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Lin Y, Xiang Y, Wei S, Zhang Q, Liu Y, Zhang Z, Tang S. Genetic diversity and population structure of an insect-pollinated and bird-dispersed dioecious tree Magnolia kwangsiensis in a fragmented karst forest landscape. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e70094. [PMID: 39091326 PMCID: PMC11291554 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
This study combined population genetics and parentage analysis to obtain foundational data for the conservation of Magnolia kwangsiensis. M. kwangsiensis is a Class I tree species that occurs in two disjunct regions in a biodiversity hotspot in southwest China. We assessed the genetic diversity and structure of this species across its distribution range to support its conservation management. Genetic diversity and population structure of 529 individuals sampled from 14 populations were investigated using seven nuclear simple sequence repeat (nSSR) markers and three chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) fragments. Parentage analysis was used to evaluate the pollen and seed dispersal distances. The nSSR marker analysis revealed a high genetic diversity in M. kwangsiensis, with an average observed (Ho) and expected heterozygosities (He) of 0.726 and 0.687, respectively. The mean and maximum pollen and seed dispersal distances were 66.4 and 95.7 m and 535.4 and 553.8 m, respectively. Our data revealed two distinct genetic groups, consistent with the disjunct geographical distribution of the M. kwangsiensis populations. Both pollen and seed dispersal movements help maintain genetic connectivity among M. kwangsiensis populations, contributing to high levels of genetic diversity. Both genetically differentiated groups corresponding to the two disjunct regions should be recognized as separate conservation units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfang Lin
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of EducationGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Landscape Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization in Lijiang River BasinGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
- Wuzhou No. 18 Middle SchoolWuzhouChina
| | - Yingying Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of EducationGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Landscape Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization in Lijiang River BasinGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
| | - Sujian Wei
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of EducationGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Landscape Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization in Lijiang River BasinGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
| | - Qiwei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of EducationGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Landscape Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization in Lijiang River BasinGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
| | - Yanhua Liu
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of EducationGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Landscape Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization in Lijiang River BasinGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
| | - Zhiyong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of EducationGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Landscape Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization in Lijiang River BasinGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
| | - Shaoqing Tang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection, Ministry of EducationGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Landscape Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization in Lijiang River BasinGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
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Deng W, Bai NE, Qi FL, Yang XY, She R, Xiao W. Temporal dynamics of the microbial heterogeneity-diversity relationship in microcosmic systems. Oecologia 2024; 204:35-46. [PMID: 38070053 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05484-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Spatial heterogeneity significantly enhances biodiversity, representing one of the ecology's most enduring paradigms. However, many studies have found decreasing, humped, and neutral correlations between spatial heterogeneity and biodiversity (heterogeneity-diversity relationships, HDR). These findings have pushed this widely accepted theory back into controversy. Microbial HDR research has lagged compared to that of plants and animals. Nevertheless, microbes have features that add a temporal-scale perspective to HDR research that is critical to understanding patterns of HDR. In this study, 157 microcosms with different types spatial heterogeneity were set up to map the HDR of microorganisms and their temporal dynamics using high-throughput sequencing techniques. The results show that the following: 1. Spatial heterogeneity can significantly alter microbial diversity in microcosmic systems. Changes in microbial diversity, in turn, lead to changes in environmental conditions. These changes caused microorganisms to exhibit increasing, decreasing, humped, U-shaped, and neutral HDR patterns. 2. The emergence of HDR patterns is characterized by temporal dynamics. Additionally, the HDR patterns generated by spatial structural and compositional heterogeneity exhibit inconsistent emergence times. These results suggest that the temporal dynamics of HDR may be one of the reasons for the coexistence of multiple patterns in previous studies. The feedback regulation between spatial heterogeneity-biodiversity-environmental conditions is an essential reason for the temporally dynamics of HDR patterns. All future ecological studies should pay attention to the temporal dynamic patterns of ecological factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Deng
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
- The Provincial Innovation Team of Biodiversity Conservation and Utility of the Three Parallel Rivers Region, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
| | - Nong-En Bai
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
- The Provincial Innovation Team of Biodiversity Conservation and Utility of the Three Parallel Rivers Region, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
| | - Fu-Liang Qi
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
- The Provincial Innovation Team of Biodiversity Conservation and Utility of the Three Parallel Rivers Region, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiao-Yan Yang
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
- The Provincial Innovation Team of Biodiversity Conservation and Utility of the Three Parallel Rivers Region, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
- International Centre of Biodiversity and Primates Conservation, Dali, Yunnan, China
| | - Rong She
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China.
- The Provincial Innovation Team of Biodiversity Conservation and Utility of the Three Parallel Rivers Region, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China.
- International Centre of Biodiversity and Primates Conservation, Dali, Yunnan, China.
- Yunling Black-and-White Snub-Nosed Monkey Observation and Research Station of Yunnan Province, Dali, 761003, China.
| | - Wen Xiao
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China.
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Biodiversity and Conservation in the Three Parallel Rivers Region of China, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China.
- The Provincial Innovation Team of Biodiversity Conservation and Utility of the Three Parallel Rivers Region, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China.
- International Centre of Biodiversity and Primates Conservation, Dali, Yunnan, China.
- Yunling Black-and-White Snub-Nosed Monkey Observation and Research Station of Yunnan Province, Dali, 761003, China.
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Gheoca V, Benedek AM, Schneider E. Taxonomic and functional diversity of land snails reflects habitat complexity in riparian forests. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9808. [PMID: 37330530 PMCID: PMC10276844 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36896-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Habitat complexity affects the structure and dynamics of ecological communities, more often with increased complexity leading to greater species diversity and abundance. Among the terrestrial invertebrate groups, the low vagility of land snails makes them susceptible to react to small-scale habitat alteration. In the current paper we aimed to assess the relationship between taxonomic and functional composition and diversity of land snail communities and habitat structure in the riparian forest habitat. We found that both snail abundance and species richness responded positively to the increase in habitat complexity. The complexity of the riparian forest affected also the snail trait composition. Forest species, species living in woody debris, leaf litter, and root zone and those feeding on detritus were more abundant in complex habitats, while large snails with more offspring, snails having the ability to survive longer periods of dryness, as well as species that prefer arid habitats, were more abundant in less complex habitats. We concluded that habitat complexity promoted functional diversity, with the amount of woody debris as main positive driver, and the adjacent agricultural fields as negative driver of functional diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Voichița Gheoca
- Faculty of Sciences, Applied Ecology Research Center, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 5-7 Raţiu Street, 550012, Sibiu, Romania.
| | - Ana Maria Benedek
- Faculty of Sciences, Applied Ecology Research Center, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, 5-7 Raţiu Street, 550012, Sibiu, Romania.
| | - Erika Schneider
- Department Aueninstitut/Institute for Wetlands Ecology, Institute for Geography and Geoecology, KIT ‒ Karlsruhe Institute for Technology - University of Land Baden-Württemberg and Research Center of the Helmholtz Society, Josefstrasse 1, 76437, Rastatt, Germany
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4
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Graham LJ, Watts K, Eigenbrod F. Teasing apart fine- and coarse-scale effects of environmental heterogeneity on tree species richness in Europe. Basic Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2022.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Chang M, Luo X, Zhang Y, Pang Y, Li M, Liu J, Da L, Song K. Land-use diversity can better predict urban spontaneous plant richness than impervious surface coverage at finer spatial scales. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 323:116205. [PMID: 36116254 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Urban spontaneous plants, that are not intentionally propagated by humans and do not belong to the remnants of the natural habitats, not only occur in green spaces but are also distributed in diverse microhabitats in impervious surface areas. Impervious surface coverage is commonly used in studies on spontaneous plant diversity patterns in human-dominated landscapes; however, the role of habitat diversity (i.e., land-use diversity) has been overlooked. Here, we surveyed spontaneous plant composition and land uses (12 types) in 321 0.25 ha sampling sites on the Chongming District islands, Shanghai, to determine the role of land-use diversity in explaining species richness. We examined the linear relationships between species richness and land-use diversity, and quantified the importance of impervious surface coverage and land-use diversity using the random forest (RF) method. All these analyses were conducted for spatial scales from 0.25 to 5 ha in 0.25 ha increments. We found an overall positive relationship between species richness and land-use diversity, and the RF model predicted approximately 50% of the species richness variation at the smallest spatial scale. However, the positive relationship weakened with spatial scale increase, and a rapid decline in explanatory power occurred for all predictor variables in the RF model. Besides impervious surface coverage, both the vegetated and non-vegetated land-use diversity contributed substantially to the prediction of species richness at finer spatial scales. The findings clarify how land-use diversity, both in green spaces and impervious surface areas, affect urban spontaneous plant richness and should be considered in urban biodiversity conservation strategies at the neighborhood scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyang Chang
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
| | - Xinyi Luo
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
| | - Yaru Zhang
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
| | - Yulan Pang
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
| | - Menghan Li
- School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
| | - Jiajia Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China.
| | - Liangjun Da
- Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Institute of Eco-Chongming, Shanghai 200062, China; Technology Innovation Center for Land Spatial Eco-restoration in Metropolitan Area, Ministry of Natural Resources, Shanghai 200062, China.
| | - Kun Song
- Shanghai Key Lab for Urban Ecological Processes and Eco-Restoration, School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China; Institute of Eco-Chongming, Shanghai 200062, China; Technology Innovation Center for Land Spatial Eco-restoration in Metropolitan Area, Ministry of Natural Resources, Shanghai 200062, China.
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Vikrant A, Pettersson S, Nilsson Jacobi M. Spatial coherence and the persistence of high diversity in spatially heterogeneous landscapes. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9004. [PMID: 35784043 PMCID: PMC9178367 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Our planet hosts a variety of highly diverse ecosystems. The persistence of high diversity is generally attributed to factors such as the structure of interactions among species and the dispersal of species in metacommunities. Here, we show that large contiguous landscapes-that are characterized by high dispersal-facilitate high species richness due to the spatial heterogeneity in interspecies interactions. We base our analysis on metacommunities under high dispersal where species densities become equal across habitats (spatially coherent). We find that the spatially coherent metacommunity can be represented by an effective species interaction-web that has a significantly lower complexity than the constituent habitats. Our framework also explains how spatial heterogeneity eliminates differences in the effective interaction-web, providing a basis for deviations from the area-heterogeneity tradeoff. These results highlight the often-overlooked case of high dispersal where spatial coherence provides a novel mechanism for supporting high diversity in large heterogeneous landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Vikrant
- Department of Space, Earth and EnvironmentChalmers University of TechnologyGothenburgSweden
| | - Susanne Pettersson
- Department of Space, Earth and EnvironmentChalmers University of TechnologyGothenburgSweden
| | - Martin Nilsson Jacobi
- Department of Space, Earth and EnvironmentChalmers University of TechnologyGothenburgSweden
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7
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Graco‐Roza C, Aarnio S, Abrego N, Acosta ATR, Alahuhta J, Altman J, Angiolini C, Aroviita J, Attorre F, Baastrup‐Spohr L, Barrera‐Alba JJ, Belmaker J, Biurrun I, Bonari G, Bruelheide H, Burrascano S, Carboni M, Cardoso P, Carvalho JC, Castaldelli G, Christensen M, Correa G, Dembicz I, Dengler J, Dolezal J, Domingos P, Erös T, Ferreira CEL, Filibeck G, Floeter SR, Friedlander AM, Gammal J, Gavioli A, Gossner MM, Granot I, Guarino R, Gustafsson C, Hayden B, He S, Heilmann‐Clausen J, Heino J, Hunter JT, Huszar VLM, Janišová M, Jyrkänkallio‐Mikkola J, Kahilainen KK, Kemppinen J, Kozub Ł, Kruk C, Kulbiki M, Kuzemko A, Christiaan le Roux P, Lehikoinen A, Teixeira de Lima D, Lopez‐Urrutia A, Lukács BA, Luoto M, Mammola S, Marinho MM, Menezes LS, Milardi M, Miranda M, Moser GAO, Mueller J, Niittynen P, Norkko A, Nowak A, Ometto JP, Ovaskainen O, Overbeck GE, Pacheco FS, Pajunen V, Palpurina S, Picazo F, Prieto JAC, Rodil IF, Sabatini FM, Salingré S, De Sanctis M, Segura AM, da Silva LHS, Stevanovic ZD, Swacha G, Teittinen A, Tolonen KT, Tsiripidis I, Virta L, Wang B, Wang J, Weisser W, Xu Y, Soininen J. Distance decay 2.0 - A global synthesis of taxonomic and functional turnover in ecological communities. GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY : A JOURNAL OF MACROECOLOGY 2022; 31:1399-1421. [PMID: 35915625 PMCID: PMC9322010 DOI: 10.1111/geb.13513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Aim Understanding the variation in community composition and species abundances (i.e., β-diversity) is at the heart of community ecology. A common approach to examine β-diversity is to evaluate directional variation in community composition by measuring the decay in the similarity among pairs of communities along spatial or environmental distance. We provide the first global synthesis of taxonomic and functional distance decay along spatial and environmental distance by analysing 148 datasets comprising different types of organisms and environments. Location Global. Time period 1990 to present. Major taxa studied From diatoms to mammals. Method We measured the strength of the decay using ranked Mantel tests (Mantel r) and the rate of distance decay as the slope of an exponential fit using generalized linear models. We used null models to test whether functional similarity decays faster or slower than expected given the taxonomic decay along the spatial and environmental distance. We also unveiled the factors driving the rate of decay across the datasets, including latitude, spatial extent, realm and organismal features. Results Taxonomic distance decay was stronger than functional distance decay along both spatial and environmental distance. Functional distance decay was random given the taxonomic distance decay. The rate of taxonomic and functional spatial distance decay was fastest in the datasets from mid-latitudes. Overall, datasets covering larger spatial extents showed a lower rate of decay along spatial distance but a higher rate of decay along environmental distance. Marine ecosystems had the slowest rate of decay along environmental distances. Main conclusions In general, taxonomic distance decay is a useful tool for biogeographical research because it reflects dispersal-related factors in addition to species responses to climatic and environmental variables. Moreover, functional distance decay might be a cost-effective option for investigating community changes in heterogeneous environments.
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Liu Y, Qi W, He D, Xiang Y, Liu J, Huang H, Chen M, Tao J. Soil resource availability is much more important than soil resource heterogeneity in determining the species diversity and abundance of karst plant communities. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:16680-16692. [PMID: 34938465 PMCID: PMC8668789 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Resource availability and heterogeneity are recognized as two essential environmental aspects to determine species diversity and community abundance. However, how soil resource availability and heterogeneity determine species diversity and community abundance in highly heterogeneous and most fragile karst landscapes is largely unknown. We examined the effects of soil resource availability and heterogeneity on plant community composition and quantified their relative contribution by variation partitioning. Then, a structural equation model (SEM) was used to further disentangle the multiple direct and indirect effects of soil resource availability on plant community composition. Species diversity was significantly influenced by the soil resource availability in shrubland and woodland but not by the heterogeneity in woodland. Abundance was significantly affected by both soil resource availability and heterogeneity, whereas variation partitioning results showed that soil resource availability explained the majority of the variance in abundance, and the contribution of soil resource heterogeneity was marginal. These results indicated that soil resource availability plays a more important role in determining karst plant community composition than soil resource heterogeneity. Our SEMs further found that the multiple direct and indirect processes of soil resource availability in determining karst species diversity and abundance were different in different vegetation types. Soil resource availability and heterogeneity both played a certain role in determining karst plant community composition, while the importance of soil resource availability far exceeded soil resource heterogeneity. We propose that steering community restoration and reconstruction should be highly dependent on soil resource availability, and multiple direct and indirect pathways of soil resource availability for structuring karst plant communities need to be taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir RegionSchool of Life SciencesSouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Wenchao Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering Simulation and SafetyTianjin UniversityTianjinChina
| | - Danni He
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir RegionSchool of Life SciencesSouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Yunrong Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir RegionSchool of Life SciencesSouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Jinchun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir RegionSchool of Life SciencesSouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Huimin Huang
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir RegionSchool of Life SciencesSouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Miao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir RegionSchool of Life SciencesSouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
| | - Jianping Tao
- Key Laboratory of Eco‐environments in Three Gorges Reservoir Region (Ministry of Education)Chongqing Key Laboratory of Plant Ecology and Resources Research in Three Gorges Reservoir RegionSchool of Life SciencesSouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
- Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research StationSouthwest UniversityChongqingChina
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Gavish Y, Wood EM, Martinuzzi S, Pidgeon AM, Bar-Massada A. Effects of bird species-level environmental preference on landscape-level richness-heterogeneity relationships. Basic Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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10
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Shrub Diversity and Niche Characteristics in the Initial Stage of Reconstruction of Low-Efficiency Cupressus funebris Stands. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12111492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
The upper reaches of the Yangtze River are a very important ecological barrier in China, but the ecological benefits of large-scale Cupressus funebris Endl.plantations are low. This study investigated 12 plantations of different compositions and densities, including two densities of Cinnamomum septentrionale Hand.-Mazz. (Cs), Alnus cremastogyne Burk. (Ac), and Toona sinensis (A. Juss.) Roem. (Ts), and mixed plantations of Cs + Ac (CA), Ts + Cs (TC), Ts + Ac (TA), and Ac + Ts + Cs (ATC) and the cutting-blank (CB), and, at the same time, the unreconstructed pure C. funebris (Cf) forest was set as the control. We aimed to explore the influence mechanism of upper tree composition and density on shrub diversity, as well as the relationship between shrub diversity and niche. Our research results are as follows: (1) Among all the patterns, the TA, CA, and TC patterns are the most conducive to improving the diversity of shrubs. The composition and density of different trees have a great influence on the diversity of shrubs. (2) Niche is closely related to the diversity of shrubs. In the patterns of low niche overlap between dominant shrubs, the diversity of shrubs is greater. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between the diversity of overstory and shrubs, and reveals the relationship between niche and diversity.
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11
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Liu L, Xu Y, Tang Y, Du W, Shao C, Wu J, Zhao L, Zhang L, Liu J, Xu X. The Importance of Including Soil Properties When Disentangling the Drivers of Species Richness: The Case of the Alpine Genus Saxifraga L. in China. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Wickman J, Dieckmann U, Hui C, Brännström Å. How geographic productivity patterns affect food-web evolution. J Theor Biol 2020; 506:110374. [PMID: 32634386 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2020.110374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
It is well recognized that spatial heterogeneity and overall productivity have important consequences for the diversity and community structure of food webs. Yet, few, if any, studies have considered the effects of heterogeneous spatial distributions of primary production. Here, we theoretically investigate how the variance and autocorrelation length of primary production affect properties of evolved food webs consisting of one autotroph and several heterotrophs. We report the following findings. (1) Diversity increases with landscape variance and is unimodal in autocorrelation length. (2) Trophic level increases with landscape variance and is unimodal in autocorrelation length. (3) The extent to which the spatial distribution of heterotrophs differ from that of the autotroph increases with landscape variance and decreases with autocorrelation length. (4) Components of initial disruptive selection experienced by the ancestral heterotroph predict properties of the final evolved communities. Prior to our study reported here, several authors had hypothesized that diversity increases with the landscape variance of productivity. Our results support their hypothesis and contribute new facets by providing quantitative predictions that also account for autocorrelation length and additional properties of the evolved communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Wickman
- Integrated Science Lab, Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Ulf Dieckmann
- Evolution and Ecology Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schlossplatz 1, 2361 Laxenburg, Austria; Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (Sokendai), Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan
| | - Cang Hui
- Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Matieland 7602, South Africa; Mathematical and Physical Biosciences, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cape Town 7945, South Africa
| | - Åke Brännström
- Integrated Science Lab, Department of Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, Umeå University, SE-90187 Umeå, Sweden; Evolution and Ecology Program, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), Schlossplatz 1, 2361 Laxenburg, Austria
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13
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Ben-Hur E, Kadmon R. An experimental test of the area-heterogeneity tradeoff. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:4815-4822. [PMID: 32071250 PMCID: PMC7060741 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1911540117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental property of ecosystems is a tradeoff between the number and size of habitats: as the number of habitats within a fixed area increases, the average area per habitat must decrease. This tradeoff is termed the "area-heterogeneity tradeoff." Theoretical models suggest that the reduction in habitat sizes under high levels of heterogeneity may cause a decline in species richness because it reduces the amount of effective area available for individual species under high levels of heterogeneity, thereby increasing the likelihood of stochastic extinctions. Here, we test this prediction using an experiment that allows us to separate the effect of the area-heterogeneity tradeoff from the total effect of habitat heterogeneity. Surprisingly, despite considerable extinctions, reduction in the amount of effective area available per species facilitated rather than reduced richness in the study communities. Our data suggest that the mechanism behind this positive effect was a decrease in the probability of deterministic competitive exclusion. We conclude that the area-heterogeneity tradeoff may have both negative and positive implications for biodiversity and that its net effect depends on the relative importance of stochastic vs. deterministic drivers of extinction in the relevant system. Our finding that the area-heterogeneity tradeoff may contribute to biodiversity adds a dimension to existing ecological theory and is highly relevant for understanding and predicting biodiversity responses to natural and anthropogenic variations in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyal Ben-Hur
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ronen Kadmon
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior, Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, 9190401 Jerusalem, Israel
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Ben-Hur E, Kadmon R. Heterogeneity-diversity relationships in sessile organisms: a unified framework. Ecol Lett 2019; 23:193-207. [PMID: 31692214 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The hypothesis that environmental heterogeneity promotes species richness by increasing opportunities for niche partitioning is a fundamental paradigm in ecology. However, recent studies suggest that heterogeneity-diversity relationships (HDR) are more complex than expected from this niche-based perspective, and often show a decrease in richness at high levels of heterogeneity. These findings have motivated ecologists to propose new mechanisms that may explain such deviations. Here we provide an overview of currently recognised mechanisms affecting the shape of HDRs and present a conceptual model that integrates all previously proposed mechanisms within a unified framework. We also translate the proposed framework into an explicit community dynamic model and use the model as a tool for generating testable predictions concerning how landscape properties interact with species traits in determining the shape of HDRs. Our main finding is that, despite the enormous complexity of such interactions, the predicted HDRs are rather simple, ranging from positive to unimodal patterns in a highly consistent and predictable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyal Ben-Hur
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Ronen Kadmon
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
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15
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Mills CG, Allen RJ, Blythe RA. Resource spectrum engineering by specialist species can shift the specialist-generalist balance. THEOR ECOL-NETH 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12080-019-00436-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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16
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Feng G, Li J, Zang R, Ding Y, Ai X, Yao L. Variation in three community features across habitat types and scales within a 15-ha subtropical evergreen-deciduous broadleaved mixed forest dynamics plot in China. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:11987-11998. [PMID: 30598793 PMCID: PMC6303768 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The evergreen and deciduous broadleaved mixed forests (EDBMFs) belong to one of the ecosystems most sensitive to environmental change, however, little is known about the environmental determinants for their plant diversity and forest structure at different habitat types and spatial scales. Here, we used data from a 15-ha (300 × 500 m) forest dynamic plot (FDP) of an old-growth EDBMF to examine the patterns and determinants of the three community features (stem abundance, rarefied species richness and basal area [BA]) in three habitat types (ridge, hillside and foothill) and at three spatial scales (20 × 20 m, 50 × 50 m, and 100 × 100 m). We found that the three community features significantly changed with habitat type, but only one of them (rarefied richness) changed with scale. Among spatial scales, the principle environmental factors that widely affected community features were pH, soil organic matter, and total phosphorus, while these effects only taken place at certain habitat. Variations in the three community features explained by soil conditions were generally greater than those explained by topographical conditions. With changes in habitat type, the proportion of variations explained by environmental conditions was 31%-53%, 8%-25%, and 18%-26% for abundance, rarefied richness, and BA, respectively. With increasing spatial scale, the variations explained by environmental conditions were 44%-75% for abundance, 28%-95% for rarefied richness, and 18%-86% for BA. Our study demonstrated that environmental factors had great impacts on the plant diversity and forest structure in the EDBMFs, especially the soil factors such as pH. In addition, the importance of the environmental determinants on these community features was highly related to the spatial scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Feng
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of EducationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment, State Forestry Administration, Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and ProtectionChinese Academy of ForestryBeijingChina
| | - Jun‐Qing Li
- Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of EducationBeijing Forestry UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Run‐Guo Zang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment, State Forestry Administration, Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and ProtectionChinese Academy of ForestryBeijingChina
- Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern ChinaNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingJiangsuChina
| | - Yi Ding
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment, State Forestry Administration, Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and ProtectionChinese Academy of ForestryBeijingChina
- Co‐Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern ChinaNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjingJiangsuChina
| | - Xun‐Ru Ai
- School of Forestry and HorticultureHubei University for NationalitiesEnshiHubeiChina
| | - Lan Yao
- School of Forestry and HorticultureHubei University for NationalitiesEnshiHubeiChina
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Ron R, Fragman-Sapir O, Kadmon R. Dispersal increases ecological selection by increasing effective community size. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:11280-11285. [PMID: 30322907 PMCID: PMC6217402 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1812511115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Selection and drift are universally accepted as the cornerstones of evolutionary changes. Recent theories extend this view to ecological changes, arguing that any change in species composition is driven by deterministic fitness differences among species (enhancing selection) and/or stochasticity in birth and death rates of individuals within species (enhancing drift). These forces have contrasting effects on the predictability of ecological dynamics, and thus understanding the factors affecting their relative importance is crucial for understanding ecological dynamics. Here we test the hypothesis that dispersal increases the relative importance of ecological selection by increasing the effective size of the community (i.e., the size relevant for competitive interactions and drift). According to our hypothesis, dispersal increases the effective size of the community by mixing individuals from different localities. This effect diminishes the relative importance of demographic stochasticity, thereby reducing drift and increasing the relative importance of selective forces as drivers of species composition. We tested our hypothesis, which we term the "effective community size" hypothesis, using two independent experiments focusing on annual plants: a field experiment in which we manipulated the magnitude of dispersal and a mesocosm experiment in which we directly manipulated the effective size of the communities. Both experiments, as well as related model simulations, were consistent with the hypothesis that increasing dispersal increases the role of selective forces as drivers of species composition. This finding has important implications for our understanding of the fundamental forces affecting community dynamics, as well as the management of species diversity, particularly in patchy and fragmented environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronen Ron
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, 91904 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ori Fragman-Sapir
- Jerusalem Botanical Gardens, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, 91904 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ronen Kadmon
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Givat Ram, 91904 Jerusalem, Israel;
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18
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McCreadie JW, Williams RH, Stutsman S, Finn DS, Adler PH. The influence of habitat heterogeneity and latitude on gamma diversity of the Nearctic Simuliidae, a ubiquitous group of stream-dwelling insects. INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 25:712-720. [PMID: 28106957 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2016] [Revised: 12/10/2016] [Accepted: 12/20/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Among the most prominent, large-scale patterns of species richness are the increases in richness with decreasing latitude and with increasing habitat heterogeneity. Using the stream-dwelling larval and pupal stages of North American black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae), we address 3 broad questions about species richness: (i) Does a significant latitude-richness relationship exist? (ii) How does habitat heterogeneity influence gamma diversity? (iii) What is the sign (positive or negative) of the latitude-richness and the heterogeneity-richness relationships? We found no evidence that habitat heterogeneity influences gamma diversity. The estimated peak species richness for black flies in North America was at 50-53°N, which also corresponds with peak generic richness. All plesiomorphic, extant lineages of the Simuliidae in the Western Hemisphere are found in cool mountainous environments of North America, suggesting that peak richness at 50-53°N might be a signature of this phylogenetic pattern and a reflection of underlying historical processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- John W McCreadie
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Rachel H Williams
- Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Sam Stutsman
- Department of Earth Sciences Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Debra S Finn
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Peter H Adler
- Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
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19
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Stover HJ, Henry HAL. Soil homogenization and microedges: perspectives on soil-based drivers of plant diversity and ecosystem processes. Ecosphere 2018. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.2289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Holly J. Stover
- Department of Biology; University of Western Ontario; 1151 Richmond Street London Ontario N6A 5B7 Canada
| | - Hugh A. L. Henry
- Department of Biology; University of Western Ontario; 1151 Richmond Street London Ontario N6A 5B7 Canada
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20
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Developing an Integrated Remote Sensing Based Biodiversity Index for Predicting Animal Species Richness. REMOTE SENSING 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/rs10050739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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21
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Relationships between Plant Species Richness and Terrain in Middle Sub-Tropical Eastern China. FORESTS 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/f8090344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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22
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Schuler MS, Chase JM, Knight TM. Habitat size modulates the influence of heterogeneity on species richness patterns in a model zooplankton community. Ecology 2017; 98:1651-1659. [PMID: 28369846 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.1833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Revised: 02/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Habitat heterogeneity is a primary mechanism influencing species richness. Despite the general expectation that increased heterogeneity should increase species richness, there is considerable variation in the observed relationship, including many studies that show negative effects of heterogeneity on species richness. One mechanism that can create such disparate results is the predicted trade-off between habitat area and heterogeneity, sometimes called the area-heterogeneity-trade-off (AHTO) hypothesis. The AHTO hypothesis predicts positive effects of heterogeneity on species richness in large habitats, but negative effects in small habitats. We examined the interplay between habitat size and habitat heterogeneity in experimental mesocosms that mimic freshwater ponds, and measured responses in a species-rich zooplankton community. We used the AHTO hypothesis and related mechanisms to make predictions about how heterogeneity would affect species richness and diversity in large compared to small habitats. We found that heterogeneity had a positive influence on species richness in large, but not small habitats, and that this likely resulted because habitat specialists were able to persist only when habitat size was sufficiently large, consistent with the predictions of the AHTO hypothesis. Our results emphasize the importance of considering context (e.g., habitat size in this case) when investigating the relative importance of ecological drivers of diversity, like heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew S Schuler
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 63130, USA
| | - Jonathan M Chase
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscherplatz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Computer Science, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Seckendorff-Platz 1, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Tiffany M Knight
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscherplatz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108, Halle (Saale), Germany.,Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ, Theodor-Lieser-Straße 4, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
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23
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Lorenzón RE, Beltzer AH, Olguin PF, Ronchi-Virgolini AL. Habitat heterogeneity drives bird species richness, nestedness and habitat selection by individual species in fluvial wetlands of the Paraná River, Argentina. AUSTRAL ECOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo E. Lorenzón
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (INALI-CONICET-UNL); Ciudad Universitaria s/n; Santa Fe, 3000 Santa Fe Argentina
| | - Adolfo H. Beltzer
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (INALI-CONICET-UNL); Ciudad Universitaria s/n; Santa Fe, 3000 Santa Fe Argentina
| | - Pamela F. Olguin
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (INALI-CONICET-UNL); Ciudad Universitaria s/n; Santa Fe, 3000 Santa Fe Argentina
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24
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25
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Meza‐Joya FL, Torres M. Spatial diversity patterns of Pristimantis frogs in the Tropical Andes. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:1901-13. [PMID: 26929819 PMCID: PMC4759521 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Revised: 12/13/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Although biodiversity gradients have been widely documented, the factors governing broad-scale patterns in species richness are still a source of intense debate and interest in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. Here, we tested whether spatial hypotheses (species-area effect, topographic heterogeneity, mid-domain null model, and latitudinal effect) explain the pattern of diversity observed along the altitudinal gradient of Andean rain frogs of the genus Pristimantis. We compiled a gamma-diversity database of 378 species of Pristimantis from the tropical Andes, specifically from Colombia to Bolivia, using records collected above 500 m.a.s.l. Analyses were performed at three spatial levels: Tropical Andes as a whole, split in its two main domains (Northern and Central Andes), and split in its 11 main mountain ranges. Species richness, area, and topographic heterogeneity were calculated for each 500-m-width elevational band. Spatial hypotheses were tested using linear regression models. We examined the fit of the observed diversity to the mid-domain hypothesis using randomizations. The species richness of Pristimantis showed a hump-shaped pattern across most of the altitudinal gradients of the Tropical Andes. There was high variability in the relationship between area and species richness along the Tropical Andes. Correcting for area effects had little impact in the shape of the empirical pattern of biodiversity curves. Mid-domain models produced similar gradients in species richness relative to empirical gradients, but the fit varied among mountain ranges. The effect of topographic heterogeneity on species richness varied among mountain ranges. There was a significant negative relationship between latitude and species richness. Our findings suggest that spatial processes partially explain the richness patterns of Pristimantis frogs along the Tropical Andes. Explaining the current patterns of biodiversity in this hot spot may require further studies on other possible underlying mechanisms (e.g., historical, biotic, or climatic hypotheses) to elucidate the factors that limit the ranges of species along this elevational gradient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Leonardo Meza‐Joya
- Grupo de Estudios en BiodiversidadFacultad de Ciencias, Escuela de BiologíaUniversidad Industrial de SantanderBucaramanga680002Colombia
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Yang Z, Liu X, Zhou M, Ai D, Wang G, Wang Y, Chu C, Lundholm JT. The effect of environmental heterogeneity on species richness depends on community position along the environmental gradient. Sci Rep 2015; 5:15723. [PMID: 26508413 PMCID: PMC4623746 DOI: 10.1038/srep15723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental heterogeneity is among the most important factors governing community structure. Besides the widespread evidence supporting positive relationships between richness and environmental heterogeneity, negative and unimodal relationships have also been reported. However, few studies have attempted to test the role of the heterogeneity on species richness after removing the confounding effect of resource availability or environmental severity. Here we constructed an individual-based spatially explicit model incorporating a long-recognized tradeoff between competitive ability and stress-tolerance ability of species. We explored the impact of the level of resource availability (i.e. the position of the community along a gradient of environmental severity) on the heterogeneity-diversity relationship (HDR). The results indicate that the shape of HDR depends on the community position along the environmental gradient: at either end of the gradient of environmental severity, a positive HDR occurred, whereas at the intermediate levels of the gradient, a unimodal HDR emerged. Our exploration demonstrates that resource availability/environmental severity should be considered as a potential factor influencing the shape of the HDR. Our theoretical predictions represent hypotheses in need of further empirical study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Xueqi Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Mohua Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Dexiecuo Ai
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Gang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Youshi Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems, Research School of Arid Environment and Climate Change, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Chengjin Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
- SYSU-Alberta Joint Lab for Biodiversity Conservation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Jeremy T. Lundholm
- Department of Biology/Environmental Studies Program, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H3C3
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27
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Laanisto L, Sammul M, Kull T, Macek P, Hutchings MJ. Trait-based analysis of decline in plant species ranges during the 20th century: a regional comparison between the UK and Estonia. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2015; 21:2726-2738. [PMID: 25641681 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Although the distribution ranges and abundance of many plant species have declined dramatically in recent decades, detailed analysis of these changes and their cause have only become possible following the publication of second- and third-generation national distribution atlases. Decline can now be compared both between species and in different parts of species' ranges. We extracted data from distribution atlases to compare range persistence of 736 plant species common to both the UK and Estonia between survey periods encompassing almost the same years (1969 and 1999 in the UK and 1970 and 2004 in Estonia). We determined which traits were most closely associated with variation in species persistence, whether these were the same in each country, and the extent to which they explained differences in persistence between the countries. Mean range size declined less in Estonia than in the UK (24.3% vs. 30.3%). One-third of species in Estonia (239) maintained >90% of their distribution range compared with one-fifth (141) in the UK. In Estonia, 99 species lost >50% of their range compared with 127 species in the UK. Persistence was very positively related to original range in both countries. Major differences in species persistence between the studied countries were primarily determined by biogeographic (affiliation to floristic element) and ecoevolutionary (plant strategy) factors. In contrast, within-country persistence was most strongly determined by tolerance of anthropogenic activities. Decline of species in the families Orchidaceae and Potamogetonaceae was significantly greater in the UK than in Estonia. Almost all of the 736 common and native European plant species in our study are currently declining in their range due to pressure from anthropogenic activities. Those species with low tolerance of human activity, with biotic pollination vectors and in the families referred to above are the most vulnerable, especially where human population density is high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauri Laanisto
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Marek Sammul
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Tiiu Kull
- Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Petr Macek
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michael J Hutchings
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex, BN1 9QG, UK
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28
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Stein A, Kreft H. Terminology and quantification of environmental heterogeneity in species-richness research. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2014; 90:815-36. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2013] [Revised: 07/05/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anke Stein
- Biodiversity, Macroecology & Conservation Biogeography Group; University of Göttingen; Büsgenweg 1 37077 Göttingen Germany
| | - Holger Kreft
- Biodiversity, Macroecology & Conservation Biogeography Group; University of Göttingen; Büsgenweg 1 37077 Göttingen Germany
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29
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Guild-specific responses of avian species richness to LiDAR-derived habitat heterogeneity. ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2014.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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30
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Stein A, Gerstner K, Kreft H. Environmental heterogeneity as a universal driver of species richness across taxa, biomes and spatial scales. Ecol Lett 2014; 17:866-80. [PMID: 24751205 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 564] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2013] [Revised: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 03/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Environmental heterogeneity is regarded as one of the most important factors governing species richness gradients. An increase in available niche space, provision of refuges and opportunities for isolation and divergent adaptation are thought to enhance species coexistence, persistence and diversification. However, the extent and generality of positive heterogeneity-richness relationships are still debated. Apart from widespread evidence supporting positive relationships, negative and hump-shaped relationships have also been reported. In a meta-analysis of 1148 data points from 192 studies worldwide, we examine the strength and direction of the relationship between spatial environmental heterogeneity and species richness of terrestrial plants and animals. We find that separate effects of heterogeneity in land cover, vegetation, climate, soil and topography are significantly positive, with vegetation and topographic heterogeneity showing particularly strong associations with species richness. The use of equal-area study units, spatial grain and spatial extent emerge as key factors influencing the strength of heterogeneity-richness relationships, highlighting the pervasive influence of spatial scale in heterogeneity-richness studies. We provide the first quantitative support for the generality of positive heterogeneity-richness relationships across heterogeneity components, habitat types, taxa and spatial scales from landscape to global extents, and identify specific needs for future comparative heterogeneity-richness research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke Stein
- Biodiversity, Macroecology & Conservation Biogeography Group, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
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31
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Price JN, Gazol A, Tamme R, Hiiesalu I, Pärtel M. The functional assembly of experimental grasslands in relation to fertility and resource heterogeneity. Funct Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jodi N. Price
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences; University of Tartu; Lai 40 Tartu Estonia 51005 Australia
- School of Plant Biology; University of Western Australia; Crawley Perth WA 6009 Australia
| | - Antonio Gazol
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences; University of Tartu; Lai 40 Tartu Estonia 51005 Australia
| | - Riin Tamme
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences; University of Tartu; Lai 40 Tartu Estonia 51005 Australia
| | - Inga Hiiesalu
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences; University of Tartu; Lai 40 Tartu Estonia 51005 Australia
- Institute of Botany; Czech Academy of Sciences; Dukelská 135 37982 Třeboň Czech Republic
| | - Meelis Pärtel
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences; University of Tartu; Lai 40 Tartu Estonia 51005 Australia
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Gazol A, Tamme R, Price JN, Hiiesalu I, Laanisto L, Pärtel M. A negative heterogeneity-diversity relationship found in experimental grassland communities. Oecologia 2013; 173:545-55. [PMID: 23468237 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-013-2623-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2012] [Accepted: 02/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Recent meta-analyses and simulation studies have suggested that the relationship between soil resource heterogeneity and plant diversity (heterogeneity-diversity relationship; HDR) may be negative when heterogeneity occurs at small spatial scales. To explore different mechanisms that can explain a negative HDR, we conducted a mesocosm experiment combining a gradient of soil nutrient availability (low, medium, high) and scale of heterogeneity (homogeneous, large-scale heterogeneous, small-scale heterogeneous). The two heterogeneous treatments were created using chessboard combinations of low and high fertility patches, and had the same overall fertility as the homogeneous medium treatment. Soil patches were designed to be relatively larger (156 cm(2)) and smaller (39 cm(2)) than plant root extent. We found plant diversity was significantly lower in the small-scale heterogeneous treatment compared to the homogeneous treatment of the same fertility. Additionally, low fertility patches in the small-scale heterogeneous treatment had lower diversity than patches of the same size in the low fertility treatment. Shoot and root biomass were larger in the small-scale heterogeneous treatment than in the homogeneous treatment of the same fertility. Further, we found that soil resource heterogeneity may reduce diversity indirectly by increasing shoot biomass, thereby enhancing asymmetric competition for light resources. When soil resource heterogeneity occurs at small spatial scales it can lower plant diversity by increasing asymmetric competition belowground, since plants with large root systems can forage among patches and exploit soil resources. Additionally, small-scale soil heterogeneity may lower diversity indirectly, through increasing light competition, when nutrient uptake by competitive species increases shoot biomass production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Gazol
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai 40, 51005, Tartu, Estonia,
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