A2 Refereed review article in a scientific journal

Latitudinal gradient in the intensity of biotic interactions in terrestrial ecosystems: Sources of variation and differences from the diversity gradient revealed by meta-analysis




AuthorsZvereva Elena L., Kozlov Mikhail V.

PublisherWILEY

Publication year2021

JournalEcology Letters

Journal acronymECOL LETT

Number of pages15

ISSN1461-023X

eISSN1461-0248

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13851

Web address https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ele.13851

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/67192485


Abstract
The Latitudinal Biotic Interaction Hypothesis (LBIH) states that the intensity of biotic interactions increases from high to low latitudes. This hypothesis, which may partly explain latitudinal gradients in biodiversity, remains hotly debated, largely due to variable outcomes of published studies. We used meta-analysis to identify the scope of the LBIH in terrestrial ecosystems. For this purpose, we explored the sources of variation in the strength of latitudinal changes in herbivory, carnivory and parasitism (119 publications) and compared these gradients with gradients in the diversity of the respective groups of animals (102 publications). Overall, both herbivory and carnivory decreased towards the poles, while parasitism increased. The latitudinal gradient in herbivory and carnivory was threefold stronger above 50-60 degrees than at lower latitudes and was significant due to interactions involving ectothermic consumers, studies using standardised prey (i.e. prey lacking local anti-predator adaptations) and studies aimed at testing LBIH. The poleward decrease in biodiversity did not differ between ectothermic and endothermic animals or among climate zones and was fourfold stronger than decrease in herbivory and carnivory. The discovered differences between the gradients in biotic interactions and biodiversity suggest that these two global macroecological patterns are likely shaped by different factors.

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