Premium
Facilitative plant interactions and climate simultaneously drive alpine plant diversity
Author(s) -
Cavieres Lohengrin A.,
Brooker Rob W.,
Butterfield Bradley J.,
Cook Bradley J.,
Kikvidze Zaal,
Lortie Christopher J.,
Michalet Richard,
Pugnaire Francisco I.,
Schöb Christian,
Xiao Sa,
Anthelme Fabien,
Björk Robert G.,
Dickinson Katharine J. M.,
Cranston Brittany H.,
Gavilán Rosario,
GutiérrezGirón Alba,
Kanka Robert,
Maalouf JeanPaul,
Mark Alan F.,
Noroozi Jalil,
Parajuli Rabindra,
Phoenix Gareth K.,
Reid Anya M.,
Ridenour Wendy M.,
Rixen Christian,
Wipf Sonja,
Zhao Liang,
Escudero Adrián,
Zaitchik Benjamin F.,
Lingua Emanuele,
Aschehoug Erik T.,
Callaway Ragan M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
ecology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.852
H-Index - 265
eISSN - 1461-0248
pISSN - 1461-023X
DOI - 10.1111/ele.12217
Subject(s) - species richness , ecology , biodiversity , ecosystem , climate change , species diversity , diversity (politics) , ecosystem diversity , gamma diversity , environmental science , biology , alpha diversity , geography , sociology , anthropology
Interactions among species determine local‐scale diversity, but local interactions are thought to have minor effects at larger scales. However, quantitative comparisons of the importance of biotic interactions relative to other drivers are rarely made at larger scales. Using a data set spanning 78 sites and five continents, we assessed the relative importance of biotic interactions and climate in determining plant diversity in alpine ecosystems dominated by nurse‐plant cushion species. Climate variables related with water balance showed the highest correlation with richness at the global scale. Strikingly, although the effect of cushion species on diversity was lower than that of climate, its contribution was still substantial. In particular, cushion species enhanced species richness more in systems with inherently impoverished local diversity. Nurse species appear to act as a ‘safety net’ sustaining diversity under harsh conditions, demonstrating that climate and species interactions should be integrated when predicting future biodiversity effects of climate change.