Distributions of rainforest vertebrates in the Australian Wet Tropics (MTSRF, JCU)
The purpose of this data set was to compile distributional, general life-history characteristics and phylogenies for Australian tropical rain forest vertebrates to inform a wide range of comparative studies on the determinants of biodiversity patterns and to assess the impacts of global climate change. We provide three distinct data sets: (1) a table of species-specific distributional and life-history traits for 242 vertebrate species found in the rain forests of the Australian Wet Tropics; (2) species distribution maps (GIS raster files) for 202 of the species displaying both the realized and potential distributions; and (3) phylogenies for these species. These species represent 93 birds, 31 amphibians, 31 mammals (including one monotreme), and 47 reptiles. Where information exists, the distributional and life-history data compiled here present information on: indices of environmental specialization (ENFA), habitat specialization, average body mass and size, sexual dimorphism, reproductive characteristics such as age at first reproduction, clutch/litter size, number of reproductive bouts per year and breeding seasonality, longevity, time of day when most active, and dispersal ability; distributional characteristics such as range size (potential and realized for both total and core ranges) and observed ranges in temperature, precipitation, and elevation; and niche attributes such as environmental marginality and specialization. The distribution maps provided represent a combination of presence-only ecological niche modeling (using MaxEnt) to estimate the potential distribution of a species followed by biogeographic clipping by expert opinion based on extensive field data and a subregional classification relevant to the topography and biogeographic history of the region to produce best-possible estimates of the realized distribution. Our assemblage contains many species with a shared evolutionary history, and thus many analyses of these data will need to account for phylogeny. Although a comprehensive phylogeny with branch length information does not exist for this diverse group of species, we present a best-estimate composite phylogeny constructed primarily from recently published molecular phylogenies of included groups.
This metadata record is an extract from the authorive metadata records maintained by the tropical data hub ( http://tropicaldatahub.org/data/6e58cda4-a2c9-4193-bb22-708e25054e3c).
Simple
Identification info
- Date (Publication)
- 2009-01-01T00:00:00
- Credit
- Dr Jeremy Vanderwal
- Credit
- Dr Joanne Isaac
- Credit
- Dr Luke Shoo
- Credit
- Mr Collin Storlie
- Credit
- Dr Yvette Williams
- Status
- Completed
Principal investigator
Williams, Stephen, Prof.Centre for Tropical Biodiversity & Climate Change, James Cook University (CTBCC/JCU)
- Topic category
-
- Biota
Extent
Extent
- Description
- Wet Tropics
Temporal extent
- Time position
- 1990-01-01T00:00:00
- Time position
- 2010-01-01T00:00:00
Resource constraints
- Linkage
-
http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/2.5/au/88x31.png
License Graphic
- Title
- Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 Australia License
- Website
-
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/
License Text
- Language
- English
- Character encoding
- UTF8
Distribution Information
Metadata
- Metadata identifier
- f666e4e6-54f7-4fde-bb03-eed790956d3f
- Language
- English
- Character encoding
- UTF8
Point of contact
Lawrey, Eric, DreAtlas, Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
Type of resource
- Resource scope
- Dataset
- Metadata linkage
-
https://eatlas.org.au/data/uuid/f666e4e6-54f7-4fde-bb03-eed790956d3f
Point of truth URL of this metadata record
- Date info (Creation)
- 2017-12-18T13:16:38
- Date info (Revision)
- 2017-12-18T13:16:38
Metadata standard
- Title
- ISO 19115-3:2018