@article{chick_lessard_dunn_sanders_2020, title={The Coupled Influence of Thermal Physiology and Biotic Interactions on the Distribution and Density of Ant Species along an Elevational Gradient}, volume={12}, ISSN={["1424-2818"]}, DOI={10.3390/d12120456}, abstractNote={A fundamental tenet of biogeography is that abiotic and biotic factors interact to shape the distributions of species and the organization of communities, with interactions being more important in benign environments, and environmental filtering more important in stressful environments. This pattern is often inferred using large databases or phylogenetic signal, but physiological mechanisms underlying such patterns are rarely examined. We focused on 18 ant species at 29 sites along an extensive elevational gradient, coupling experimental data on critical thermal limits, null model analyses, and observational data of density and abundance to elucidate factors governing species’ elevational range limits. Thermal tolerance data showed that environmental conditions were likely to be more important in colder, more stressful environments, where physiology was the most important constraint on the distribution and density of ant species. Conversely, the evidence for species interactions was strongest in warmer, more benign conditions, as indicated by our observational data and null model analyses. Our results provide a strong test that biotic interactions drive the distributions and density of species in warm climates, but that environmental filtering predominates at colder, high-elevation sites. Such a pattern suggests that the responses of species to climate change are likely to be context-dependent and more specifically, geographically-dependent.}, number={12}, journal={DIVERSITY-BASEL}, author={Chick, Lacy D. and Lessard, Jean-Philippe and Dunn, Robert R. and Sanders, Nathan J.}, year={2020}, month={Dec} }
 @article{weiser_sanders_agosti_andersen_ellison_fisher_gibb_gotelli_gove_gross_et al._2010, title={Canopy and litter ant assemblages share similar climate-species density relationships}, volume={6}, ISSN={["1744-9561"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-78649884769&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1098/rsbl.2010.0151}, abstractNote={Tropical forest canopies house most of the globe's diversity, yet little is known about global patterns and drivers of canopy diversity. Here, we present models of ant species density, using climate, abundance and habitat (i.e. canopy versus litter) as predictors. Ant species density is positively associated with temperature and precipitation, and negatively (or non-significantly) associated with two metrics of seasonality, precipitation seasonality and temperature range. Ant species density was significantly higher in canopy samples, but this difference disappeared once abundance was considered. Thus, apparent differences in species density between canopy and litter samples are probably owing to differences in abundance–diversity relationships, and not differences in climate–diversity relationships. Thus, it appears that canopy and litter ant assemblages share a common abundance–diversity relationship influenced by similar but not identical climatic drivers.}, number={6}, journal={BIOLOGY LETTERS}, author={Weiser, Michael D. and Sanders, Nathan J. and Agosti, Donat and Andersen, Alan N. and Ellison, Aaron M. and Fisher, Brian L. and Gibb, Heloise and Gotelli, Nicholas J. and Gove, Aaron D. and Gross, Kevin and et al.}, year={2010}, month={Dec}, pages={769–772} }
 @article{lessard_dunn_parker_sanders_2007, title={Rarity and diversity in forest ant assemblages of Great Smoky Mountains National Park}, volume={6}, ISSN={["1528-7092"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-37049024789&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1656/1528-7092(2007)6[215:RADIFA]2.0.CO;2}, abstractNote={Abstract We report on a systematic survey of the ant fauna occurring in hardwood forests in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. At 22-mixed hardwood sites, we collected leaf-litter ant species using Winkler samplers. At eight of those sites, we also collected ants using pitfall and Malaise traps. In total, we collected 53 ant species. As shown in other studies, ant species richness tended to decline with increasing elevation. Leaf-litter ant assemblages were also highly nested. Several common species were both locally abundant and had broad distributions, while many other species were rarely detected. Winkler samplers, pitfall traps, and Malaise traps yielded samples that differed in composition, but not richness, from one another. Taken together, our work begins to illuminate the factors that govern the diversity, distribution, abundance, and perhaps rarity of ants of forested ecosystems in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.}, number={SPEC. ISS. 1}, journal={SOUTHEASTERN NATURALIST}, author={Lessard, Jean-Philippe and Dunn, Robert R. and Parker, Charles R. and Sanders, Nathan J.}, year={2007}, pages={215–228} }
 @article{sanders_lessard_fitzpatrick_dunn_2007, title={Temperature, but not productivity or geometry, predicts elevational diversity gradients in ants across spatial grains}, volume={16}, ISSN={["1466-8238"]}, url={http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-34547997185&partnerID=MN8TOARS}, DOI={10.1111/j.1466-8238.2007.00316.x}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT}, number={5}, journal={GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY}, author={Sanders, Nathan J. and Lessard, Jean-Philippe and Fitzpatrick, Matthew C. and Dunn, Robert R.}, year={2007}, month={Sep}, pages={640–649} }
 @article{davidson_lessard_bernau_cook_2007, title={The tropical ant mosaic in a primary Bornean rain forest}, volume={39}, ISSN={["1744-7429"]}, DOI={10.1111/j.1744-7429.2007.00304.x}, abstractNote={ABSTRACT}, number={4}, journal={BIOTROPICA}, author={Davidson, Diane W. and Lessard, Jean-Philippe and Bernau, Christopher R. and Cook, Steven C.}, year={2007}, month={Jul}, pages={468–475} }