An environmental gradient, or climate gradient, is a change in abiotic (non-living) factors through space (or time). Environmental gradients can be related to factors such as altitude, depth, temperature, soil humidity and precipitation. Often times, a multitude of biotic (living) factors are closely related to these gradients; as a result of a change in an environmental gradient, factors such as species abundance, population density, morphology, primary productivity, predation, and local adaptation may be impacted.[1]
Variations in average annual precipitation across a defined range (here, Africa) can constitute an environmental gradient.
The species distribution along environmental gradients has been studied intensively due to large databases of species presence data (e.g. GBIF). The abiotic factors that environmental gradients consist of can have a direct ramifications on organismal survival. Generally, organismal distribution is tied to those abiotic factors, but even an environmental gradient of one abiotic factor yields insight into how a species distribution might look. For example, aspects of the landscape such as soil composition, temperature, and precipitation all factor in to an accurate idea of habitable territory a plant species might occupy; information on one of those factors can help form an environmental gradient by which a proximate species distribution may be generated.[2] Similarly, along the upstream-downstream gradient of a river, fish assemblages (groupings) can vary in species and trait diversity; upstream habitats, which tend to be at higher elevations, have been observed to develop greater species and trait diversity. With elevated regions most intensely feeling the effects of climate change and these effects being linked to increased species diversity in impacted regions, this is a key consideration in prioritizing habitats for conservation efforts.[3] At an ecotone, species abundances change relatively quickly compared to the environmental gradient.
Biotic interactions
Although environmental gradients are comprised gradually changing and predictable patterns of an abiotic factor, there is strong interplay between both biotic-biotic factors as well as biotic-abiotic factors. For example, species abundance usually changez along environmental gradients in a more or less predictable way. However, the species abundance along an environmental gradient is not only determined by the abiotic factor associated with the gradient but, also by the change in the biotic interactions, like competition and predation, along the environmental gradient.[4][5]
Local adaptation along environmental gradients
Depending on the size of the landscape and the gene flow between populations, local adaptation could arise between populations inhabiting two extremes of the landscape. The opposing extremes in abiotic conditions that are faced between populations and the lack of homogenizing gene flow could present conditions where two populations are able to differentiate.[6] Often times when comparing fitness or phenotypic values across an environmental gradient, the data are fixated into a reaction norm framework. In this way, an individual can directly assess the changes across a landscape of a particular species' phenotype or compare fitness and phenotypes of populations within a species across environmental gradients (particularly when performing reciprocal transplant studies).
Impact of climate change
Current[when?] models predict that as climate change intensifies, certain environmental gradients may experience the effects as changing rates of natural processes or impacts on distribution and characteristics of species within them.[7][8][9] Given the interconnectedness of abiotic factors, long-term disturbances of one gradient have the possibility of affecting other gradients.
Soil characteristics
Soil respiration, the process of soil naturally releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, acts as an example of this. In areas where soil moisture is not limiting (with moisture being a key part of the respiration process), soil respiration increases with rising temperatures; thus, respiration patterns form the gradient, and higher emissions are observed in warmer ecosystems. Similarly, rate of precipitation has a positive correlation with respiration (as moisture no longer becomes a limiting factor). Thus, it not only is its own gradient (average precipitation across a range), but also connects with the respiration gradient and impacts it.[10]
Altitude
Altitude gradients are a key consideration in understanding migration patterns due to the effects of global warming. As temperatures increase, trees adapted to warmer climates will migrate uphill for access to sunlight, and thus populations of temperate or cold-adapted trees and the habitats suitable for them will shrink.[11]
Environmental gradients in society
The distribution of radiation traveling outward from the site of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster formed a man-made environmental gradient on the Honshu island of Japan.
Environmental gradients are not limited to naturally occurring variations in environmental factors across a range; they have also been created by human activity and industrialization. Air pollution is present as an environmental gradient in areas containing power plants, factories, and other pollutant-emitting facilities, as are environmental toxins, such as heavy metals, radiation, and pesticides; generally speaking, concentration decreases as distance from origin site increases.[12][13][14] Differences in exposure to these elements across populations due to proximity to the origin site has become a major concern of environmental and public health activists, who cite health disparities linked to these gradients as an environmental justice concern.[15][16]
^Floret, C.; Galan, M. J.; LeFloc'h, E.; Orshan, G.; Romane, F. (1990). "Growth forms and phenomorphology traits along an environmental gradient: tools for studying vegetation?". Journal of Vegetation Science. 1 (1): 71–80. doi:10.2307/3236055. ISSN 1654-1103. JSTOR 3236055.
^Kirkman, L. K.; Mitchell, R. J.; Helton, R. C.; Drew, M. B. (November 2001). "Productivity and species richness across an environmental gradient in a fire-dependent ecosystem". American Journal of Botany. 88 (11): 2119–2128. doi:10.2307/3558437. ISSN 0002-9122. JSTOR 3558437. PMID 21669643.
^Buisson, Laëtitia; Grenouillet, Gaël (2009). "Contrasted impacts of climate change on stream fish assemblages along an environmental gradient". Diversity and Distributions. 15 (4): 613–626. doi:10.1111/j.1472-4642.2009.00565.x. S2CID 86026682.
^Rydgren, Knut; Økland, Rune Halvorsen; Økland, Tonje (2003). "Species response curves along environmental gradients. A case study from SE Norwegian swamp forests". Journal of Vegetation Science. 14 (6): 869–880. doi:10.1111/j.1654-1103.2003.tb02220.x. ISSN 1654-1103.
^Werner, Earl E.; McPeek, Mark A. (1994). "Direct and Indirect Effects of Predators on Two Anuran Species along an Environmental Gradient". Ecology. 75 (5): 1368–1382. doi:10.2307/1937461. ISSN 0012-9658. JSTOR 1937461.
^Hereford, Joe; Winn, Alice A. (2008). "Limits to local adaptation in six populations of the annual plant Diodia teres". The New Phytologist. 178 (4): 888–896. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02405.x. ISSN 1469-8137. PMID 18384510.
^Pardi, Melissa I.; Graham, Russell W. (2019). "Changes in small mammal communities throughout the late Quaternary across eastern environmental gradients of the United States". Quaternary International. 530–531: 80–87. Bibcode:2019QuInt.530...80P. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2018.05.041. S2CID 134434800.
^Wehn, Sølvi; Lundemo, Sverre; Holten, Jarle I. (2014). "Alpine vegetation along multiple environmental gradients and possible consequences of climate change". Alpine Botany. 124 (2): 155–164. doi:10.1007/s00035-014-0136-9. ISSN 1664-2201. S2CID 16764321.
^Henry, P.; Russello, M. A. (2013). "Adaptive divergence along environmental gradients in a climate‐change‐sensitive mammal". Ecology and Evolution. 3 (11): 3906–3917. doi:10.1002/ece3.776. ISSN 2045-7758. PMC3810883. PMID 24198948.
^Reynolds, Lorien L.; Johnson, Bart R.; Pfeifer‐Meister, Laurel; Bridgham, Scott D. (2015). "Soil respiration response to climate change in Pacific Northwest prairies is mediated by a regional Mediterranean climate gradient". Global Change Biology. 21 (1): 487–500. Bibcode:2015GCBio..21..487R. doi:10.1111/gcb.12732. ISSN 1354-1013. PMID 25205511. S2CID 205142081.
^Ruiz-Labourdette, Diego; Nogués-Bravo, David; Ollero, Helios Sáinz; Schmitz, María F.; Pineda, Francisco D. (2012). "Forest composition in Mediterranean mountains is projected to shift along the entire elevational gradient under climate change: Forest dynamics under climate change". Journal of Biogeography. 39 (1): 162–176. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2011.02592.x. S2CID 82037043.
^Tsai, Wen-Tien (2005). "An overview of environmental hazards and exposure risk of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)". Chemosphere. 61 (11): 1539–1547. Bibcode:2005Chmsp..61.1539T. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2005.03.084. PMID 15936055.
^Ameh, Thelma; Sayes, Christie M. (2019). "The potential exposure and hazards of copper nanoparticles: A review". Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology. 71: 103220. doi:10.1016/j.etap.2019.103220. PMID 31306862. S2CID 196810894.
^Evans, Gary W.; Kantrowitz, Elyse (2002). "Socioeconomic Status and Health: The Potential Role of Environmental Risk Exposure". Annual Review of Public Health. 23 (1): 303–331. doi:10.1146/annurev.publhealth.23.112001.112349. ISSN 0163-7525. PMID 11910065.
^Lauriola, Paolo; Crabbe, Helen; Behbod, Behrooz; Yip, Fuyuen; Medina, Sylvia; Semenza, Jan C.; Vardoulakis, Sotiris; Kass, Dan; Zeka, Ariana; Khonelidze, Irma; Ashworth, Matthew (2020-03-17). "Advancing Global Health through Environmental and Public Health Tracking". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 17 (6): 1976. doi:10.3390/ijerph17061976. ISSN 1660-4601. PMC7142667. PMID 32192215.
August 18, 2023
environmental, gradient, environmental, gradient, climate, gradient, change, abiotic, living, factors, through, space, time, related, factors, such, altitude, depth, temperature, soil, humidity, precipitation, often, times, multitude, biotic, living, factors, . An environmental gradient or climate gradient is a change in abiotic non living factors through space or time Environmental gradients can be related to factors such as altitude depth temperature soil humidity and precipitation Often times a multitude of biotic living factors are closely related to these gradients as a result of a change in an environmental gradient factors such as species abundance population density morphology primary productivity predation and local adaptation may be impacted 1 Variations in average annual precipitation across a defined range here Africa can constitute an environmental gradient Contents 1 Abiotic influence 2 Biotic interactions 3 Local adaptation along environmental gradients 4 Impact of climate change 4 1 Soil characteristics 4 2 Altitude 5 Environmental gradients in society 6 See also 6 1 ReferencesAbiotic influence EditThe species distribution along environmental gradients has been studied intensively due to large databases of species presence data e g GBIF The abiotic factors that environmental gradients consist of can have a direct ramifications on organismal survival Generally organismal distribution is tied to those abiotic factors but even an environmental gradient of one abiotic factor yields insight into how a species distribution might look For example aspects of the landscape such as soil composition temperature and precipitation all factor in to an accurate idea of habitable territory a plant species might occupy information on one of those factors can help form an environmental gradient by which a proximate species distribution may be generated 2 Similarly along the upstream downstream gradient of a river fish assemblages groupings can vary in species and trait diversity upstream habitats which tend to be at higher elevations have been observed to develop greater species and trait diversity With elevated regions most intensely feeling the effects of climate change and these effects being linked to increased species diversity in impacted regions this is a key consideration in prioritizing habitats for conservation efforts 3 At an ecotone species abundances change relatively quickly compared to the environmental gradient Biotic interactions EditAlthough environmental gradients are comprised gradually changing and predictable patterns of an abiotic factor there is strong interplay between both biotic biotic factors as well as biotic abiotic factors For example species abundance usually changez along environmental gradients in a more or less predictable way However the species abundance along an environmental gradient is not only determined by the abiotic factor associated with the gradient but also by the change in the biotic interactions like competition and predation along the environmental gradient 4 5 Local adaptation along environmental gradients EditDepending on the size of the landscape and the gene flow between populations local adaptation could arise between populations inhabiting two extremes of the landscape The opposing extremes in abiotic conditions that are faced between populations and the lack of homogenizing gene flow could present conditions where two populations are able to differentiate 6 Often times when comparing fitness or phenotypic values across an environmental gradient the data are fixated into a reaction norm framework In this way an individual can directly assess the changes across a landscape of a particular species phenotype or compare fitness and phenotypes of populations within a species across environmental gradients particularly when performing reciprocal transplant studies Impact of climate change EditCurrent when models predict that as climate change intensifies certain environmental gradients may experience the effects as changing rates of natural processes or impacts on distribution and characteristics of species within them 7 8 9 Given the interconnectedness of abiotic factors long term disturbances of one gradient have the possibility of affecting other gradients Soil characteristics Edit Soil respiration the process of soil naturally releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere acts as an example of this In areas where soil moisture is not limiting with moisture being a key part of the respiration process soil respiration increases with rising temperatures thus respiration patterns form the gradient and higher emissions are observed in warmer ecosystems Similarly rate of precipitation has a positive correlation with respiration as moisture no longer becomes a limiting factor Thus it not only is its own gradient average precipitation across a range but also connects with the respiration gradient and impacts it 10 Altitude Edit Altitude gradients are a key consideration in understanding migration patterns due to the effects of global warming As temperatures increase trees adapted to warmer climates will migrate uphill for access to sunlight and thus populations of temperate or cold adapted trees and the habitats suitable for them will shrink 11 Environmental gradients in society Edit The distribution of radiation traveling outward from the site of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster formed a man made environmental gradient on the Honshu island of Japan Environmental gradients are not limited to naturally occurring variations in environmental factors across a range they have also been created by human activity and industrialization Air pollution is present as an environmental gradient in areas containing power plants factories and other pollutant emitting facilities as are environmental toxins such as heavy metals radiation and pesticides generally speaking concentration decreases as distance from origin site increases 12 13 14 Differences in exposure to these elements across populations due to proximity to the origin site has become a major concern of environmental and public health activists who cite health disparities linked to these gradients as an environmental justice concern 15 16 See also EditBiome Cline Gradient analysis Thermocline River restoration Huisman Olff Fresco models Intergrades Peppered MothsReferences Edit Floret C Galan M J LeFloc h E Orshan G Romane F 1990 Growth forms and phenomorphology traits along an environmental gradient tools for studying vegetation Journal of Vegetation Science 1 1 71 80 doi 10 2307 3236055 ISSN 1654 1103 JSTOR 3236055 Kirkman L K Mitchell R J Helton R C Drew M B November 2001 Productivity and species richness across an environmental gradient in a fire dependent ecosystem American Journal of Botany 88 11 2119 2128 doi 10 2307 3558437 ISSN 0002 9122 JSTOR 3558437 PMID 21669643 Buisson Laetitia Grenouillet Gael 2009 Contrasted impacts of climate change on stream fish assemblages along an environmental gradient Diversity and Distributions 15 4 613 626 doi 10 1111 j 1472 4642 2009 00565 x S2CID 86026682 Rydgren Knut Okland Rune Halvorsen Okland Tonje 2003 Species response curves along environmental gradients A case study from SE Norwegian swamp forests Journal of Vegetation Science 14 6 869 880 doi 10 1111 j 1654 1103 2003 tb02220 x ISSN 1654 1103 Werner Earl E McPeek Mark A 1994 Direct and Indirect Effects of Predators on Two Anuran Species along an Environmental Gradient Ecology 75 5 1368 1382 doi 10 2307 1937461 ISSN 0012 9658 JSTOR 1937461 Hereford Joe Winn Alice A 2008 Limits to local adaptation in six populations of the annual plant Diodia teres The New Phytologist 178 4 888 896 doi 10 1111 j 1469 8137 2008 02405 x ISSN 1469 8137 PMID 18384510 Pardi Melissa I Graham Russell W 2019 Changes in small mammal communities throughout the late Quaternary across eastern environmental gradients of the United States Quaternary International 530 531 80 87 Bibcode 2019QuInt 530 80P doi 10 1016 j quaint 2018 05 041 S2CID 134434800 Wehn Solvi Lundemo Sverre Holten Jarle I 2014 Alpine vegetation along multiple environmental gradients and possible consequences of climate change Alpine Botany 124 2 155 164 doi 10 1007 s00035 014 0136 9 ISSN 1664 2201 S2CID 16764321 Henry P Russello M A 2013 Adaptive divergence along environmental gradients in a climate change sensitive mammal Ecology and Evolution 3 11 3906 3917 doi 10 1002 ece3 776 ISSN 2045 7758 PMC 3810883 PMID 24198948 Reynolds Lorien L Johnson Bart R Pfeifer Meister Laurel Bridgham Scott D 2015 Soil respiration response to climate change in Pacific Northwest prairies is mediated by a regional Mediterranean climate gradient Global Change Biology 21 1 487 500 Bibcode 2015GCBio 21 487R doi 10 1111 gcb 12732 ISSN 1354 1013 PMID 25205511 S2CID 205142081 Ruiz Labourdette Diego Nogues Bravo David Ollero Helios Sainz Schmitz Maria F Pineda Francisco D 2012 Forest composition in Mediterranean mountains is projected to shift along the entire elevational gradient under climate change Forest dynamics under climate change Journal of Biogeography 39 1 162 176 doi 10 1111 j 1365 2699 2011 02592 x S2CID 82037043 Semenova Yuliya Pivina Lyudmila Zhunussov Yersin Zhanaspayev Marat Chirumbolo Salvatore Muzdubayeva Zhanna Bjorklund Geir 2020 Radiation related health hazards to uranium miners Environmental Science and Pollution Research 27 28 34808 34822 doi 10 1007 s11356 020 09590 7 ISSN 0944 1344 PMID 32638305 S2CID 220398252 Tsai Wen Tien 2005 An overview of environmental hazards and exposure risk of hydrofluorocarbons HFCs Chemosphere 61 11 1539 1547 Bibcode 2005Chmsp 61 1539T doi 10 1016 j chemosphere 2005 03 084 PMID 15936055 Ameh Thelma Sayes Christie M 2019 The potential exposure and hazards of copper nanoparticles A review Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology 71 103220 doi 10 1016 j etap 2019 103220 PMID 31306862 S2CID 196810894 Evans Gary W Kantrowitz Elyse 2002 Socioeconomic Status and Health The Potential Role of Environmental Risk Exposure Annual Review of Public Health 23 1 303 331 doi 10 1146 annurev publhealth 23 112001 112349 ISSN 0163 7525 PMID 11910065 Lauriola Paolo Crabbe Helen Behbod Behrooz Yip Fuyuen Medina Sylvia Semenza Jan C Vardoulakis Sotiris Kass Dan Zeka Ariana Khonelidze Irma Ashworth Matthew 2020 03 17 Advancing Global Health through Environmental and Public Health Tracking International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17 6 1976 doi 10 3390 ijerph17061976 ISSN 1660 4601 PMC 7142667 PMID 32192215 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Environmental gradient amp oldid 1170216080, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
