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Embracing scale‐dependence to achieve a deeper understanding of biodiversity and its change across communities
Author(s) -
Chase Jonathan M.,
McGill Brian J.,
McGlinn Daniel J.,
May Felix,
Blowes Shane A.,
Xiao Xiao,
Knight Tiffany M.,
Purschke Oliver,
Gotelli Nicholas J.
Publication year - 2018
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.13151
Subject(s) - biodiversity , rarefaction (ecology) , species richness , scale (ratio) , ecology , spatial ecology , beta diversity , geography , ranking (information retrieval) , gamma diversity , spatial variability , environmental resource management , environmental science , biology , statistics , cartography , mathematics , computer science , machine learning
Because biodiversity is multidimensional and scale‐dependent, it is challenging to estimate its change. However, it is unclear (1) how much scale‐dependence matters for empirical studies, and (2) if it does matter, how exactly we should quantify biodiversity change. To address the first question, we analysed studies with comparisons among multiple assemblages, and found that rarefaction curves frequently crossed, implying reversals in the ranking of species richness across spatial scales. Moreover, the most frequently measured aspect of diversity – species richness – was poorly correlated with other measures of diversity. Second, we collated studies that included spatial scale in their estimates of biodiversity change in response to ecological drivers and found frequent and strong scale‐dependence, including nearly 10% of studies which showed that biodiversity changes switched directions across scales. Having established the complexity of empirical biodiversity comparisons, we describe a synthesis of methods based on rarefaction curves that allow more explicit analyses of spatial and sampling effects on biodiversity comparisons. We use a case study of nutrient additions in experimental ponds to illustrate how this multi‐dimensional and multi‐scale perspective informs the responses of biodiversity to ecological drivers.