Luis Mauricio Bini

Publications of Luis Mauricio Bini

• Exploring patterns of interspecific variation in quantitative traits using sequential phylogenetic eigenvector regressions.

  Authors: José Alexandre Felizola Diniz Filho, Thiago F Rangel, Thiago Santos, Luis Mauricio Bini

  Evolution; international journal of organic evolution. 04/2012; 66(4):1079-90.

  A number of metrics have been developed for estimating phylogenetic signal in data and to evaluate correlated evolution, inferring broad-scale evolutionary and ecological processes. Here, we proposedA number of metrics have been developed for estimating phylogenetic signal in data and to evaluate correlated evolution, inferring broad-scale evolutionary and ecological processes. Here, we proposed an approach called phylogenetic signal-representation (PSR) curve, built upon phylogenetic eigenvector regression (PVR). In PVR, selected eigenvectors extracted from a phylogenetic distance matrix are used to model interspecific variation. In the PSR curve, sequential PVR models are fitted after successively increasing the number of eigenvectors and plotting their R(2) against the accumulated eigenvalues. We used simulations to show that a linear PSR curve is expected under Brownian motion and that its shape changes under alternative evolutionary models. The PSR area, expressing deviations from Brownian motion, is strongly correlated (r= 0.873; P < 0.01) with Blomberg's K-statistics, so nonlinear PSR curves reveal if traits are evolving at a slower or higher rate than expected by Brownian motion. The PSR area is also correlated with phylogenetic half-life under an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process, suggesting how both methods describe the shape of the relationship between interspecific variation and time since divergence among species. The PSR curve provides an elegant exploratory method to understand deviations from Brownian motion, in terms of acceleration or deceleration of evolutionary rates occurring at large or small phylogenetic distances.

• Common and rare species respond to similar niche processes in macroinvertebrate metacommunities

  Authors: Tadeu Siqueira, Luis Mauricio Bini, Fabio Oliveira Roque, Sheyla Regina Marques Couceiro, Susana Trivinho-Strixino, Karl Cottenie

  Ecography. 07/2011;

• Ice age climate, evolutionary constraints and diversity patterns of European dung beetles.

  Authors: Joaquín Hortal, José Alexandre F Diniz-Filho, Luis Mauricio Bini, Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, Andrés Baselga, David Nogués-Bravo, Thiago Fernando Rangel, Bradford A Hawkins, Jorge M Lobo

  Ecology letters. 06/2011; 14(8):741-8.

  Current climate and Pleistocene climatic changes are both known to be associated with geographical patterns of diversity. We assess their associations with the European Scarabaeinae dung beetles, aCurrent climate and Pleistocene climatic changes are both known to be associated with geographical patterns of diversity. We assess their associations with the European Scarabaeinae dung beetles, a group with high dispersal ability and well-known adaptations to warm environments. By assessing spatial stationarity in climate variability since the last glacial maximum (LGM), we find that current scarab richness is related to the location of their limits of thermal tolerance during the LGM. These limits mark a strong change in their current species richness-environment relationships. Furthermore, northern scarab assemblages are nested and composed of a phylogenetically clustered subset of large-range sized generalist species, whereas southern ones are diverse and variable in composition. Our results show that species responses to current climate are limited by the evolution of assemblages that occupied relatively climatically stable areas during the Pleistocene, and by post-glacial dispersal in those that were strongly affected by glaciations.

• Weak evidence for determinants of citation frequency in ecological articles

  Authors: André Andrian Padial, João Carlos Nabout, Tadeu Siqueira, Luis Mauricio Bini, José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho

  Scientometrics. 05/2010; 85:1-12.

• The climate envelope may not be empty.

  Authors: A Townsend Peterson, Narayani Barve, Luis Mauricio Bini, José Alexandre Diniz-Filho, Alberto Jiménez-Valverde, Andrés Lira-Noriega, Jorge Lobo, Sean Maher, Paulo De Marco, Enrique Martínez-Meyer, Yoshinori Nakazawa, Jorge Soberón

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 05/2009;

• Spatial analysis improves species distribution modelling during range expansion.

  Authors: Paulo De Marco, José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Luis Mauricio Bini

  Biology letters. 11/2008; 4(5):577-80.

  Species distribution models (SDMs) assume equilibrium between species' distribution and the environment. However, this assumption can be violated under restricted dispersal and spatiallySpecies distribution models (SDMs) assume equilibrium between species' distribution and the environment. However, this assumption can be violated under restricted dispersal and spatially autocorrelated environmental conditions. Here we used a model to simulate species' ranges expansion under two non-equilibrium scenarios, evaluating the performance of SDM coupled with spatial eigenvector mapping. The highest fit is for the models that include space, although the relative importance of spatial variables during the range expansion differs in the two scenarios. Incorporating space to the models was important only under colonization-lag non-equilibrium, under the expected scenario. Thus, mechanisms that generate range cohesion and determine species' distribution under climate changes can be captured by spatial modelling, with advantages compared with other techniques and in line with recent claims that SDMs have to account for more complex dynamic scenarios.

• Riqueza de espécies de emberizídeos e conflitos iqueza de conservação no Cerrado brasileiro = Emberizidae species richness and conservation conflicts in the Brazilian Cerrado

  Authors: Bruno de Souza Barreto, Guilherme de Oliveira, Miriam Plaza Pinto, Luis Mauricio Bini, José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Blamires Daniel

  Acta Scientiarum : Biological Sciences. 01/2008;

  Diferentes variáveis têm sido utilizadas para indicar conflitos entre interesses socioeconômicos e conservação da biodiversidade. Neste contexto, esforços para amenizar a crescente perda deDiferentes variáveis têm sido utilizadas para indicar conflitos entre interesses socioeconômicos e conservação da biodiversidade. Neste contexto, esforços para amenizar a crescente perda de diversidade estão sendo baseados nas análises dos conflitos entre conservação e desenvolvimento humano, uma vez que existem, cada vez mais, evidências de que as áreas de maior importância para a conservação podem também apresentar elevadas densidades populacionais humanas. Contudo, para o Cerrado, isso pode não ser verdade em decorrência dos avanços tecnológicos associados à ocupação humana. Assim, o objetivodeste trabalho foi verificar se a densidade populacional humana (H) revela conflitos de conservação no Cerrado. Utilizou-se, como medida de biodiversidade, a riqueza de espécies de emberizídeos (aves: Passeriformes), divida em três grupos distintos, de acordo com aextensão de ocorrência das espécies e variáveis ligadas ao modo de ocupação do bioma. Verificou-se, por meio de regressões múltiplas, que a densidade humana não foi o melhor indicador de conflitos de conservação. Índices ligados à agricultura moderna e à pecuáriaforam melhores indicadores para os três grupos de espécies. Deste modo, a partir da riqueza de emberizídeos, a utilização de H, em modelos de seleção de unidades de conservação pode ser equivocada. Para o Cerrado, variáveis ligadas à agricultura moderna e à pecuária devem ser consideradas durante o planejamento sistemático de conservação. Several variables have been used to indicate conflicts betweensocioeconomic interests and biodiversity conservation. Thus, efforts to minimize biodiversity losses are being based on the analysis of such conflicts, since there is more and more evidence that important sites to conservation could support high population densitiesand their impacts. However, in the Cerrado this might not be true due to the technological progress associated with human settlement. Consequently, the aim of this paper was to verify whether human population density (H) revealed conservation conflicts in theCerrado. Through multiple regressions of Emberizidae richness (spilt into three groups according to their occurrence) as a biodiversity index and land-use variables, we verified that human population density was not the best indicator of conservation conflicts. Modernagriculture and cattle ranching indexes were the best indicators for the three Emeberizidae groups. Thus, the use of H as model selection to designate conservation units can be a mistake for Emberizidae species richness. In the Cerrado region, variables linked to modernagriculture and cattle ranching should be taken into account during systematic conservation planning.

• Metabolic theory and diversity gradients: where do we go from here?

  Authors: Bradford A Hawkins, José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Luis Mauricio Bini, Miguel B Araújo, Richard Field, Joaquin Hortal, Jeremy T Kerr, Carsten Rahbek, Miguel A Rodríguez, Nathan J Sanders

  Ecology. 09/2007; 88(8):1898-902.

• A global evaluation of metabolic theory as an explanation for terrestrial species richness gradients.

  Authors: Bradford A Hawkins, Fabio S. Albuquerque, Miguel B. Araujo, Jan Beck, Luis Mauricio Bini, Francisco J. Cabrero Sañudo, Isabel Castro-Parga, José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Dolores Ferrer-Castan, Richard Field [......] Jorge M. Lobo, Daniel Montoya, Juan Carlos Moreno, Miguel A Olalla-Tárraga, Juli G. Pausas, Hong Qian, Carsten Rahbek, Miguel A Rodríguez, Nathan J Sanders, Paul Williams

  Ecology. 09/2007; 88(8):1877-88.

  We compiled 46 broadscale data sets of species richness for a wide range of terrestrial plant, invertebrate, and ectothermic vertebrate groups in all parts of the world to test the ability ofWe compiled 46 broadscale data sets of species richness for a wide range of terrestrial plant, invertebrate, and ectothermic vertebrate groups in all parts of the world to test the ability of metabolic theory to account for observed diversity gradients. The theory makes two related predictions: (1) In-transformed richness is linearly associated with a linear, inverse transformation of annual temperature, and (2) the slope of the relationship is near -0.65. Of the 46 data sets, 14 had no significant relationship; of the remaining 32, nine were linear, meeting prediction 1. Model I (ordinary least squares, OLS) and model II (reduced major axis, RMA) regressions then tested the linear slopes against prediction 2. In the 23 data sets having nonlinear relationships between richness and temperature, split-line regression divided the data into linear components, and regressions were done on each component to test prediction 2 for subsets of the data. Of the 46 data sets analyzed in their entirety using OLS regression, one was consistent with metabolic theory (meeting both predictions), and one was possibly consistent. Using RMA regression, no data sets were consistent. Of 67 analyses of prediction 2 using OLS regression on all linear data sets and subsets, two were consistent with the prediction, and four were possibly consistent. Using RMA regression, one was consistent (albeit weakly), and four were possibly consistent. We also found that the relationship between richness and temperature is both taxonomically and geographically conditional, and there is no evidence for a universal response of diversity to temperature. Meta-analyses confirmed significant heterogeneity in slopes among data sets, and the combined slopes across studies were significantly lower than the range of slopes predicted by metabolic theory based on both OLS and RMA regressions. We conclude that metabolic theory, as currently formulated, is a poor predictor of observed diversity gradients in most terrestrial systems.

• Macroevolutionary dynamics in environmental space and the latitudinal diversity gradient in New World birds.

  Authors: José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Thiago Fernando L V B Rangel, Luis Mauricio Bini, Bradford A Hawkins

  Proceedings. Biological sciences / The Royal Society. 02/2007; 274(1606):43-52.

  Correlations between species richness and climate suggest non-random occupation of environmental space and niche evolution through time. However, the evolutionary mechanisms involved remainCorrelations between species richness and climate suggest non-random occupation of environmental space and niche evolution through time. However, the evolutionary mechanisms involved remain unresolved. Here, we partition the occupation of environmental space into intra- and inter-clade components to differentiate a model based on pure conservation of ancestral niches with higher diversification rates in the tropics, and an adaptive radiation model based on shifts in adaptive peaks at the family level allowing occupation of temperate regions. We examined these mechanisms using within- and among-family skewness components based on centroids of 3560 New World bird species across four environmental variables. We found that the accumulation of species in the tropics is a result of both processes. The components of adaptive radiation have family level skewness of species' distributions strongly structured in space, but not phylogenetically, according to the integrated analyses of spatial filters and phylogenetic eigenvectors. Moreover, stronger radiation components were found for energy variables, which are often used to argue for direct climatic effects on diversity. Thus, the correspondence between diversity and climate may be due to the conservation of ancestral tropical niches coupled with repeated broad shifts in adaptive peaks during birds' evolutionary history more than by higher diversification rates driven by more energy in the tropics.

• Red herrings revisited: spatial autocorrelation and parameter estimation in geographical ecology

  Authors: Bradford A. Hawkins, Jose Alexandre F. Diniz-Filho, Luis Mauricio Bini, Paulo De Marco, Tim M. Blackburn

  01/2007; 30:375-384.

  There have been numerous claims in the ecological literature that spatial autocorrelation in the residuals of ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models results in shifts in the partialThere have been numerous claims in the ecological literature that spatial autocorrelation in the residuals of ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models results in shifts in the partial coefficients, which bias the interpretation of factors influencing geographical patterns. We evaluate the validity of these claims using gridded species richness data for the birds of North America, South America, Europe, Africa, the ex-USSR, and Australia. We used richness in 110x110 km cells and environmental predictor variables to generate OLS and simultaneous autoregressive (SAR) multiple regression models for each region. Spatial correlograms of the residuals from each OLS model were then used to identify the minimum distance between cells necessary to avoid short-distance residual spatial autocorrelation in each data set. This distance was used to subsample cells to generate spatially independent data. The partial OLS coefficients estimated with the full dataset were then compared to the distributions of coefficients created with the subsamples. We found that OLS coefficients generated from data containing residual spatial autocorrelation were statistically indistinguishable from coefficients generated from the same data sets in which short-distance spatial autocorrelation was not present in all 22 coefficients tested. Consistent with the statistical literature on this subject, we conclude that coefficients estimated from OLS regression are not seriously affected by the presence of spatial autocorrelation in gridded geographical data. Further, shifts in coefficients that occurred when using SAR tended to be correlated with levels of uncertainty in the OLS coefficients. Thus, shifts in the relative importance of the predictors between OLS and SAR models are expected when small-scale patterns for these predictors create weaker and more unstable broad-scale coefficients. Our results indicate both that OLS regression is unbiased and that differences between spatial and nonspatial regression models should be interpreted with an explicit awareness of spatial scale.

• Towards an integrated computational tool for spatial analysis in macroecology and biogeography

  Authors: Thiago Fernando L. V. B. Rangel, José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Luis Mauricio Bini

  01/2006; 15:321–327.

  Because most macroecological and biodiversity data are spatially autocorrelated, special tools for describing spatial structures and dealing with hypothesis testing are usually required.Because most macroecological and biodiversity data are spatially autocorrelated, special tools for describing spatial structures and dealing with hypothesis testing are usually required. Unfortunately, most of these methods have not been available in a single statistical package. Consequently, using these tools is still a challenge for most ecologists and biogeographers. In this paper, we present SAM (Spatial Analysis in Macroecology), a new, easy-to-use, freeware package for spatial analysis in macroecology and biogeography. Through an intuitive, fully graphical interface, this package allows the user to describe spatial patterns in variables and provides an explicit spatial framework for standard techniques of regression and correlation. Moran's I autocorrelation coefficient can be calculated based on a range of matrices describing spatial relationships, for original variables as well as for residuals of regression models, which can also include filtering components (obtained by standard trend surface analysis or by principal coordinates of neighbour matrices). SAM also offers tools for correcting the number of degrees of freedom when calculating the significance of correlation coefficients. Explicit spatial modelling using several forms of autoregression and generalized least-squares models are also available. We believe this new tool will provide researchers with the basic statistical tools to resolve autocorrelation problems and, simultaneously, to explore spatial components in macroecological and biogeographical data. Although the program was designed primarily for the applications in macroecology and biogeography, most of SAM's statistical tools will be useful for all kinds of surface pattern spatial analysis. The program is freely available at www.ecoevol.ufg.br/sam (permanent URL at http://purl.oclc.org/sam/).

• The impact of Felsenstein's "Phylogenies and the comparative method" on evolutionary biology.

  Authors: Priscilla Carvalho, José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Luis Mauricio Bini

  Scientometrics. 01/2005; 62:53-66.

• Macroecology, geographic range size–body size relationship and minimum viable population analysis for new world carnivora

  Authors: José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Priscilla Carvalho, Luis Mauricio Bini, Natália Mundim Tôrres

  Acta Oecologica.

  Macroecology deals with variation and covariation of complex variables, such as body size, population density and geographic range size (GRS), measured across species at broad spatial scales. DespiteMacroecology deals with variation and covariation of complex variables, such as body size, population density and geographic range size (GRS), measured across species at broad spatial scales. Despite the increasing number of papers in this field, little attention has been given to the links between patterns at different scales. In this paper, we analysed the constraint envelope formed by the macroecological relationship between GRS and body size for 70 species of New World terrestrial Carnivora. The lower-right constraint line of this envelope is usually interpreted as the minimum viable GRS that keeps extinction risks relatively low across evolutionary time, and in this paper we fitted this line by multiplying average home range size (established by allometric equations) by different minimum viable population sizes, establishing a minimum viable GRS. Then we estimated the difference between actual geographical range size and minimum viable geographical range size, in log scale (ΔA), which indicates how large is the geographic range of a species in relation to the minimum necessary to its long-term persistence. These ΔA values are significantly correlated with extinction risk defined by IUCN threat categories, even after keeping geographical range size constant and after taking into account phylogenetic structure in data. This gives support to the minimum viable population model explaining the relationship between GRS and body size and highlights a way to use constraint envelopes to evaluate the influence of complex variables to predict extinction risks.

• Anuran species richness, complementarity and conservation conflicts in Brazilian Cerrado

  Authors: José Alexandre Felizola Diniz-Filho, Luis Mauricio Bini, Míriam Plaza Pinto, Thiago Fernando L.V.B. Rangel, Priscilla Carvalho, Rogério Pereira Bastos

  Acta Oecologica.

  Broad-scale correlations between species richness and human population suggest that processes driving species richness, mainly related to high ecological productivity, may also drive humanBroad-scale correlations between species richness and human population suggest that processes driving species richness, mainly related to high ecological productivity, may also drive human populations. However, it is still under debate if this coincidence implies conflicts between biodiversity conservation and human development. In this paper, we analyzed the relationships among human population size, species richness and irreplaceability in Brazilian Cerrado. We analyzed a dataset with 131 species of anurans distributed in 181 cells with 1° of spatial resolution covering the biome. We found a positive correlation between human population size and anuran species richness (r = 0.46; P = 0.033 with 19.5 geographically effective degrees of freedom, v*), but the irreplaceability of each cell was poorly correlated with human population size (r = 0.075; P = 0.323; v* = 173.9). The 17 cells in the 97 optimal reserve networks contained a total human population ranging from 2942,195 to 4319,845 people, representing on average 11.8% of the human population in the entire Cerrado grid. The comparison of these observed values with 10,000 values from randomly generated networks suggests a relatively high flexibility in optimal complementarity sets for reserve selection. Our results indicated that correlation between richness and human population does not necessarily result in conflicts, given the opportunities for conciliating conservation and development. However, the analyses performed here are initial explorations within the framework of conservation biogeography, so more detailed studies are necessary to establish conservation planning at regional and local scales.