The mid-domain effect and species richness patterns:what have we learned so far?

摘要: Abstract: If species' ranges are randomly shuffled within a bounded geographical domain free of environmental gradients, overlap increasingly toward the center domain, creating “mid‐domain” peak species richness. This “mid‐domain effect” (MDE) has been controversial both in concept and application. Empirical studies assess degree to which evolutionary, ecological, historical processes that undeniably act on individual clades produce patterns resemble those produced by MDE models. models resample empirical range size frequency distributions (RSFDs) balance risk underestimating overestimating role MDE, whereas theoretical RSFDs generally biased MDE. We discuss inclusion nonendemic models, rationales for setting limits, validity one‐ two‐dimensional though null not hypotheses be simplistically rejected or ...