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Long Time-Scale Recurrences in Ecology: Detecting Relationships Between Climate Dynamics and Biodiversity Along a Latitudinal Gradient

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Recurrence Quantification Analysis

Part of the book series: Understanding Complex Systems ((UCS))

Abstract

Climate is an important driver of ecological dynamics. However, many quantitative methods still ignore the fact that both ecological and climatic dynamics are inherently non-linear. While temporal variability is commonly measured as the standard deviation of the records in a time-series, temporal determinism and predictability can be measured using the approach of Recurrence Plots–Recurrence Quantification Analysis (RP–RQA). In this study, we explore the relationship between climate dynamics and biodiversity of two taxonomic groups (mammal species and tree family richness) over the North- and South-American landmasses. We found that higher biodiversity levels in both taxonomic groups are associated to lower values of climate predictability, determinism and variability in monthly temperature data. Our results also revealed a multiplicity of climate–biodiversity relationships, suggesting that the mechanisms underlying large-scale geographic variations in biodiversity may be more complex that originally envisioned.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Canada Research Chair in Ecological Integrity, Centre de recherche sur les interactions bassins versants-écosystèmes aquatiques, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351 Boul. Des Forges, Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada, G9A 5H7

    Raphaël Proulx

  2. Earth and Environmental Sciences, Geography and Biology, Irving K Barber School of Arts and Sciences, University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus, 3333 University Way, Kelowna, BC, Canada, V1V 1V7

    Lael Parrott

  3. Geomatics and Landscape Ecology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1S 5B6

    Lenore Fahrig

  4. Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie street, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1N 6N5

    David J. Currie

Authors
  1. Raphaël Proulx
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  2. Lael Parrott
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  3. Lenore Fahrig
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  4. David J. Currie
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Raphaël Proulx .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Loyola University, Maywood, Illinois, USA

    Charles L. Webber, Jr.

  2. Transdisciplinary Concepts and Methods, Potsdam Institute for Climate Research Research Domain, Potsdam, Germany

    Norbert Marwan

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Proulx, R., Parrott, L., Fahrig, L., Currie, D.J. (2015). Long Time-Scale Recurrences in Ecology: Detecting Relationships Between Climate Dynamics and Biodiversity Along a Latitudinal Gradient. In: Webber, Jr., C., Marwan, N. (eds) Recurrence Quantification Analysis. Understanding Complex Systems. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07155-8_11

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