Understanding co-occurrence by modelling species simultaneously with a Joint Species Distribution Model (JSDM)

摘要: Summary A primary goal of ecology is to understand the fundamental processes underlying geographic distributions species. Two major strands – habitat modelling and community approach this problem differently. Habitat modellers often use species distribution models (SDMs) quantify relationship between species’ their environments without considering potential biotic interactions. Community ecologists, on other hand, tend focus interactions and, in observational studies, co-occurrence patterns identify ecological processes. Here, we describe a joint model (JSDM) that integrates these distinct approaches by incorporating data into SDM. JSDMs estimate multiple simultaneously allow decomposition components describing shared environmental responses residual co-occurrence. We provide general description model, tutorial code for fitting R. demonstrate using two case studies: frogs eucalypt trees Victoria, Australia. Overall, correlations were stronger than both eucalypts, but there cases strong correlation. Frog generally had positive correlations, possibly due fact occurred similar habitats not fully described variables included JSDM. Eucalypt interbreed negative One explanation interbreeding may form stable assemblages despite having affinities. Environmental estimated from JSDMs can help indicate whether driven or evolutionary process (e.g. interactions), if important predictor are missing. take account might be related each thus overcome limitation independently.