Data from: Species distribution modeling reveals the influence of climatic and geographic factors on scarab beetle beta diversity along altitudinal gradients
Data files
Dec 17, 2025 version files 42.75 KB
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El_Salvador_beetle_communities.csv
30.02 KB
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El_Salvador_climatic_variables_and_location.csv
9.44 KB
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README.md
3.30 KB
Abstract
Beta diversity patterns result from the assembly of communities shaped by local and regional filters. However, understanding these patterns is limited by gaps in species distribution knowledge, especially for hyperdiverse groups. In this context, ecological niche modeling represents an effective approach to overcoming such limitations by providing robust species distribution predictions. In this study, we used the distribution models of 67 scarab beetle species to assess patterns of beta diversity and its components (species turnover and nestedness) across 14 elevational gradients on the coastal and inland montane slopes of El Salvador. We also analyzed the effects of climatic (environmental filter) and geographic (dispersal filter) factors on beta diversity. Our results show that beta diversity decreased with increasing elevation, independently of geographic region, and that there were no significant differences in the relative contributions of turnover and nestedness between coastal and inland gradients. Environmental filtering (differences in temperature and precipitation) and dispersal filtering (spatial distance) were determinants in shaping the beta diversity patterns. These results indicate that the beta diversity of scarab beetles is determined by climatic and geographic factors. This integrative approach based on species distribution modeling underscores the importance of montane habitats for maintaining beta diversity and endemic species, highlighting the role of environmental heterogeneity and geographic location in shaping ecological assemblages. These findings emphasize the broader need for conservation strategies that preserve ecological diversity in complex landscapes, particularly under threats of habitat loss and climate change.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.5hqbzkhk8
Description of the data and file structure
Overview
The presence of scarab beetle species (based on the potential distribution maps) and climatic variables in cells of ≈1 km² along 14 transects (altitudinal gradients) in El Salvador, Central America. The transects were located in two geographic regions (costal and inland).
Author(s)
José D. Pablo-Cea1,2
1Red de Biodiversidad y Sistemática, Instituto de Ecología A.C. Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, Mexico.
2Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemática, Universidad de El Salvador, El Salvador.
Andrés Ramírez-Ponce
Red de Biodiversidad y Sistemática, Instituto de Ecología A.C. Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, Mexico.
Ronald D. Cave
Indian River Research & Education Center, Entomology & Nematology Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Ft. Pierce, FL, USA.
Victor Moctezuma
Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Mexico.
Octavio Rojas-Soto
Red de Biología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología A.C. Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, Mexico.
Claudia E. Moreno
Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Instituto de Ciencias Básicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca, Mexico. E-mail: cmoreno@uaeh.edu.mx.
Files and variables
File: El_Salvador_beetle_communities.csv
Description: A matrix with 189 communities (rows) and the presence (1) or absence (0) of 67 scarab beetle species (columns). Each community is the set of species presences in cells along 14 transects (altitudinal gradients) in El Salvador. The transects were located in two geographic regions (costal and inland).
Variables
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Region: Costal: the slopes between the coastal plain and the volcanic chain
Inland: the inland slopes between the interior valley and the northern mountains
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Transect: C1 to C7: seven transects in the costal region
I1 to I7: seven transects in the inland region
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Cell: ≈1 km² plots along the transects
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Cell.code: Unique identifier for each cell
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Euphoria avita...Onthophagus incensus: scarab beetle species
File: El_Salvador_climatic_variables_and_location.csv
Description: Climatic variables and location of 189 cells (rows).
Variables
- Cell.code: Unique identifier for each cell along transects (Transect+Cell ID. Example: C1A)
- Temperature: Cell temperature, °C
- Precipitation: Cell precipitation, mm
- Elevation: Cell elevation, m a.s.l.
- POINT_X: Longitudinal geographic coordinates, W, of the cell center. Decimal degrees (DD).
- POINT_Y: Latitudinal geographic coordinates, N, of the cell center. Decimal degrees (DD).
Code/software
CSV (comma-separated values) files include tabular data that can be open in any spreadsheet.
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- None