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Human food use increases plant geographical ranges in the Sonoran Desert
Author(s) -
Flower Carolyn,
Hodgson Wendy C.,
Salywon Andrew M.,
Maitner Brian S.,
Enquist Brian J.,
Peeples Matthew A.,
Blonder Benjamin
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
global ecology and biogeography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.164
H-Index - 152
eISSN - 1466-8238
pISSN - 1466-822X
DOI - 10.1111/geb.13311
Subject(s) - biological dispersal , range (aeronautics) , ecology , geography , taxon , food plant , climate change , desert (philosophy) , biology , population , materials science , demography , sociology , composite material , philosophy , epistemology
Aim Climate is usually regarded as the main determinant of plant species distributions. However, past human use of species for food might also have influenced distributions. We hypothesized that human‐mediated dispersal has resulted in food plants occupying more of their potential geographical range. We also hypothesized that key ecological traits could predispose a species to occupy more of its potential climatic geographical range and be selected by humans for food. Location The Sonoran Desert of south‐western North America. Time period Present day. Major taxa studied Food plants. Methods We used ethnobotanical data and data from large botanical ecoinformatics databases to estimate realized (dispersal‐ and climate‐constrained) and potential (climate‐constrained) ranges for food plants and their used and unused congeners. Results We found that food plants fill more of their potential geographical ranges than their unused congeners. We also found that succulence and annual growth interacted with food usage to increase range filling. Main conclusions Human food use has expanded the distribution of many plant species in the Sonoran Desert.