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Differences in Beta Diversity Between Exotic and Native Grasslands Vary with Scale Along a Latitudinal Gradient Leanne M Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Publications 4-2015 Differences in Beta Diversity Between Exotic and Native Grasslands Vary with Scale Along a Latitudinal Gradient Leanne M. Martin Iowa State University Brian J. Wilsey Iowa State University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/eeob_ag_pubs Part of the Biodiversity Commons, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, and the Plant Breeding and Genetics Commons The ompc lete bibliographic information for this item can be found at http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ eeob_ag_pubs/88. For information on how to cite this item, please visit http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/ howtocite.html. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Publications by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Differences in Beta Diversity Between Exotic and Native Grasslands Vary with Scale Along a Latitudinal Gradient Abstract Biodiversity can be partitioned into alpha, beta, and gamma components, and beta diversity is not as clearly understood. Biotic homogenization predicts that exotic species should lower beta diversity at global and continental scales, but it is still unclear how exotic species impact beta diversity at smaller scales. Exotic species could theoretically increase or decrease beta diversity relative to natives depending on many factors, including abiotic conditions, community assembly history, management, dispersal rates of species, and connectivity among patches. We sampled plant species abundances in 42 novel, exotic- and native-dominated (remnant) grasslands across a latitudinal gradient in the tallgrass prairie region, and tested whether exotic and native grasslands differed in beta diversity at three scales: across sites within the entire biome, across sites within regions, and across locations within sites. Exotic-dominated grasslands differed from native-dominated grasslands in beta diversity at all scales, but the direction of the difference changed from positive to negative as scales went from large to small. Contrary to expectations, exotic-dominated grasslands had higher beta diversity than native-dominated grasslands at the largest scale considered. This occurred because the identity of dominant exotic species varied across the latitudinal gradient, with many exotic grassland pairs exhibiting zero similarity, whereas native-dominated grasslands differed more gradually with distance. Beta diversity among sites within a region was variable, with exotic-dominated grasslands having 29% higher beta diversity than native grasslands in the south and 33% lower beta diversity in the north. Within sites, beta diversity was 26% lower in exotic-dominated than native grasslands. Our results provide evidence that different regional identities and abundances of exotics, and lack of connectivity in fragmented landscapes can alter beta diversity in unexpected ways across spatial scales. Keywords alpha diversity, beta diversity, exotic species, gamma diversity, grasslands, homogenization, invasive species, native species, tallgrass prairie R Disciplines Biodiversity | Ecology and Evolutionary Biology | Plant Breeding and Genetics Comments This article is from Ecology 96 (2015): 1042-1051, doi:10.1890/14-0772.1. Posted with permission. This article is available at Iowa State University Digital Repository: http://lib.dr.iastate.edu/eeob_ag_pubs/88 Ecology, 96(4), 2015, pp. 1042–1051 Ó 2015 by the Ecological Society of America Differences in beta diversity between exotic and native grasslands vary with scale along a latitudinal gradient 1 LEANNE M. MARTIN AND BRIAN J. WILSEY Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, 253 Bessey Hall, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011 USA Abstract. Biodiversity can be partitioned into alpha, beta, and gamma components, and beta diversity is not as clearly understood. Biotic homogenization predicts that exotic species should lower beta diversity at global and continental scales, but it is still unclear how exotic species impact beta diversity at smaller scales. Exotic species could theoretically increase or decrease beta diversity relative to natives depending on many factors, including abiotic conditions, community assembly history, management, dispersal rates of species, and connectivity among patches. We sampled plant species abundances in 42 novel, exotic- and native-dominated (remnant) grasslands across a latitudinal gradient in the tallgrass prairie region, and tested whether exotic and native grasslands differed in beta diversity at three scales: across sites within the entire biome, across sites within regions, and across locations within sites. Exotic-dominated grasslands differed from native-dominated grasslands in beta diversity at all scales, but the direction of the difference changed from positive to negative as scales went from large to small. Contrary to expectations, exotic-dominated grasslands had higher beta diversity than native-dominated grasslands at the largest scale considered. This occurred because the identity of dominant exotic species varied across the latitudinal gradient, with many exotic grassland pairs exhibiting zero similarity, whereas native-dominated grasslands differed more gradually with distance. Beta diversity among sites within a region was variable, with exotic-dominated grasslands having 29% higher beta diversity than native grasslands in the south and 33% lower beta diversity in the north. Within sites, beta diversity was 26% lower in exotic-dominated than native grasslands. Our results provide evidence that different regional identities and abundances of exotics, and lack of connectivity in fragmented landscapes can alter beta diversity in unexpected ways across spatial scales. Key words: alpha diversity; beta diversity; exotic species; gamma diversity; grasslands; homogeniza- tion; invasive species; native species; tallgrass prairie. INTRODUCTION composition can change due to species sorting according Species diversity can be partitioned into alpha, beta, to abiotic conditions, such as soil types or climates. and gamma components in order to understand how Second, differences in assembly history, in which timing species diversity varies at multiple scales across space and arrival order of plant species vary within an (Whittaker 1960). Alpha (local) diversity and gamma environment, can alter beta diversity (Chase 2003, (regional) diversity are commonly measured, but beta Questad and Foster 2008, Martin and Wilsey 2012). diversity is not as clearly understood. Beta diversity, Patches within an area that have the same assembly defined as turnover or patchiness in species identities history should have lower beta diversity, whereas and abundances across space, provides us with the basic patches that differ in their history should have higher understanding of how species are distributed, as well as beta diversity. Third, animal activities, such as grazing, how alpha and gamma diversity are related (e.g., urine deposition, or digging, can alter plant species Whittaker 1960, Olden and Poff 2003, Novotny et al. composition among patches and increase beta diversity 2007, Wilsey 2010, Anderson et al. 2011, Leprieur et al. (Steinauer and Collins 1995). Fourth, metacommunity 2011). theory predicts that dispersal rates and connectivity of Beta diversity of plant communities can, theoretically, habitat patches can influence beta diversity (Wilson vary depending on many factors (e.g., Loreau 2000, 1992, Leibold et al. 2004). Dispersal rates and connec- Chase 2003, Soininen et al. 2007). First, community tivity are inversely related to beta diversity (Loreau 2000, Soininen et al. 2007, Qian 2009) such that species Manuscript received 22 April 2014; revised 4 September with greater numbers of propagules with more time to 2014; accepted 17 September 2014. Corresponding Editor: disperse among connected sites should, theoretically, N. J. B. Kraft. lower beta diversity by occupying more habitat patches 1 Present address: Kansas Biological Survey, 2101 Con- stant Avenue, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66047 (all other things being equal). All of these factors can USA. E-mail: [email protected] interact, such that abiotic conditions and assembly 1042 April 2015 EXOTIC AND NATIVE BETA DIVERSITY DIFFERS 1043 history can both alter community composition and beta which homogenization vs. differentiation occurs. Our diversity. lack of understanding of how exotics are altering One human impact with the potential to alter these patterns of beta diversity at multiple, finer scales is determinants of beta diversity is introduction of multiple unfortunate, because these are scales at which manage- exotic (non-native) plant species (Hobbs et al. 2006). ment decisions take place (Gering et al. 2003, Martin et The usual prediction is that exotic species should al. 2005, Wilsey et al. 2005). homogenize biota at broad (continental and global) Understanding how exotic species are impacting beta spatial extents. However, to understand whether exotic diversity at multiple scales is important. Beta diversity species can homogenize biota, one must first examine the declined with latitude (e.g., Hillebrand 2004, Soininen et level of beta diversity that exists for native species at
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