Assessing the Relative Role of Environmental Factors That Limit the Distribution of the Yucatan Rattlesnake (Crotalus tzabcan)
Por:
Yanez-Arenas, Carlos, Castano-Quintero, Sandra, Rioja-Nieto, Rodolfo, Rodriguez-Medina, Karla, Chiappa-Carrara, Xavier
Publicada:
1 jun 2020
Resumen:
We modeled the ecological niche of the Yucatan Rattlesnake (Crotalus
tzabcan ) to map its environmental suitability, estimate its potential
distribution, and identify the environmental factors that limit its
geographic range within the Yucatan Peninsula (YP). Niche models were
built to evaluate, separately and together, the ability of different
sets of environmental predictors to explain the distribution of this
species. The relative contribution percentage from each variable was
calculated from the models with better predictive ability. Response
curves were also constructed to observe the influence of predictors on
the estimated environmental suitability for C. tzabcan. According to our
niche models, even though the distribution of this species covers a
large part of the YP, the northwest portion is likely the most
environmentally suitable region. By contrast, populations from the north
of Guatemala and Belize (south of the YP) are placed within the limits
of the species' niche, and the environmental conditions toward the base
of the peninsula are not suitable for this species. Precipitation was
consistently the most important factor to explain the distribution of C.
tzabcan. Although unlikely to directly affect the physiology of C.
tzabcan, precipitation affects other factors (e.g., predator, prey, and
competitor densities; undergrowth coverage; and relative humidity) that
influence survival. Our study contributes new and detailed knowledge of
the distribution ecology of a species that was once the most culturally
valued in the YP.
Filiaciones:
Yanez-Arenas, Carlos:
UNAM, Lab Ecol Geog, Unidad Biol Conservac, UMDI Sisal Fac Ciencias, Parque Cient & Tecnol Yucatan,Km 5, Chuburna 97302, Yucatan, Mexico
Castano-Quintero, Sandra:
UNAM, Lab Ecol Geog, Unidad Biol Conservac, UMDI Sisal Fac Ciencias, Parque Cient & Tecnol Yucatan,Km 5, Chuburna 97302, Yucatan, Mexico
Rioja-Nieto, Rodolfo:
UNAM, Lab Anal Espacial Zones Costeras, UMDI Sisal Fac Ciencias, Km 5, Chuburna 97302, Yucatan, Mexico
Rodriguez-Medina, Karla:
IPN, CINVESTAV, Dept Recursos Mar, Unidad Merida, Carirtera Antigua Progreso Km 6, Merida 97310, Yucatan, Mexico
Chiappa-Carrara, Xavier:
UNAM, Lab Ecol Geog, Unidad Biol Conservac, UMDI Sisal Fac Ciencias, Parque Cient & Tecnol Yucatan,Km 5, Chuburna 97302, Yucatan, Mexico
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