Rarity patterns of woody plant species are associated with life form and diversification rates in Pacific islands forests.

ABSTRACT:

Premise

Rarity is a complex and central concept in ecology and conservation biology. Yet, it is still poorly understood why some species are rare and others common. Here, we aimed to understand the drivers of species rarity patterns in woody plant communities.

Methods

We analyzed the local abundance and landscape frequency of 121 woody plant species across 238 plots on American Samoa and Hawaiian islands. We first assessed whether taxonomy, life form (shrub, small tree, large tree), and dispersal syndrome (dispersed by animals or by other means) are associated with the rarity of species. We then analyzed phylogenetic patterns in plant rarity and tested whether rarity patterns are associated with species evolutionary distinctiveness and the number of species within genera and

SUBMITTER: Ibanez T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9328433 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature