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Species packing and the latitudinal gradient in beta-diversity
Ke Cao1,2, Richard Condit3,4, Xiangcheng Mi1
1State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|April 14, 2021
Summary
Tropical forests show higher beta-diversity than temperate forests, contributing to the latitudinal species richness gradient. This is driven by niche specialization and broader niche space, highlighting the role of local ecological processes.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Biodiversity Science
- Forest Ecology
Background:
- Latitudinal gradients in species richness are fundamental ecological patterns.
- The contribution of species turnover (beta-diversity) to overall species richness (gamma-diversity) across latitudes is debated.
- Previous studies were limited by sampling biases that inflated beta-diversity in high gamma-diversity areas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of beta-diversity in the latitudinal species richness gradient.
- To compare beta-diversity and species packing across a latitudinal gradient in East Asian forests.
- To test if niche specialization and niche marginality explain patterns in beta-diversity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized novel analytical tests with beta-diversity metrics corrected for gamma-diversity and sampling biases.
- Analyzed data from 21 large forest plots spanning a significant environmental gradient in East Asia.
- Controlled for topographical heterogeneity and environmental factors.
Main Results:
- Tropical forests exhibit higher beta-diversity than temperate forests, even after correcting for biases.
- Beta-diversity significantly contributes to the latitudinal gradient in gamma-diversity.
- Niche specialization and niche marginality increase towards the equator, independent of topography.
Conclusions:
- Beta-diversity is a key component driving the latitudinal species richness gradient.
- Both niche specialization and niche marginality are crucial for understanding tropical biodiversity.
- Local ecological processes play a significant role in regulating beta-diversity.
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