Macroecology articles from across Nature Portfolio

Bergmann’s Rule predicts larger body sizes in colder climates. Here, the authors examine extinct and extant dinosaurs (birds) and mammaliaforms, finding no evidence of body size variation with latitude in any group, but a small variation with temperature in extant birds.

A study on plant community structure suggests that the underlying mechanisms that dominate vertical structural complexity variation will gradually shift from resource acquisition strategies to conservation priority strategies as climates shift from favorable to extreme.

The effect of biogeographic isolation on biodiversity remains unclear. Assessing global mammal and bird assemblages, the authors show that long-term biogeographic barriers explain reduced species richness and divergent ecological function, while environment determines diversity in most of the world.

An analysis of the rate at which isotherms are shifting in mountain regions worldwide identifies 17 key regions with particularly high vertical isotherm shift velocities, and provides insight into how these shifts affect species ranges.

A large-scale coordinated experiment shows low seagrass resilience to tropicalization-induced herbivory beyond the tropics.

Floristic homogenization — an increase in plant similarity within a given region — threatens biodiversity. By studying the taxonomic similarity of the floras of South Pacific islands over the past 5,000 years, we find that initial human settlement was probably a major driver of floristic homogenization.

Data from 5,525 in-water reef fish surveys conducted between 1- and 30-m depth reveal predictable depth-dependent zonation across the Pacific Ocean, particularly in the absence of a local human population. By contrast, relationships between depth and biomass were reduced or absent at populated islands, which suggests a human impact on depth-dependent ecological organization.

An analysis of distributions of over 99% of the world’s seed plant flora shows that species that originate from large and biodiverse regions are more successful at establishing naturalized populations outside of their native range. They are also more likely to be used by humans for economic purposes.

An analysis of the geographical range and climatic niche dynamics of Australian frogs highlights the role of an emerging chytrid fungal disease in reshaping the distributions of native species through novel host–pathogen interactions.

Analysis of an ocean basin-scale dataset revealed the existence of clear biogeographic provinces (deep and shallow abyssal zones) delimited by the carbonate compensation depth in Pacific Ocean seabed communities. Species diversity is maintained or increases with depth owing to phylum-level taxonomic replacements.