北京人工刺槐林化学元素含量特征

 31年生人工刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia)林内各种植物的化学元素含量以C素最高,尤以刺槐树干中C含量多。N和Ca在刺槐叶片中含量大。丛生隐子草(Cleistogenes caespitosa)地上部分含K量高于林内其他植物。Fe在荆条(Vitex negundo var．heterophylla)叶片中含量较多。Al和Na在植物细根中含量为大。酸枣(Zizyphus jujuba var．spinosa) 叶中含有较高的Mg和Mn。 刺槐林的乔木、灌木、草本层化学元素积累量以C>Ca>N> K>Mg>P>Fe>Al>Na>Mn>Cu>Zn为序。灌木层化学元素积累量除C和Ca以外,均高于乔木层。对比地表枯枝落叶层化学元素总量与人工林元素的积累量,以Na的比值最高,Ca、Mn、Fe、Zn比值次之,元素归还量都较大。P比值较低,归还量较少。刺槐林土壤化学元素贮存量是以Ca>N>Mg>Fe>K>P>Na>Mn>Al>Zn>Cu为序。植物对土壤中化学元素的富集系数以K、Al和P较高。人工林元素积累量与土壤元素贮存量之比,亦以K、P、Al比值较高。可见土壤中的K、P和Al相对是不足的。     

文冠果叶片养分元素含量的动态变化及再吸收特性

以文冠果叶片为试材,运用原子吸收光谱法分析了叶片养分元素含量的季节动态变化和再吸收效率。结果表明：N、P、K均呈下降趋势,是“稀释效应”和养分再吸收导致;Mg呈“单峰”曲线走势,与Mg的生理功能有关;Fe、Mn呈“V”字型走势,Cu呈“W”型,Zn呈“N”型,与树体吸收特性和不同的物候期有关。总体来看,养分元素含量顺序是：N>P>K>Mg>Fe>Zn>Mn>Cu,且不同时期又有所不同。大量元素之间存在显著的相关关系;微量元素间相关关系不显著（Fe、Zn除外）,Fe与N显著负相关,与拮抗作用有关。C/N呈升高趋势,差异显著;N/P呈降低趋势,差别不大。养分再吸收效率由大到小的顺序是：Mg>N>K>P,差异显著。微量元素由于移动性较差,不能被再吸收。N、P、K、Mg养分再吸收效率反映了文冠果较高的养分保存能力和养分利用效率。     

北京人工侧柏林的化学元素含量特征

31年生人工侧柏（Platycladus orientalis)林内,侧柏各器官中以有机C含量最高,Ga的浓度亦大,其次为N,K,Mg,P的浓度较低,Fe的浓度相对较高,除C和Al外,大部分元素在侧柏叶中含量较多,各种灌木叶的元素浓度均高于茎,还明显地高于侧柏叶,侧柏乔木层元素积累量是以地上部分高于地下部分,51％的C被积累在树干内,其他元素在叶部最高。灌木层元素积累量除N以外,均以地下部分高于地上部分,人工林C的积累量为17000kg/ha,Ca为400kg/ha,N为104kg/ha,K为87kg/ha,Mg为30kg/ha,Al,P,Fe为11－16kg/ha,Na为2．5Ka/ha,Mn,Cu,Zn小于1kg/ha, 乔木和灌木层化学元素存留量以C最高,在乔木层Ca的存留量次之,N,K,更次之,灌木层N的存留量高于Cat K,侧柏林的元素存留量C约2700kg/ha.a,Ca 为70kg/ha.a,N和K为15－20kg/ha.a,P,F,A,M 2－5g/ha.a,其他元素存留量不到1kg/ha.a,土壤中化学元素贮存量是C＞Ca>N>Fe>Mg>K>P>Na>Al,Mn>Cu>Zn。在相同土壤条件下,各种植物对土壤元素的富集系数不同,各种灌木的元素富集系数均高于侧柏,侧柏林元素积累量,存留量与土壤元素贮存量之间具极显著相关,它们的相关系数分别为R＝0．9723（P＜0．001,n=11)和R＝0．9765(P<0.001,n=11),侧柏林对元素的需要量是C＞Ca>N>K>Mg>Fe>P>Al>Na>Mn>Cu>Zn。     

广西马尾松人工林对重金属元素的吸收、累积及动态

探讨了广西马尾松人工林对重金属Cu、Zn、Mn、Pb、Ni、cd元素的吸收、累积及动态。结果表明:马尾松林地土壤层(0~60 cm)中重金属元素Cu、Zn、Mn、Pd、Ni、Cd的平均含量,分别为23.02,24.46,235.46,5.93.8.45和0.14 mg·kg-1,储量大小依次为Mn>Zn>Cu>Ni>Pb>Cd。马尾松林不同组分中,重金属元素的含量范围分别为Cu 2.97-13.47,Zn 12.09-42.93,Mn 143.14-751.78,Pd 2.87-25.12,Ni 0.19-25.05和Cd 0.16~1.24 mg·kg-1,对土壤6种重金属元素富集能力的大小依次为Cd>Mn>Pb>Zn>Ni>Cu。马尾松林中,重金属元素的总储量为39.791kg·hm-2,其中Mn、Zn、Pb、Cu、Cd、Ni元素的储量分别为34.047,3.351,1.226,0.874,0.245,0.084 kg·hm-2,各组分中重金属元素储量的空间分布为干>皮>根>叶>枝。Cu、Zn、Mn、Pd、Ni、Cd的周转期分别为13.9、7.0、3.1、20.4、2.1、12 a,流动系数为Ni>Mn>Zn>Cd>Cu>Pb。     

寿竹笋的营养成分研究

为了促进寿竹资源的开发和利用,我们对不同出土高度寿竹笋的营养成分进行研究,探讨了寿竹笋的竹笋品质及其利用价值。寿竹笋的基本营养成分随出土高度不同具有一定的差异。在10 cm以下出土高度时,寿竹笋的维生素C、蛋白质、糖分等基本营养成分以及Ca、Fe、Mn等矿质元素的含量均为最高,其蛋白质的营养价值也最高。常量元素的含量依次是K>Ca>Mg>Na,微量元素含量依次是Zn>Fe>Mn>Cu,除Mn元素外其余矿质元素随笋龄的增加均未呈现明显的规律性变化。寿竹笋的含水率、VC含量、粗蛋白、总糖、灰分含量以及氨基酸总量、必需氨基酸和鲜味氨基酸的含量均高于相同出土高度的毛竹笋,其蛋白质的营养价值也远高于毛竹笋。结果表明,寿竹笋最佳采摘的出土高度为10cm以下;寿竹笋的营养物质丰富、笋味鲜美,具有极高的营养价值和保健功能。     

茎瘤芥不同生长期植株营养特性及其与产量的关系

在涪陵区选取30个茎瘤芥种植农户,采用大田调查和室内化学分析方法,研究了茎瘤芥不同生长期（苗期、快速膨大期、采收期）叶片和茎瘤10种必需营养元素含量的变化特征及其与产量的关系。结果表明：茎瘤芥在整个生育期内,除K、S含量较高外,其余大、微量元素均在大多植物含量范围内;不同生育期茎瘤芥叶片、茎瘤中各养分含量变化具有明显的规律性,苗期叶片大量元素含量次序为N>K>Ca>P>S>Mg,快速膨大期和采收期叶片大量元素含量次序均为N>K>Ca>S>P>Mg,茎瘤中大量元素含量次序均为K>N>P>S>Ca>Mg,3个生长期叶片和茎瘤的微量元素含量,除快速膨大期茎瘤中略有不同（Fe>Zn>Mn>Cu）外,其余均为Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu;从苗期到快速膨大期再到采收期养分变化规律看,叶片中N、P、K、Fe、Cu和Zn含量呈降低趋势,而Ca、Mg、S和Mn则呈现先降低后升高的趋势,从快速膨大期到采收期茎瘤中除N、S、Fe和Cu元素呈降低趋势外,其余养分元素均呈上升趋势。从茎瘤芥不同器官养分含量高低看,快速膨大期和采收期叶片中N、P、K、Cu和Zn含量较茎瘤中低,而Ca、Fe和Mn含量的变化特点则相反,S和Mg差异较小,表明茎瘤芥不同部位对不同养分的敏感程度各异。相关分析表明,各生育期不同器官的Mg、Fe、Mn和Zn与产量呈显著或极显著的负相关关系,K、Cu与产量呈正的相关关系。通过逐步回归分析建立茎瘤芥各生育期植株营养元素与产量的回归预测模型,其中苗期叶片营养元素与产量的最优回归方程为Y= 36768 3583XK-6.328XFe-76.09XMn;快速膨大期叶片和茎瘤营养元素与产量的最优回归方程分别为Y=50458 21557XP 7925XCa-88092XMg-1145XCu和Y=32487 7294XK-116122XMg;采收期叶片和茎瘤营养元素与产量的最优回归方程分别为Y=36064 3413XK-30.15XFe和Y= 11791 7334XK-385XZn。因此,在茎瘤芥各生长期均应注意钾肥的合理施用,快速膨大期应重视磷肥的施用。而几种微量元素和镁素对茎瘤芥产量的负效应,则可通过增施充分腐熟的有机肥料加以调控。     

不同年龄阶段马尾松人工林养分循环的研究

 对马尾松(Pinus massoniana)人工林内N、P、K、Ca、Mg 5种养分元素的含量、积累、分配和生物循环以及它们随林分年龄的变化趋势进行了研究。结果表明：针叶的养分含量最高,树干材的养分含量最低,凋落物的养分含量与树枝或树皮的养分含量接近,土壤中K、Mg元素丰富,N、P、Ca 3种元素亏缺。树叶、树枝、树皮和树根中各元素含量大小顺序为K>N>Ca>Mg>P,树干材中则是Ca>K>N>Mg>P,5种元素含量随马尾松林分年龄的增加呈逐渐减少的趋势。5种元素贮存总量为460.19～1950.32 k     

水位变化对三峡库区消落带狗牙根种群营养特征的影响

为探讨三峡库区大尺度、反季节水位变化对消落带狗牙根种养元素吸收和分配特征的影响, 分别测定了三个样带的营养元素含量。结果表明: 根、茎、叶中大量元素含量顺序为N>K>P, 中量元素含量顺序为Ca>S>Mg, 微量元素为Fe>Zn>Cu>Mn。根系对K、Mg、S、Fe、Mn、Zn 的吸收均被促进, 而对P 和Ca 的吸收被显著抑制, 低水位根系对N、Cu 的吸收也被显著促进。高水位茎和叶中N、P、K、Mg、S、Cu 的含量呈降低趋势, Ca、Fe、Mn 含量呈显著增大趋势, 且茎中Zn 含量也呈增加趋势。随着水位的降低N、P、K、Mg、S、Zn 含量显著增加, 在叶片中的含量显著大于根、茎, 而Fe、Mn、Cu 表现出主要向茎分布的趋势, 且Ca 在叶中的分配显著被抑制, 而在茎中的分配被促进。随着水位降低新叶中N、P、K、Mg、S 的含量明显高于老叶, 而Fe、Ca、Mn、Zn 和Cu 则相反。随着分枝级数增大N、P、K 的含量呈递增趋势, Ca、Cu、Fe、Zn 呈递减趋势, 而Mg、S 含量呈“∨”形变化。因此, 库区水位已导致消落狗牙根种群营养特征发生显著的变化。     

糙米蛋白质含量与矿质元素含量的相关分析及NIRS模型的建立

利用162份不同类型水稻种质,采用微量凯氏定氮法测定蛋白质含量,原子吸收分光光度法(atomic absorption spec-trophotometry,AAS)测定Mg、Ca、Fe、Zn、Cu和Mn等6种矿质元素含量,火焰光度法测定K含量,分光光度法测定P含量。对糙米蛋白质与矿质元素、矿质元素间进行相关分析;并利用测定的蛋白质含量的化学值,采用偏最小二乘法(partial leastsquares,PLS)建立糙米蛋白质预测的校正模型。结果表明,糙米矿质元素含量大小顺序为P>K>Mg>Ca>Zn>Fe>Cu>Mn,蛋白质与P、K、Cu和Mn等矿质元素极显著或显著正相关;通过比较光谱预处理方法在不同谱区的处理效果:采用一阶导数预处理、谱区为11995.7～7498.3/cm和6102～4597.7/cm建立校正模型的检验和预测效果最佳,糙米蛋白质的近红外测定值和化学测定值之间有较高的相关性,其校正决定系数为92.89,外部验证决定系数为89.91;筛选到小黑谷、小红米和紫糯米等高蛋白、富矿质营养的种质材料,可作为富营养稻米品种创新的亲本材料;通过利用蛋白质和矿质元素间的相关性,借助近红外分析技术(Near-infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy,NIRS)辅助测定蛋白质含量,并间接选择富矿质营养水稻种质,聚合高蛋白和富2种以上矿质元素,可能是水稻营养品质育种的一条有效途径。     

秋茄落叶分解中营养元素释放的季节动态

研究了福建九龙江口林地红树植物秋茄落叶分解过程中K、Ca、Mg和P营养元素释放速率的季节动态。结果表明,腐解中叶片元素组成因不同营养元素损失率而变化较大。元素的损失总是快于干重损失,且损失速率为K>Mg>Ca和K>P。冬季P的损失快于Mg和Ca(P>Mg>Ca),夏季则相反(Mg>Ca>P),其余两季节差别不大。4个季节分解56天后,K、Ca、Mg、P分别损失达初始量的72—97％,51—88％,60—90％和64—79％。     

Trophic levels in community food webs

Summary Four concepts are considered for the trophic level of a species in a community food web. The long-way-up-level (or LU-level) of species A is the length of the longest simple food chain from a basal species (one with no prey in the web) to A. (A simple chain is a chain that does not pass through any given species more than once.) The short-way-up-level (SU-level) of species A is the length of the shortest chain from a basal species to A. The long-way-down-level (LD-level) of species A is the length of the longest simple chain from species A to a top species (one with no consumers in the web). The short-way-down-level (SD-level) of species A is the length of the shortest chain from species A to a top species. The stratigraphy of a web is the analogue for species of the pyramid of numbers for individuals: it is the frequency distribution of species according to level. The LU-, SU-, LD-, and SD-stratigraphies of the seven webs in the Briand-Cohen collection with 30 or more trophic species reveal no species with LU-level or LD-level more than 6, no species with SU-level more than 3, and no species with SD-level more than 2. In all seven webs, SD-levels are stochastically less than SU-levels: species tend to be closer to a top predator than to a basal species. Two stochastic models of food web structure (the cascade model and the homogeneous superlinear model) correctly predict that 95% or more of species should have LU-level and LD-level in the range 0–6. The models also correctly predict some details of the distribution of species in the SU- and SD-stratigraphies, particularly the fraction of species in level 1. The models do not, in general, correctly predict the distribution of species within the range 0–6 of LU-levels and LD-levels.     

A comparative study of the relationship between host size and brood size in Apanteles spp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

ABSTRACT. 1. Current models of insect oviposition predict that clutch size in parasitoids should correlate with host size, with a continuum from solitary species at one end to large gregarious broods at the other. This prediction is tested for the genus Apanteles (sensu lato).
2. The distribution of brood sizes in Apanteles is bimodal, with peaks at one (solitary species) and at about twenty (gregarious species).
3. Brood size of gregarious species correlates with host size, but when a measure of the total volume of a parasitoid brood is plotted against host size, solitary species do not lie on the same regression slope as gregarious species.
4. There is a relative shortage of gregarious species on small hosts, and a relative excess of solitary species on large hosts. Solitary species on large hosts do not fully consume the host resource.
5. The possible role of evolutionary constraints to adaptive progeny allocation in Apanteles is discussed.     

Keystone species and vulnerable species in ecological communities: strong or weak interactors?

The loss of a species from an ecological community can trigger a cascade of secondary extinctions. The probability of secondary extinction to take place and the number of secondary extinctions are likely to depend on the characteristics of the species that is lost--the strength of its interactions with other species--as well as on the distribution of interaction strengths in the whole community. Analysing the effects of species loss in model communities we found that removal of the following species categories triggered, on average, the largest number of secondary extinctions: (a) rare species interacting strongly with many consumers, (b) abundant basal species interacting weakly with their consumers and (c) abundant intermediate species interacting strongly with many resources. We also found that the keystone status of a species with given characteristics was context dependent, that is, dependent on the structure of the community where it was embedded. Species vulnerable to secondary extinctions were mainly species interacting weakly with their resources and species interacting strongly with their consumers.     

The factors controlling species density in herbaceous plant communities: an assessment

This paper evaluates both the ideas and empirical evidence pertaining to the control of species density in herbaceous plant communities. While most theoretical discussions of species density have emphasized the importance of habitat productivity and disturbance regimes, many other factors (e.g. species pools, plant litter accumulation, plant morphology) have been proposed to be important. A review of literature presenting observations on the density of species in small plots (in the vicinity of a few square meters or less), as well as experimental studies, suggests several generalizations: (1) Available data are consistent with an underlying unimodal relationship between species density and total community biomass. While variance in species density is often poorly explained by predictor variables, there is strong evidence that high levels of community biomass are antagonistic to high species density. (2) Community biomass is just one of several factors affecting variations in species density. Multivariate analyses typically explain more than twice as much variance in species density as can be explained by community biomass alone. (3) Disturbance has important and sometimes complex effects on species density. In general, the evidence is consistent with the intermediate disturbance hypothesis but exceptions exist and effects can be complex. (4) Gradients in the species pool can have important influences on patterns of species density. Evidence is mounting that a considerable amount of the observed variability in species density within a landscape or region may result from environmental effects on the species pool. (5) Several additional factors deserve greater consideration, including time lags, species composition, plant morphology, plant density and soil microbial effects.Based on the available evidence, a conceptual model of the primary factors controlling species density is presented here. This model suggests that species density is controlled by the effects of disturbance, total community biomass, colonization, the species pool and spatial heterogeneity. The structure of the model leads to two main expectations: (1) while community biomass is important, multivariate approaches will be required to understand patterns of variation in species density, and (2) species density will be more highly correlated with light penetration to the soil surface, than with above-ground biomass, and even less well correlated with plant growth rates (productivity) or habitat fertility. At present, data are insufficient to evaluate the relative importance of the processes controlling species density. Much more work is needed if we are to adequately predict the effects of environmental changes on plant communities and species diversity.     

Multilocus genealogies reveal multiple cryptic species and biogeographical complexity in the California turret spider Antrodiaetus riversi (Mygalomorphae, Antrodiaetidae)

Antrodiaetus riversi (Araneae, Antrodiaetidae) is a dispersal-limited, habitat specialized mygalomorph spider species endemic to mesic woodlands of northern and central California. This species occupies a disjunct distribution, with populations in the Sierra Nevada and Coast Ranges, separated by the inhospitable Central Valley. Previous studies of morphological and allozyme variation have suggested that these populations may constitute cryptic species. We investigated the phylogeography of A. riversi using both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences, collected for a comprehensive population sample. These data reveal the presence of at least five species in the A. riversi complex - these species are deeply diverged, and genealogically exclusive in both nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Each of these species is characterized by extreme population subdivision and deep phylogeographical structuring, consistent with minimal gene flow across the dissected Californian landscape. Three species are restricted to the Coast Ranges, one to high altitudes of the central Sierran Nevada, and one species is found in both ranges. These species have allopatric distributions, although species parapatry is hypothesized to occur in several areas. Species diversification appears to have pulsed in the Late Miocene/Early Pliocene, a timing consistent with biogeographical reconstructions for many Californian taxa, and a time of turbulent geological activity in the region.     

Species pool size and invasibility of island communities: a null model of sampling effects

The success of alien species on oceanic islands is considered to be one of the classic observed patterns in ecology. Explanations for this pattern are based on lower species richness on islands and the lower resistance of species‐poor communities to invaders, but this argument needs re‐examination. The important difference between islands and mainland is in the size of species pools, not in local species richness; invasibility of islands should therefore be addressed in terms of differences in species pools. Here I examine whether differences in species pools can affect invasibility in a lottery model with pools of identical native and exotic species. While in a neutral model with all species identical, invasibility does not depend on the species pool, a model with non‐zero variation in population growth rates predicts higher invasibility of communities of smaller pools. This is because of species sampling; drawing species from larger pools increases the probability that an assemblage will include fast growing species. Such assemblages are more likely to exclude random invaders. This constitutes a mechanism through which smaller species pools (such as those of isolated islands) can directly underlie differences in invasibility.     

Body size and resource partitioning in ladybirds

[First paragraph]Resource utilisation is usually viewed in terms of food species size (Schoener, 1974) with each species in a predator guild adapted to exploit a particular-sized species of prey. Large species of predators exploit large species of prey and vice versa. That is, each species in a guild is able to displace other species from a particular portion of the resource space by virtue of it being better adapted to exploit that particular species of prey in that resource space.     

Does energy availability influence classical patterns of spatial variation in exotic species richness?

Aim At macroecological scales, exotic species richness is frequently positively correlated with human population density. Such patterns are typically thought to arise because high human densities are associated with increased introduction effort and/or habitat modification and disturbance. Exotic and native species richness are also frequently positively correlated, although the causal mechanisms remain unclear. Energy availability frequently explains much of the variation in species richness and we test whether such species–energy relationships may influence the relationships of exotic species richness with human population density and native species richness. Location Great Britain. Methods We first investigate how spatial variation in the distributions of the 10 exotic bird species is related to energy availability. We then model exotic species richness using native avian species richness, human population density and energy availability as predictors. Species richness is modelled using two sets of models: one assumes independent errors and the other takes spatial correlation into account. Results The probability of each exotic species occurring, in a 10‐km quadrat, increases with energy availability. Exotic species richness is positively correlated with energy availability, human population density and native species richness in univariate tests. When taking energy availability into account, exotic species richness is negligibly influenced by human population density, but remains positively associated with native species richness. Main conclusions We provide one of the few demonstrations that energy availability exerts a strong positive influence on exotic species richness. Within our data, the positive relationship between exotic species richness and human population density probably arises because both variables increase with energy availability, and may be independent of the influence of human density on the probability of establishment. Positive correlations between exotic and native species richness remain when controlling for the influence of energy on species richness. The relevance of such a finding to the debate on the relationship between diversity and invasibility is discussed.     

Ecological significance of leaf life span among Central European grass species

Interspecific variation in leaf life span reflects the variation in nutrient conservation ability among different plant species and is considered to be associated with nutrient availability in the characteristic habitat. As defoliation interferes with nutrient conservation by the long-lived leaves, we hypothesized that disturbance rate is another important environmental factor working as a selective force on interspecific variation in leaf life span. In order to investigate this, we measured leaf life span of 32 grass species in mature garden-grown individuals. Variation in leaf life span was compared to measured leaf traits, to available data on species occurrence along gradients of nutrient availability and disturbance, and to published relative growth rates of the species. Leaf life span was associated positively with leaf tissue mass density and negatively with specific leaf area. Leaf life span correlated negatively with the disturbance rate in the characteristic habitat of a species, but not with nutrient availability. The latter relationship did not come about due to the long leaf life spans of species from nutrient-rich habitats with a relatively low disturbance rate, and to some extent also due to the short leaf life spans of annual species from relatively nutrient-poor sites. We conclude that although leaf longevity is an important means of reducing nutrient losses, this is a selective advantage only if the plant is not subjected to frequent defoliation. The frequently postulated association between leaf life span of a species and nutrient availability in its characteristic habitat may occur among species of habitats with positively correlated nutrient availability and disturbance rate. Leaf life span is negatively associated with seedling RGR, but there may be deviations in this relationship due to species with contrasting characteristics at seedling stage and at maturity.     

Contribution of rarity and commonness to patterns of species richness in biogeographic transitions regions: Woody plants of Uruguay

There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that widespread (i.e. common) rather than geographically restricted species (i.e. rare) shape the overall distribution patterns of species richness. This is a non‐intuitive fact, given that local and regional assemblages are normally composed by numerous rare species and few common ones. We evaluated here the primacy of common species in a biogeographic transition zone, where rarity has frequently a higher incidence. We analysed the geographical variability of trees and shrubs in Uruguay, located in a transitional zone between prairie and forest biomes, to assess the relative contribution of rare and common species to the generation of richness patterns. The distribution of 301 species of the native woody assemblage of Uruguay was mapped over the national grid system (302 quadrants of approximately 22 × 30 km), using published data and herbarium records. The overall assemblage was segregated into four subassemblages in function of species distribution (quartiles). Species richness in the four quartiles was positively correlated with overall richness, but common species (quartile 3) showed the highest level of correlation. Then, we ranked species from the most widespread to the most restricted (common‐to‐rare) and from the most restricted to the most widespread (rare‐to‐common). Along each stage of the sequences we obtained a series of species richness patterns for increasing numbers of species. Correlating the species richness pattern for each subassemblage of both sequences with that of the full assemblage, we also found higher correlations in the common‐to‐rare sequence. We conclude the Uruguayan woody plants assemblage has a very large number of rare species as expected for a transitional biogeographical zone, but it was the common species that contributed most to the overall pattern of species richness. We propose the low contribution of rare species is explained by the most interspecific variability in ecological determinants within the assemblage of rare species. Therefore the spatial covariance among rare species is low, and so is the relationship with overall species richness.