Low functional β-diversity despite high taxonomic β-diversity among tropical estuarine fish communities.

ABSTRACT: The concept of β-diversity, defined as dissimilarity among communities, has been widely used to investigate biodiversity patterns and community assembly rules. However, in ecosystems with high taxonomic β-diversity, due to marked environmental gradients, the level of functional β-diversity among communities is largely overlooked while it may reveal processes shaping community structure. Here, decomposing biodiversity indices into α (local) and γ (regional) components, we estimated taxonomic and functional β-diversity among tropical estuarine fish communities, through space and time. We found extremely low functional β-diversity values among fish communities (<1.5%) despite high dissimilarity in species composition and species dominance. Additionally, in contrast to the high α and γ taxonom

SUBMITTER: Villeger S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3392234 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature