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Temperature shapes opposing latitudinal gradients of plant taxonomic and phylogenetic β diversity
Author(s) -
McFadden Ian R.,
Sandel Brody,
Tsirogiannis Constantinos,
MoruetaHolme Naia,
Svenning JensChristian,
Enquist Brian J.,
Kraft Nathan J.B.
Publication year - 2019
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.13269
Subject(s) - species richness , temperate climate , phylogenetic diversity , ecology , phylogenetic tree , biology , tropics , biodiversity , beta diversity , species diversity , biochemistry , gene
Latitudinal and elevational richness gradients have received much attention from ecologists but there is little consensus on underlying causes. One possible proximate cause is increased levels of species turnover, or β diversity, in the tropics compared to temperate regions. Here, we leverage a large botanical dataset to map taxonomic and phylogenetic β diversity, as mean turnover between neighboring 100 × 100 km cells, across the Americas and determine key climatic drivers. We find taxonomic and tip‐weighted phylogenetic β diversity is higher in the tropics, but that basal‐weighted phylogenetic β diversity is highest in temperate regions. Supporting Janzen's ‘mountain passes’ hypothesis, tropical mountainous regions had higher β diversity than temperate regions for taxonomic and tip‐weighted metrics. The strongest climatic predictors of turnover were average temperature and temperature seasonality. Taken together, these results suggest β diversity is coupled to latitudinal richness gradients and that temperature is a major driver of plant community composition and change.