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Disentangling the drivers of local species richness using probabilistic species pools


Karger, Dirk Nikolaus; Wüest, Rafael O; König, Christian; Cabral, Juliano Sarmento; Weigelt, Patrick; Zimmermann, Niklaus E; Linder, Hans Peter (2020). Disentangling the drivers of local species richness using probabilistic species pools. Journal of Biogeography, 47(4):879-889.

Abstract

Aim

Local richness is a result of both regional richness and local site‐specific factors. We quantify the effects of different regional (dispersal, environmental filtering) and local (habitat selection) community assembly processes in the Cape reeds (Restionaceae) of the Cape flora and test if community assembly processes vary spatially.
Location

Southern Africa, Cape Floristic Region.
Taxon

Angiosperms, African Restionaceae (restios).
Methods

We calculate local probabilistic species pools, based on local species richness, dispersal rates and environmental filtering at a 4 km2 resolution. We then compare the relative contribution of the processes shaping the species pool spatially. Finally, we correlate observed species richness (based on 916 circular, 10 m diameter relevés) with the local species pools to test the explanatory power of additional local edaphic variables that could act as filters at very small scales.
Results

There is substantial spatial variation in the local probabilistic species pools. Within the central part of the Cape, the local pools are mostly influenced by environmental filtering, while along the periphery dispersal limitation dominates. Observed species richness is lower than the predicted species pool size, which forms an upper boundary of the potential species richness for a local site. Local, site‐specific edaphic factors help to explain the remaining differences between local species pool size and α‐richness.
Main conclusion

The analytical framework for inferring local probabilistic species pools provides a powerful tool for including the influence of regional species richness on variations in relevé α‐richness. This allows us to disentangle the various processes that operate at different spatial scales, and ultimately determine local restio species richness in the Cape Floristic Region.

Abstract

Aim

Local richness is a result of both regional richness and local site‐specific factors. We quantify the effects of different regional (dispersal, environmental filtering) and local (habitat selection) community assembly processes in the Cape reeds (Restionaceae) of the Cape flora and test if community assembly processes vary spatially.
Location

Southern Africa, Cape Floristic Region.
Taxon

Angiosperms, African Restionaceae (restios).
Methods

We calculate local probabilistic species pools, based on local species richness, dispersal rates and environmental filtering at a 4 km2 resolution. We then compare the relative contribution of the processes shaping the species pool spatially. Finally, we correlate observed species richness (based on 916 circular, 10 m diameter relevés) with the local species pools to test the explanatory power of additional local edaphic variables that could act as filters at very small scales.
Results

There is substantial spatial variation in the local probabilistic species pools. Within the central part of the Cape, the local pools are mostly influenced by environmental filtering, while along the periphery dispersal limitation dominates. Observed species richness is lower than the predicted species pool size, which forms an upper boundary of the potential species richness for a local site. Local, site‐specific edaphic factors help to explain the remaining differences between local species pool size and α‐richness.
Main conclusion

The analytical framework for inferring local probabilistic species pools provides a powerful tool for including the influence of regional species richness on variations in relevé α‐richness. This allows us to disentangle the various processes that operate at different spatial scales, and ultimately determine local restio species richness in the Cape Floristic Region.

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Additional indexing

Item Type:Journal Article, refereed, original work
Communities & Collections:07 Faculty of Science > Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany
07 Faculty of Science > Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center
Dewey Decimal Classification:580 Plants (Botany)
Scopus Subject Areas:Life Sciences > Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Physical Sciences > Ecology
Uncontrolled Keywords:Ecology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Language:English
Date:1 April 2020
Deposited On:13 Jan 2021 06:56
Last Modified:25 Nov 2023 02:42
Publisher:Wiley-Blackwell Publishing, Inc.
ISSN:0305-0270
OA Status:Green
Publisher DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.13763