Thanks! That’s a great suggestion. This dataset could indeed work for #TidyTuesday biodiversity themes. 🌿

That's fantastic to hear! Delighted that the work might be useful in a teaching context.

Please feel free to use the paper! Let us know if you or your students have any questions when working through the methods.

7️⃣ Data and #RStats codes available from @github.com

🔗 github.com/kumar-a/rich...

a copy is archived at @figshare.com

🔗 doi.org/10.6084/m9.f...

#OpenData #OpenScience #ReproducibleResearch

6️⃣ Conservation Takeaway

🔑Mid-elevational zones for conservation priorities, where #SpeciesRichness is greatest.

🧭 Read the full #OpenAccess article for the detailed analyses:

🔗 doi.org/10.3390/f161...

5️⃣ Influence of observed species?

As more species were added, elevational richness became more distinctly unimodal, converging toward the MDE predictions.

This effect also varies with extent and position of elevational gradients.

4️⃣ Is this just a random geometric effect?

We tested the Mid-Domain Effect (MDE) null model and found substantial deviations from its predictions.

This means plant distribution in the Himalayas is NOT a simple game of chance!

3️⃣ What did we find?

While species richness often showed complex non-linear unimodal (hump-shaped) patterns, simple linear decreasing pattern was also observed.

Patterns vary with extent and position of elevational gradients!

2️⃣ We compiled the elevational ranges of >1100 vascular plant species from three #ProtectedAreas — Morni Hills, Chail WLS, and Churdhar WLS. This contributes to knowledge gap for the #WesternHimalayas.

Archived Data and #RStats codes are openly available from figshare doi.org/10.6084/m9.f...

Also, maintained at github.com/kumar-a/rich...

#OpenScience #ReproducibleResearch

Direct effects are stronger than the indirect effects

Indirect effects are strongly mediated by water-energy dynamics than energy availability

Overall, our study supported:
1️⃣Climate tolerance hypothesis > 2️⃣Water-energy dynamics > 3️⃣Species-energy hypothesis

Climate is more important than the topographic heterogeneity at broader scales

Richness is regulated by multiple mechanisms involving direct indirect and interaction effects of environmental variables

Model suggested by Francis and Currie (2003, doi.org/10.1086/368223) better represented climate-richness relationship.

www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...

Species richness seems to be regulated by 💦 liquid-water availability, i.e. interaction between temperature and water-deficit.