Realised niche and suitability index of toxic phytoplankton species. Dataset

understanding the spatial and temporal preferences of toxic phytoplankton species is of paramount importance in managing and predicting harmful events in aquatic ecosystems. in this study we address the realised niche of the species alexandrium minutum, pseudo-nitzschia fraudulenta and p. australis. we used them to highlight distribution patterns at different scales and determine possible drivers. to achieve this, we have developed original procedures coupling niche theory and habitat suitability modelling using abundance data in four consecutive steps: 1) estimate the realised niche applying kernel functions. 2) assess differences between the species’ niche as a whole and at the local level. 3) develop habitat and temporal suitability models using niche overlap procedures. 4) explore species temporal and spatial distributions to highlight possible drivers. data used are species abundance and environmental variables collected over 27 years (1988-2014) and include 139 coastal water sampling sites along the french atlantic coast. results show that a. minutum and p. australis niches are very different, although both species have preference for warmer months. they both respond to decadal summer nao but in the opposite way. p. fraudulenta realised niche lies in between the two other species niches. it also prefers warmer months but does not respond to decadal summer nao. the brittany peninsula is now classified as an area of prevalence for the three species. the methodology used here will allow to anticipate species distribution in the event of future environmental challenges resulting from climate change scenarios.

深入理解有毒浮游植物的时空偏好对于管理和预测水生生态系统中有害事件至关重要。在本研究中，我们探讨了亚历山大藻（Alexandrium minutum）、拟诺卡氏藻（Pseudo-nitzschia fraudulenta）和P. australis的生态位实现情况。我们利用这些物种来突出不同尺度上的分布模式并确定可能的驱动因素。为实现此目标，我们开发了结合生态位理论和栖息地适宜性建模的原创程序，利用连续四个步骤的丰度数据：1）运用核函数估计生态位实现情况。2）评估物种整体生态位与局部生态位之间的差异。3）利用生态位重叠程序开发栖息地和时空适宜性模型。4）探索物种的时空分布以突出可能的驱动因素。所使用的数据包括1988年至2014年期间收集的物种丰度和环境变量，涵盖了法国大西洋沿岸139个沿海水域采样点。结果显示，A. minutum和P. australis的生态位差异显著，尽管这两种物种均偏好温暖的月份。它们对十年夏季北大西洋振荡（NAO）的反应方式相反。P. fraudulenta的生态位实现情况介于另外两种物种之间。它也偏好温暖的月份，但不响应十年夏季NAO。布列塔尼半岛现已被归类为三种物种的流行区域。此处采用的方法将有助于预测未来环境挑战（例如气候变化情景）下物种分布的情况。