[en] Studying beta diversity, or the variation in species composition among communities, can give insights into plant community assembly over space and time. If different biomes show contrasting large‐scale beta‐diversity patterns, this can indicate divergent evolutionary histories or ecological processes that then drive species turnover among communities. Here, we examine phylogenetic beta‐diversity patterns across Africa in forest and savanna assemblages, the two most widespread tropical biomes on the continent. We hypothesise that savannas will show lower phylogenetic beta diversity due to their younger evolutionary history.LocationTropical Africa.TaxonWoody angiosperms. We gathered 301,159 occurrences of woody angiosperms representing 1883 forest species and 1302 savanna species. We compared levels of phylogenetic beta diversity between forest and savanna assemblages, analysed spatial patterns of phylogenetic beta diversity using 1° grid cells and modelled their relationship with climate, disturbance and geographical distance. We found that savannas show greater relative regional phylogenetic beta diversity, whereas forest assemblages show greater relative local phylogenetic beta diversity. The spatial distribution of beta diversity showed strong East–West patterns for both forests and savannas, aligned with a major floristic discontinuity associated with the Albertine rift. Our results also highlighted West Africa as showing a high amount of compositional change for both biomes, arranged along an aridity gradient. Variance partitioning showed that predictors linked to precipitation were the main drivers of compositional change for both forests and savannas, but the importance of individual predictors was different in each biome. Contrary to our expectations, our results indicate that savannas may have a deeper and richer evolutionary history than suggested by previous studies and that individual regions of both forest and savanna have high conservation value. Finally, our results demonstrate that environmental filtering is the dominant force influencing the assembly of these two important biomes at a continental spatial scale.
Disciplines :
Environmental sciences & ecology
Author, co-author :
Rees, Mathew ; School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK ; Taxonomy and Macroecology Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
Fayolle, Adeline ; Université de Liège - ULiège > TERRA Research Centre > Gestion des ressources forestières ; Forêts et Sociétés Université de Montpellier, CIRAD Montpellier Cedex 5 France
Godlee, John L.; School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
Gorel, Anaïs ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Gestion des ressources forestières
Harris, David J.; Taxonomy and Macroecology Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
Dexter, Kyle G.; School of GeoSciences University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK ; Taxonomy and Macroecology Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh Edinburgh UK ; Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology University of Turin Turin Italy
Language :
English
Title :
Patterns and Drivers of Phylogenetic Beta Diversity in the Forests and Savannas of Africa
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