Data from: On the importance of habitat continuity for delimiting biogeographic regions and shaping richness gradients

The formation and maintenance of biogeographic regions and the latitudinal
gradient of species richness are thought to be influenced, in part, by the
spatial distribution of physical habitat (habitat continuity). But the
importance of habitat continuity in relation to other variables for
shaping richness gradients and delimiting biogeographic regions has not
been well established. Here, we show that habitat continuity is a top
predictor of biogeographic structure and the richness gradient of eastern
Pacific rocky shore gastropods (spanning ~23,000 km, from 43ºS-48ºN).
Rocky shore habitat continuity is generally low within
tropical/subtropical regions (compared to extratropical regions), but
particularly at biogeographic boundaries where steep richness gradients
occur. Regions of high rocky shore habitat continuity are located towards
the centres of biogeographic regions where species turnover tends to be
relatively low. Our study highlights the importance of habitat continuity
to help explain patterns and processes shaping the biogeographic
organization of species.