Using rarefaction to isolate the effects of patch size and sampling effort on beta diversity
Abstract Beta diversity describes how species composition varies across space and through time. Current estimators of beta diversity typically ignore the effects of within‐patch sample size, determined jointly by local abundance and sampling effort. Many ecological processes such as immigration, pre...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2016-12-01
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| Series: | Ecosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1612 |
| _version_ | 1828835338035920896 |
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| author | Adrian C. Stier Benjamin M. Bolker Craig W. Osenberg |
| author_facet | Adrian C. Stier Benjamin M. Bolker Craig W. Osenberg |
| author_sort | Adrian C. Stier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Beta diversity describes how species composition varies across space and through time. Current estimators of beta diversity typically ignore the effects of within‐patch sample size, determined jointly by local abundance and sampling effort. Many ecological processes such as immigration, predation, or nutrient limitation affect abundance and asymptotic beta diversity concurrently; thus, existing metrics may confound changes in asymptotic beta diversity with changes that result from differences in abundance or sampling. Results from a stochastic simulation model illustrate how decreasing within‐patch sample size may either increase or decrease observed beta diversity, depending on the type of metric, sample size, and community properties; these changes are easy to understand, and predict, by considering the effects of sampling on variance. A modified, patch‐level form of rarefaction controls for variation in within‐patch sample size; two case studies illustrate the utility of this approach. Studies seeking a mechanistic link between ecological process and beta diversity will continue to benefit from explicit consideration of sampling effects. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:59:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4fcad8e32ddd4125ba3a6ede23fb6fe0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2150-8925 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:59:08Z |
| publishDate | 2016-12-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-4fcad8e32ddd4125ba3a6ede23fb6fe02022-12-22T00:16:38ZengWileyEcosphere2150-89252016-12-01712n/an/a10.1002/ecs2.1612Using rarefaction to isolate the effects of patch size and sampling effort on beta diversityAdrian C. Stier0Benjamin M. Bolker1Craig W. Osenberg2Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology University of California Santa Barbara California 93106 USADepartments of Mathematics & Statistics and Biology McMaster University Hamilton Ontario L8S 4K1 CanadaOdum School of Ecology University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USAAbstract Beta diversity describes how species composition varies across space and through time. Current estimators of beta diversity typically ignore the effects of within‐patch sample size, determined jointly by local abundance and sampling effort. Many ecological processes such as immigration, predation, or nutrient limitation affect abundance and asymptotic beta diversity concurrently; thus, existing metrics may confound changes in asymptotic beta diversity with changes that result from differences in abundance or sampling. Results from a stochastic simulation model illustrate how decreasing within‐patch sample size may either increase or decrease observed beta diversity, depending on the type of metric, sample size, and community properties; these changes are easy to understand, and predict, by considering the effects of sampling on variance. A modified, patch‐level form of rarefaction controls for variation in within‐patch sample size; two case studies illustrate the utility of this approach. Studies seeking a mechanistic link between ecological process and beta diversity will continue to benefit from explicit consideration of sampling effects.https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1612beta diversitybiodiversityrarefactionsampling effects |
| spellingShingle | Adrian C. Stier Benjamin M. Bolker Craig W. Osenberg Using rarefaction to isolate the effects of patch size and sampling effort on beta diversity Ecosphere beta diversity biodiversity rarefaction sampling effects |
| title | Using rarefaction to isolate the effects of patch size and sampling effort on beta diversity |
| title_full | Using rarefaction to isolate the effects of patch size and sampling effort on beta diversity |
| title_fullStr | Using rarefaction to isolate the effects of patch size and sampling effort on beta diversity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using rarefaction to isolate the effects of patch size and sampling effort on beta diversity |
| title_short | Using rarefaction to isolate the effects of patch size and sampling effort on beta diversity |
| title_sort | using rarefaction to isolate the effects of patch size and sampling effort on beta diversity |
| topic | beta diversity biodiversity rarefaction sampling effects |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.1612 |
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