Do Hypervolumes Have Holes?
Do Hypervolumes Have Holes?
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DOI：
10.1086/685444
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发表时间：
2016-04-01
影响因子：
2.9
通讯作者：
Blonder, Benjamin
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Blonder, Benjamin
超体积被广泛用于概念化物种和群落的生态位和性状分布。一些超体积预期是凸的，其边界仅由上限和下限定义（例如，基本小生境），而其它小生境被期望为最大的，具有由可用空间的限制限定的边界（例如，潜在的小生境）。然而，观察到的超体积（例如，已实现的生态位）也可能有洞，被定义为未被占用的超空间，表示与这些期望的偏差，这可能表明未考虑的生态或进化过程。迄今为止，在两个以上的维度上检测孔是不可能的。我开发了一种数学方法，在超体积R包中实现，以推断大型和高维数据集中的漏洞。作为一个示范分析，我评估的证据空缺壁龛在加拉帕戈斯雀社区伊萨贝拉岛。这些数学概念和软件工具检测孔提供了解决当代研究问题的方法，跨生态学和进化生物学。
Hypervolumes are used widely to conceptualize niches and trait distributions for both species and communities. Some hypervolumes are expected to be convex, with boundaries defined by only upper and lower limits (e.g., fundamental niches), while others are expected to be maximal, with boundaries defined by the limits of available space (e.g., potential niches). However, observed hypervolumes (e.g., realized niches) could also have holes, defined as unoccupied hyperspace representing deviations from these expectations that may indicate unconsidered ecological or evolutionary processes. Detecting holes in more than two dimensions has to date not been possible. I develop a mathematical approach, implemented in the hypervolume R package, to infer holes in large and high-dimensional data sets. As a demonstration analysis, I assess evidence for vacant niches in a Galapagos finch community on Isabela Island. These mathematical concepts and software tools for detecting holes provide approaches for addressing contemporary research questions across ecology and evolutionary biology.