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Global patterns of vascular plant alpha diversity

Author

Listed:
  • Francesco Maria Sabatini

    (German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig
    Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden
    Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna)

  • Borja Jiménez-Alfaro

    (Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden
    University of Oviedo, Campus de Mieres)

  • Ute Jandt

    (German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig
    Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden)

  • Milan Chytrý

    (Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany and Zoology)

  • Richard Field

    (University of Nottingham, School of Geography, University Park)

  • Michael Kessler

    (University of Zurich, Systematic and Evolutionary Botany)

  • Jonathan Lenoir

    (UMR CNRS 7058 “Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés” (EDYSAN), Université de Picardie Jules Verne)

  • Franziska Schrodt

    (University of Nottingham, School of Geography, University Park)

  • Susan K. Wiser

    (Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, Ecosystems and Conservation)

  • Mohammed A. S. Arfin Khan

    (Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, Akhalia)

  • Fabio Attorre

    (Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Environmental Biology)

  • Luis Cayuela

    (Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Department of Biology and Geology, Physics and Inorganic Chemistry)

  • Michele Sanctis

    (Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Environmental Biology)

  • Jürgen Dengler

    (Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Vegetation Ecology Group, Institute of Natural Resource Sciences (IUNR)
    University of Bayreuth, Plant Ecology, Bayreuth Center of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER))

  • Sylvia Haider

    (German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig
    Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden)

  • Mohamed Z. Hatim

    (Wageningen University and Research, Environmental Sciences Group (ESG) Department, Plant Ecology and Nature conservation Group (PEN), Wageningen Campus, Building 100 (Lumen)
    Tanta University, Faculty of Science, Botany & Microbiology Department, El-Geish st., Tanta University)

  • Adrian Indreica

    (Transilvania University of Brasov, Department of Silviculture)

  • Florian Jansen

    (University of Rostock, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)

  • Aníbal Pauchard

    (Universidad de Concepción, Laboratorio de Invasiones Biológicas (LIB). Facultad de Ciencias Forestales
    Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad (IEB))

  • Robert K. Peet

    (University of North Carolina, Department of Biology)

  • Petr Petřík

    (Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Department of Vegetation Ecology
    Faculty of Environment UJEP)

  • Valério D. Pillar

    (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Department of Ecology)

  • Brody Sandel

    (Santa Clara University, Department of Biology)

  • Marco Schmidt

    (Palmengarten Frankfurt, Scientific Service
    Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Data and Modelling Centre)

  • Zhiyao Tang

    (Peking University, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences)

  • Peter Bodegom

    (Leiden University)

  • Kiril Vassilev

    (Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Department of Plant and Fungal Diversity and Resources)

  • Cyrille Violle

    (CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD)

  • Esteban Alvarez-Davila

    (Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia, Escuela de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Ambientales, Sede Nacional, Cl. 14 Sur # 14-23)

  • Priya Davidar

    (Sigur Nature Trust, Chadapatti, Mavinhalla PO, Nilgiris)

  • Jiri Dolezal

    (Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Botany, Department of Vegetation Ecology
    University of South Bohemia)

  • Bruno Hérault

    (Cirad, UPR Forêts et Sociétés
    Université de Montpellier, UPR Forêts et Sociétés
    Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Département Forêts, Eaux, Environnement)

  • Antonio Galán-de-Mera

    (Universidad San Pablo-CEU, CEU Universities, Laboratorio de Botánica, Urbanización Montepríncipe)

  • Jorge Jiménez

    (Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, Escuela de Biología, Ciudad Universitaria)

  • Stephan Kambach

    (Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden)

  • Sebastian Kepfer-Rojas

    (University of Copenhagen, Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management)

  • Holger Kreft

    (University of Göttingen, Biodiversity, Macroecology & Biogeography
    University of Göttingen, Centre of Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL))

  • Felipe Lezama

    (Universidad de la República, Departamento de Sistemas ambientales, Facultad de Agronomía)

  • Reynaldo Linares-Palomino

    (Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute)

  • Abel Monteagudo Mendoza

    (Universidad Nacional de San Antonio Abad del Cusco
    Jardín Botánico de Missouri Oxapampa)

  • Justin K. N’Dja

    (Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Laboratoire de Botanique, Campus de Cocody)

  • Oliver L. Phillips

    (University of Leeds, School of Geography, Woodhouse Lane)

  • Gonzalo Rivas-Torres

    (Estación de Biodiversidad Tiputini, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ)

  • Petr Sklenář

    (Charles University, Department of Botany)

  • Karina Speziale

    (INIBOMA (CONICET-UNCOMA), Department of Ecology)

  • Ben J. Strohbach

    (Namibia University of Science and Technlogy, Biodiversity Research Center, Faculty of Natural Resources and Spatial Sciences)

  • Rodolfo Vásquez Martínez

    (Jardín Botánico de Missouri Oxapampa)

  • Hua-Feng Wang

    (Hainan University)

  • Karsten Wesche

    (German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig
    Senckenberg Museum of Natural History
    International Institute Zittau, Technische Universität Dresden)

  • Helge Bruelheide

    (German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig
    Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden)

Abstract

Global patterns of regional (gamma) plant diversity are relatively well known, but whether these patterns hold for local communities, and the dependence on spatial grain, remain controversial. Using data on 170,272 georeferenced local plant assemblages, we created global maps of alpha diversity (local species richness) for vascular plants at three different spatial grains, for forests and non-forests. We show that alpha diversity is consistently high across grains in some regions (for example, Andean-Amazonian foothills), but regional ‘scaling anomalies’ (deviations from the positive correlation) exist elsewhere, particularly in Eurasian temperate forests with disproportionally higher fine-grained richness and many African tropical forests with disproportionally higher coarse-grained richness. The influence of different climatic, topographic and biogeographical variables on alpha diversity also varies across grains. Our multi-grain maps return a nuanced understanding of vascular plant biodiversity patterns that complements classic maps of biodiversity hotspots and will improve predictions of global change effects on biodiversity.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Maria Sabatini & Borja Jiménez-Alfaro & Ute Jandt & Milan Chytrý & Richard Field & Michael Kessler & Jonathan Lenoir & Franziska Schrodt & Susan K. Wiser & Mohammed A. S. Arfin Khan & Fabio , 2022. "Global patterns of vascular plant alpha diversity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-32063-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32063-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Cited by:

    1. Stephan Kambach & Francesco Maria Sabatini & Fabio Attorre & Idoia Biurrun & Gerhard Boenisch & Gianmaria Bonari & Andraž Čarni & Maria Laura Carranza & Alessandro Chiarucci & Milan Chytrý & Jürgen De, 2023. "Climate-trait relationships exhibit strong habitat specificity in plant communities across Europe," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Tiago Conto & John Armston & Ralph Dubayah, 2024. "Characterizing the structural complexity of the Earth’s forests with spaceborne lidar," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Asa'a, S. & Reher, T. & Rongé, J. & Diels, J. & Poortmans, J. & Radhakrishnan, H.S. & van der Heide, A. & Van de Poel, B. & Daenen, M., 2024. "A multidisciplinary view on agrivoltaics: Future of energy and agriculture," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    4. Wan-Yi Zhao & Zhong-Cheng Liu & Shi Shi & Jie-Lan Li & Ke-Wang Xu & Kang-You Huang & Zhi-Hui Chen & Ya-Rong Wang & Cui-Ying Huang & Yan Wang & Jing-Rui Chen & Xian-Ling Sun & Wen-Xing Liang & Wei Guo , 2024. "Landform and lithospheric development contribute to the assembly of mountain floras in China," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Aneta Nowakowska-Krystman & Marek Sośnicki & Beata Burchert-Perlińska, 2022. "Globalne uwarunkowania funkcjonowania systemu energetycznego," Nowoczesne Systemy Zarządzania. Modern Management Systems, Military University of Technology, Faculty of Security, Logistics and Management, Institute of Organization and Management, issue 4, pages 111-130.
    6. Pengfa Li & Leho Tedersoo & Thomas W. Crowther & Baozhan Wang & Yu Shi & Lu Kuang & Ting Li & Meng Wu & Ming Liu & Lu Luan & Jia Liu & Dongzhen Li & Yongxia Li & Songhan Wang & Muhammad Saleem & Alex , 2023. "Global diversity and biogeography of potential phytopathogenic fungi in a changing world," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.

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