determinant, could indicate both the need to incorporate additional processes (e.g. biogeographic and evolutionary history or trophic interactions) and/or the existence of a shared trend in detection biases among taxa and regions.

The Role of Spatial Demand on Outlet Location and Pricing

In this article, the authors consider the problem of outlet pricing and location in the context of unobserved spatial demand. The analysis constitutes a scenario in which capacity-constrained firms set prices conditional on their location, demand, and costs. This enables firms to develop maps of latent demand patterns across the market in which they compete. The analysis further suggests locations for additional outlets and the resultant equilibrium effect on profits and prices. Using Bayesian spatial statistics, the authors apply their model to seven years of data on apartment location and prices in Roanoke, Va. They find that spatial covariation in demand is material in outlet choice; the 95% spatial decay in demand extends 3.6 miles in a region that measures slightly more than 9.5 miles. They also find that capacity constraints can cost complexes upward of $100 per apartment. As they predict, price elasticities and costs are biased downward when spatial covariance in demand is ignored. Costs are biased upward when capacity constraints are ignored. Using the analysis to suggest locations for entry, the authors find that properly accounting for spatial effects and capacity constraints leads to an entry recommendation that improves profitability by 66% over a model that ignores these effects.