Testing the environmental filtering concept in global drylands.

ABSTRACT: 1. The environmental filtering hypothesis predicts that the abiotic environment selects species with similar trait values within communities. Testing this hypothesis along multiple - and interacting - gradients of climate and soil variables constitutes a great opportunity to better understand and predict the responses of plant communities to ongoing environmental changes. 2. Based on two key plant traits, maximum plant height and specific leaf area (SLA), we assessed the filtering effects of climate (mean annual temperature and precipitation, precipitation seasonality), soil characteristics (soil pH, sand content and total phosphorus) and all potential interactions on the functional structure and diversity of 124 dryland communities spread over the globe. The functional structure and diver

SUBMITTER: Le Bagousse-Pinguet Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5476209 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature