How Large Is a Species' Geographic Range?

摘要: Many patterns of community structure will not be understood without reference to processes operating at regional and geographical scales (Cornell 1985a, b, Ricklefs 1987, Brown Maurer 1989, Lawton 1990). This realization doubtless has been a prime motivation behind many recent studies in the sizes species geographic ranges, how these interact with such characteristics as local abundances, body trophic habits (Brown 1984, Bowers 1988, Gaston 1990, 1990a, Pagel et al. 1991). It is thus somewhat curious find that few explicitly state what they believe size range, measured by whatever method, actually represents. situation made more troublesome because different seem measuring things. Thus, whilst Reaka (1980) quantifies ranges terms numbers degrees latitude longitude over which have recorded, regards 50 X 5? quadrats were recorded measure another aspect their distribution, Schoener (1987) Ford (1990) use occupied range size. paper examines some ways could measured, measures mean, relate one another.