Diversity Patterns of Different Life Forms of Plants along an Elevational Gradient in Crete, Greece
Elevational gradients provide a unique opportunity to explore species responses to changing environmental conditions. Here, we focus on an elevational gradient in Crete, a climate-vulnerable Mediterranean plant biodiversity hotspot and explore the diversity patterns and underlying mechanisms of diff...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-10-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/10/200 |
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| author | Maria Lazarina Athanasios Charalampopoulos Maria Psaralexi Nikos Krigas Danai-Eleni Michailidou Athanasios S. Kallimanis Stefanos P. Sgardelis |
| author_facet | Maria Lazarina Athanasios Charalampopoulos Maria Psaralexi Nikos Krigas Danai-Eleni Michailidou Athanasios S. Kallimanis Stefanos P. Sgardelis |
| author_sort | Maria Lazarina |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Elevational gradients provide a unique opportunity to explore species responses to changing environmental conditions. Here, we focus on an elevational gradient in Crete, a climate-vulnerable Mediterranean plant biodiversity hotspot and explore the diversity patterns and underlying mechanisms of different plant life forms. We found that the significant differences in life forms’ elevational and environmental ranges are reflected in α- diversity (species richness at local scale), γ-diversity (species richness at regional scale) and β-diversity (variation in species composition). The α- and γ-diversity decreased with elevation, while β-diversity followed a hump-shaped relationship, with the peak varying between life forms. However, β-deviation (deviation from null expectations) varied significantly with elevation but was life formindependent. This suggests that species composition is shaped by the size of the available species pool which depends on life form, but also by other deterministic or stochastic processes that act in a similar way for different life forms. The strength of these processes varies with elevation, with hotter−drier conditions and increased human activities filtering species composition at lowlands and large-scale processes determining the species pool size overriding local ecological processes at higher elevations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T00:28:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3b475c5d6c914e9daa0907d392a39ba2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T00:28:39Z |
| publishDate | 2019-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-3b475c5d6c914e9daa0907d392a39ba22022-12-22T03:10:31ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182019-10-01111020010.3390/d11100200d11100200Diversity Patterns of Different Life Forms of Plants along an Elevational Gradient in Crete, GreeceMaria Lazarina0Athanasios Charalampopoulos1Maria Psaralexi2Nikos Krigas3Danai-Eleni Michailidou4Athanasios S. Kallimanis5Stefanos P. Sgardelis6Department of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceInstitute of Plant Breeding & Genetic Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization Demeter, GR-57001 Thermi-Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceDepartment of Ecology, School of Biology, Aristotle University, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, GreeceElevational gradients provide a unique opportunity to explore species responses to changing environmental conditions. Here, we focus on an elevational gradient in Crete, a climate-vulnerable Mediterranean plant biodiversity hotspot and explore the diversity patterns and underlying mechanisms of different plant life forms. We found that the significant differences in life forms’ elevational and environmental ranges are reflected in α- diversity (species richness at local scale), γ-diversity (species richness at regional scale) and β-diversity (variation in species composition). The α- and γ-diversity decreased with elevation, while β-diversity followed a hump-shaped relationship, with the peak varying between life forms. However, β-deviation (deviation from null expectations) varied significantly with elevation but was life formindependent. This suggests that species composition is shaped by the size of the available species pool which depends on life form, but also by other deterministic or stochastic processes that act in a similar way for different life forms. The strength of these processes varies with elevation, with hotter−drier conditions and increased human activities filtering species composition at lowlands and large-scale processes determining the species pool size overriding local ecological processes at higher elevations.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/10/200β-diversityspecies richnesselevationbioclimatic variableshuman land usesmediterranean |
| spellingShingle | Maria Lazarina Athanasios Charalampopoulos Maria Psaralexi Nikos Krigas Danai-Eleni Michailidou Athanasios S. Kallimanis Stefanos P. Sgardelis Diversity Patterns of Different Life Forms of Plants along an Elevational Gradient in Crete, Greece Diversity β-diversity species richness elevation bioclimatic variables human land uses mediterranean |
| title | Diversity Patterns of Different Life Forms of Plants along an Elevational Gradient in Crete, Greece |
| title_full | Diversity Patterns of Different Life Forms of Plants along an Elevational Gradient in Crete, Greece |
| title_fullStr | Diversity Patterns of Different Life Forms of Plants along an Elevational Gradient in Crete, Greece |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diversity Patterns of Different Life Forms of Plants along an Elevational Gradient in Crete, Greece |
| title_short | Diversity Patterns of Different Life Forms of Plants along an Elevational Gradient in Crete, Greece |
| title_sort | diversity patterns of different life forms of plants along an elevational gradient in crete greece |
| topic | β-diversity species richness elevation bioclimatic variables human land uses mediterranean |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/11/10/200 |
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