Soil properties drive a negative correlation between species diversity and genetic diversity in a tropical seasonal rainforest.

ABSTRACT: A negative species-genetic diversity correlation (SGDC) could be predicted by the niche variation hypothesis, whereby an increase in species diversity within community reduces the genetic diversity of the co-occurring species because of the reduction in average niche breadth; alternatively, competition could reduce effective population size and therefore genetic diversity of the species within community. We tested these predictions within a 20 ha tropical forest dynamics plot (FDP) in the Xishuangbanna tropical seasonal rainforest. We established 15 plots within the FDP and investigated the soil properties, tree diversity, and genetic diversity of a common tree species Beilschmiedia roxburghiana within each plot. We observed a significant negative correlation between tree diversity and the

SUBMITTER: Xu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4748317 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature