Patterns and determinants of species similarity decay of forest communities in the western Qinling Mountains

doi:10.17520/biods.2016220

Abstract

Abstract:

Although much research has focused on biodiversity in mountain regions, elevational patterns of community similarity (i.e. species turnover) and the underlying processes are still rarely discussed. In this study, based on field investigations of 28 forest communities in the western Qinling Mountains, we evaluated the combined effects of habitat divergence and geographical distance on patterns of similarity in species composition using Mantel tests and multiple regressions on distance matrices (MRM). We also compared the rates of similarity decay of different life forms with geographical distance using permutation tests. Results indicated that, for all three life forms, community similarity decreased significantly with elevational, geographical, and habitat distances. Geographical distance and habitat heterogeneity together explained 41.1%, 59.0% and 47.4% of variance in species composition of trees, shrubs and herbs, respectively, with geographical distance uniformly explaining more variance than habitat heterogeneity. Woody plants showed a faster decay in similarity with geographical distance than herbaceous species. These results suggest that, at the scale of our study, dispersal limitations and habitat filtering influence species composition together, and highlighted that dispersal limitation may play a more important role in structuring the forest communities of the western Qinling Mountains.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/SWDY201701002

Key words: dispersal limitation, habitat filtering, habitat heterogeneity, elevational gradient, community assembly, species turnover

Mingfei Zhao, Guoyi Wang, Kaixiong Xing, Yuhang Wang, Feng Xue, Muyi Kang, Kai Luo. Patterns and determinants of species similarity decay of forest communities in the western Qinling Mountains[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2017, 25(1): 3-10.

Figures/Tables 4

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解释变量 Explanatory variable	乔木 Tree	灌木 Shrub	草本 Herb
地理距离 Geographic distance	0.640^***	0.787^***	0.656^***
海拔距离 Elevational distance	0.674^***	0.647^***	0.586^***
坡向 Aspect	0.067	0.057	0.216^***
坡度 Slope	0.035	0.071	0.151^*
冠层厚度 Canopy thickness	0.060	-0.026	0.090
总胸高断面积 Total basal area	0.184^**	0.122	0.226^**
乔木密度 Tree density	-0.101	-0.197	-0.028
土壤深度 Soil depth	0.003	-0.080	0.024
凋落层厚度 Litter thickness	0.319^***	0.107	0.295^***
土壤有机碳 Soil organic C	0.355^***	0.300^***	0.440^***
土壤全氮 Soil total N	0.395^***	0.306^***	0.441^***
土壤全磷 Soil total P	0.214^**	0.210^***	0.265^***

解释变量 Explanatory variable	乔木 Tree	灌木 Shrub	草本 Herb
地理距离 Geographic distance	0.640^***	0.787^***	0.656^***
海拔距离 Elevational distance	0.674^***	0.647^***	0.586^***
坡向 Aspect	0.067	0.057	0.216^***
坡度 Slope	0.035	0.071	0.151^*
冠层厚度 Canopy thickness	0.060	-0.026	0.090
总胸高断面积 Total basal area	0.184^**	0.122	0.226^**
乔木密度 Tree density	-0.101	-0.197	-0.028
土壤深度 Soil depth	0.003	-0.080	0.024
凋落层厚度 Litter thickness	0.319^***	0.107	0.295^***
土壤有机碳 Soil organic C	0.355^***	0.300^***	0.440^***
土壤全氮 Soil total N	0.395^***	0.306^***	0.441^***
土壤全磷 Soil total P	0.214^**	0.210^***	0.265^***

空间变量 Spatial variables	生活型 Life form	灌木 Shrubs	草本 Herbs
海拔距离 Elevational distance	乔木 Tree	P < 0.001	P < 0.001
海拔距离 Elevational distance	灌木 Shrub	-	P = 0.006
地理距离 Geographical distance	乔木 Tree	P = 0.182	P < 0.001
地理距离 Geographical distance	灌木 Shrub	-	P < 0.001

空间变量 Spatial variables	生活型 Life form	灌木 Shrubs	草本 Herbs
海拔距离 Elevational distance	乔木 Tree	P < 0.001	P < 0.001
海拔距离 Elevational distance	灌木 Shrub	-	P = 0.006
地理距离 Geographical distance	乔木 Tree	P = 0.182	P < 0.001
地理距离 Geographical distance	灌木 Shrub	-	P < 0.001

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