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Region effects influence local tree species diversity.

Robert E Ricklefs¹, Fangliang He²

¹Department of Biology, University of Missouri, St. Louis, MO 63121-4499; ricklefs@umsl.edu fhe@ualberta.ca.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|January 7, 2016

Summary

Regional processes significantly impact forest tree species richness globally, influencing local diversity beyond climate. Large-scale factors shape regional biodiversity, interacting with local conditions to determine species coexistence.

Keywords:

climate effect forest dynamics plots global biodiversity latitudinal gradient tree species richness

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Biodiversity Science
Forest Ecology

Background:

Global biodiversity patterns arise from complex interactions between regional and local processes.
The relative influence of local ecological limits versus regional factors (production, dispersal, extinction) on species coexistence remains unclear.
Previous research faced challenges distinguishing regional from local effects due to sampling limitations and environmental heterogeneity.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the influence of regional processes on local forest tree species richness.
To determine the extent to which regional effects explain global variations in tree diversity, independent of local climate.

Main Methods:

Utilized a global dataset of 47 forest plots.
Analyzed species richness data in relation to regional and local environmental factors.
Employed statistical methods to differentiate regional and local influences on biodiversity.

Main Results:

Demonstrated significant region effects on forest tree diversity, accounting for local climate.
Showcased that regional and local factors together explain over 92% of global variation in tree species richness.
Confirmed that large-scale processes significantly influence local species composition.

Conclusions:

Regional processes play a crucial role in shaping local forest tree diversity.
Understanding large-scale drivers is essential for predicting and managing global biodiversity patterns.
Local species richness is a product of both regional influences and local ecological interactions.