地理距离及环境差异对云南元江干热河谷植物群落beta多样性的影响

beta多样性反映了群落间物种组成的差异, 是生物多样性研究的热点之一。本研究通过对云南元江干热河谷41个植物群落样方进行调查, 用Jaccard相异系数表征物种beta多样性, 用样方之间的最近谱系距离(mean nearest taxon distance, MNTD)及平均谱系距离(mean pairwise distance, MPD)表征谱系beta多样性, 采用基于距离矩阵的多元回归和方差分解方法, 探讨了该区域干热河谷典型植物群落的物种beta多样性和谱系beta多样性与样方间环境差异(主要是气候)及地理距离之间的关系。结果表明: (1)群落间的地理距离和年平均温度差异对干热河谷植物群落的物种beta多样性和谱系beta多样性有显著影响; (2)地理距离对物种beta多样性和MNTD的影响最大; 地理距离和年平均温度差异对MPD的影响均较大; (3)样方间年平均温度与年平均降水量的差异和地理距离能够解释群落间beta多样性及谱系beta多样性11-13%的变异。以上结果表明, 生态位分化和扩散限制对该地区植物群落的beta多样性均有显著影响, 其中扩散限制的影响可能更大。此外, 人类活动等其他因素也很可能对元江干热河谷的群落组成具有非常重要的影响。     

Phylogenetic community structure and phylogenetic turnover across space and edaphic gradients in western Amazonian tree communities

Ecological and evolutionary processes influence community assembly at both local and regional scales. Adding a phylogenetic dimension to studies of species turnover allows tests of the extent to which environmental gradients, geographic distance and the historical biogeography of lineages have influenced speciation and dispersal of species throughout a region. We compare measures of beta diversity, phylogenetic community structure and phylobetadiversity (phylogenetic distance among communities) in 34 plots of Amazonian trees across white‐sand and clay terra firme forests in a 60 000 square kilometer area in Loreto, Peru. Dominant taxa in white‐sand forests were phylogenetically clustered, consistent with environmental filtering of conserved traits. Phylobetadiversity measures found significant phylogenetic clustering between terra firme communities separated by geographic distances of <200–300 km, consistent within recent local speciation at the watershed scale in the Miocene‐aged clay‐soil forests near the foothills of the Andes. Although both distance and habitat type yielded statistically significant effects on both species and phylogenetic turnover, the patterns we observed were more consistent with an effect of habitat specialization than dispersal limitation. Our results suggest a role for both broad‐scale biogeographic and evolutionary processes, as well as habitat specialization, influencing community structure in Amazonian forests.     

Amphibian Beta Diversity in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Contrasting the Roles of Historical Events and Contemporary Conditions at Different Spatial Scales

Current patterns of biodiversity distribution result from a combination of historical and contemporary processes. Here, we compiled checklists of amphibian species to assess the roles of long-term climate stability (Quaternary oscillations), contemporary environmental gradients and geographical distance as determinants of change in amphibian taxonomic and phylogenetic composition in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. We calculated beta diversity as both variation in species composition (CBD) and phylogenetic differentiation (PBD) among the assemblages. In both cases, overall beta diversity was partitioned into two basic components: species replacement and difference in species richness. Our results suggest that the CBD and PBD of amphibians are determined by spatial turnover. Geographical distance, current environmental gradients and long-term climatic conditions were complementary predictors of the variation in CBD and PBD of amphibian species. Furthermore, the turnover components between sites from different regions and between sites within the stable region were greater than between sites within the unstable region. On the other hand, the proportion of beta-diversity due to species richness difference for both CBD and PBD was higher between sites in the unstable region than between sites in the stable region. The high turnover components from CBD and PBD between sites in unstable vs stable regions suggest that these distinct regions have different biogeographic histories. Sites in the stable region shared distinct clades that might have led to greater diversity, whereas sites in the unstable region shared close relatives. Taken together, these results indicate that speciation, environmental filtering and limited dispersal are complementary drivers of beta-diversity of amphibian assemblages in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest.     

Habitat filtering influences the phylogenetic structure of avian communities across a coastal gradient in southern Brazil

The evolution of a particular trait or combination of traits within lineages may affect subsequent evolutionary outcomes, leading closely related species to exhibit higher phenotypic similarity than expected under a simple Brownian‐motion evolutionary model. Niche theory postulates that phenotypes determine species distribution across environmental gradients, leading to a phylogenetic signature in the community assembly. Thus, the incorporation of species phylogeny in the analysis of community ecology structure allows one to link broader environmental, spatial and temporal factors to local, small‐scale ecological processes, thus enabling understanding of community assembly patterns in a broader context. We used the net relatedness index to assess phylogenetic structure within avian communities across a harshness gradient in coastal habitats in southern Brazil. We also evaluated phylogenetic beta diversity, to test whether closely related species exploit habitats with similar environmental conditions. In order to do so, we scaled up phylogenetic information from the species to site level using phylogenetic fuzzy weighting. We found a pattern of phylogenetic clustering in less‐vegetated habitats, namely sandy beach and dunes, which are subject to harsher conditions because of proximity to the ocean. Basal lineages were associated with the more structurally homogeneous sandy beach, while late‐divergence clades occurred in more complex habitats, which were positively related to vegetation cover and height. The observed pattern of phylogenetic clustering suggested the importance of harsh conditions in constraining the distribution of avian lineages. Furthermore, contrasting environmental features between habitats influenced phylogenetic variation, demonstrating the prevalence of phylogenetic habitat filtering. From an applied point of view, such as planning and management of biological reserves, we showed that the full array of habitat patches embedded within coastal ecological gradients must be included in order to preserve distinct evolutionary lineages.     

Phylogenetic turnover in tropical tree communities: impact of environmental filtering,biogeography and mesoclimatic niche conservatism

Aim We addressed the roles of environmental filtering, historical biogeography and evolutionary niche conservatism on the phylogenetic structure of tropical tree communities with the following questions. (1) What is the impact of mesoclimatic gradients and dispersal limitation on phylogenetic turnover and species turnover? (2) How does phylogenetic turnover between continents compare in intensity with the turnover driven by climatic gradients at a regional scale? (3) Are independent phylogenetic reconstructions of the mesoclimatic niche of clades congruent between continents? Location Panama Canal Watershed and Western Ghats (India), two anciently divergent biogeographic contexts but with comparable rainfall gradients. Methods Using floristic data for 50 1‐ha plots in each region, independent measures of phylogenetic turnover (Π_ST) and species turnover (Jaccard) between plots were regressed on geographic and ecological distances. Mesoclimatic niches were reconstructed for each node of the phylogeny and compared between the two continents. Results (1) The phylogenetic turnover within each region is best explained by mesoclimatic differences (environmental filtering), while species turnover depends both on mesoclimatic differences and geographic distances (dispersal limitation). (2) The phylogenetic turnover between continents (Π_ST = 0.009) is comparable to that caused by mesoclimatic gradients within regions (Π_ST = 0.010) and both effects seem cumulative. (3) Independent phylogenetic reconstructions of the mesoclimatic niches were strongly correlated between the two continents (r = 0.61), despite the absence of shared species. Main conclusions Our results demonstrate a world‐wide deep phylogenetic signal for mesoclimatic niche within a biome, indicating that positive phylogenetic turnover at a regional scale reflects environmental filtering in plant communities.     

Endemic birds of the Atlantic Forest: traits,conservation status,and patterns of biodiversity

The bird fauna of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest is exceptionally diverse and threatened, with high levels of endemism. Available lists of the endemic birds of the Atlantic Forest were generated before recent taxonomic revisions lumped or split species and before the recent increase in species occurrence records. Our objective, therefore, was to compile a new list of the endemic birds of the Atlantic Forest, characterize these species in terms of conservation status and natural history traits, and map remaining vegetation and protected areas. We combined GIS analysis with a literature search to compile a list of endemic species and, based on the phylogeny and distribution of these species, characterized areas in terms of species richness, phylogenetic diversity, and endemism. We identified 223 species of birds endemic to the Atlantic Forest, including 12 species not included in previous lists. In addition, 14 species included in previous lists were not considered endemic, either because they occur outside the Atlantic Forest biome or because they are not considered valid species. The typical Atlantic Forest endemic bird is a small forest‐dependent invertivore. Of the species on our list, 31% are considered threatened or extinct. Only ~ 34% of the spatial analysis units had > 10% forest cover, and protected area coverage was consistently low (< 1%). In addition, we found spatial incongruity among the different measures of biodiversity (species richness, relative phylogenetic diversity, restricted‐range species, and irreplaceability). Each of these measures provides information concerning different aspects of biological diversity. However, regardless of which aspect(s) of biodiversity might be considered most important, preservation of the remaining areas of remnant vegetation and further expansion of protected areas are essential if we are to conserve the many endemic species of birds in the Atlantic Forest.     

Evolutionary and ecological causes of species richness patterns in North American angiosperm trees

Climate and evolutionary factors (e.g. diversification, time‐for‐speciation, niche conservatism) are both thought to be major drivers of species richness in regional assemblages. However, few studies have simultaneously investigated the relative effects of climate and evolutionary factors on species richness across a broad geographical extent. Here, we assess their relative effects on species richness of angiosperm trees across North America. Species richness of angiosperm trees in 1175 regional assemblages were related to climate and phylogenetic structure using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. Climate was quantified based on the mean temperature of the coldest month and mean annual precipitation. Evolutionary factors (time‐for‐speciation vs diversification) were inferred from phylogeny‐based measures of mean root distance, phylogenetic species variability, and net relatedness index. We found that at the continental scale, species richness is correlated with temperature and precipitation with approximately similar strength. In the SEM with net relatedness index and phylogenetic species variability and with all the 1175 quadrats, the total direct effect size of phylogenetic structure on species richness is greater than the total direct effect size of climate on species richness by a factor of 3.7. The specific patterns of phylogenetic structure (i.e. greater phylogenetic distances in more species rich regions) are consistent with the idea that time and niche conservatism drive richness patterns in North American angiosperm trees. We conclude that angiosperm tree species richness in regional assemblages in North America is more strongly related to patterns of phylogenetic relatedness than to climatic variation. The results of the present study support the idea that climatic and evolutionary explanations for richness patterns are not in conflict, and that evolutionary processes explain both the relationship between climate and richness and substantial variation in richness that is independent of climate.     

Plastome-based phylogeny improves community phylogenetics of subtropical forests in China

Phylogenetic trees have been extensively used in community ecology. However, how the phylogeny construction affects ecological inferences is poorly understood. In this study, we constructed three different types of phylogenetic trees (a synthetic-tree generated using V.PhyloMaker, a barcode-tree generated using rbcL+matK+trnH-psbA, and a plastome-tree generated from plastid genomes) that represented an increasing level of phylogenetic resolution among 580 woody plant species from six forest dynamic plots in subtropical evergreen broadleaved forests of China. We then evaluated the performance of each phylogeny in estimations of community phylogenetic structure, turnover and phylogenetic signal in functional traits. As expected, the plastome-tree was most resolved and most supported for relationships among species. For local phylogenetic structure, the three trees showed consistent results with Faith's PD and MPD; however, only the synthetic-tree produced significant clustering patterns using MNTD for some plots. For phylogenetic turnover, contrasting results between the molecular trees and the synthetic-tree occurred only with nearest neighbor distance. The barcode-tree agreed more with the plastome-tree than the synthetic-tree for both phylogenetic structure and turnover. For functional traits, both the barcode-tree and plastome-tree detected phylogenetic signal in maximum height, but only the plastome-tree detected signal in leaf width. This is the first study that uses plastid genomes in large-scale community phylogenetics. Our results highlight the improvement of plastome-trees over barcode-trees and synthetic-trees for the analyses studied here. Our results also point to the possibility of type I and II errors in estimation of phylogenetic structure and turnover and detection of phylogenetic signal when using synthetic-trees.     

Dispersal,niche, and isolation processes jointly explain species turnover patterns of nonvolant small mammals in a large mountainous region of China

Understanding the mechanisms that govern the spatial patterns of species turnover (beta diversity) has been one of the fundamental issues in biogeography. Species turnover is generally recognized as strong in mountainous regions, but the way in which different processes (dispersal, niche, and isolation) have shaped the spatial turnover patterns in mountainous regions remains largely unexplored. Here, we explore the directional and elevational patterns of species turnover for nonvolant small mammals in the Hengduan Mountains of southwest China and distinguish the relative roles of geographic distance, environmental distance, and geographic isolation on the patterns. The spatial turnover was assessed using the halving distance (km), which was the geographic distance that halved the similarity (Jaccard similarity) from its initial value. The halving distance was calculated for the linear, logarithmic, and exponential regression models between Jaccard similarity and geographic distance. We found that the east–west turnover is generally faster than the south–north turnover for high‐latitudinal regions in the Hengduan Mountains and that this pattern corresponds to the geographic structure of the major mountain ranges and rivers that mainly extend in a south–north direction. There is an increasing trend of turnover toward the higher‐elevation zones. Most of the variation in the Jaccard similarity could be explained by the pure effect of geographic distance and the joint effects of geographic distance, environmental distance, and average elevation difference. Our study indicates that dispersal, niche, and isolation processes are all important determinants of the spatial turnover patterns of nonvolant small mammals in the Hengduan Mountains. The spatial configuration of the landscape and geographic isolation can strongly influence the rate of species turnover in mountainous regions at multiple spatial scales.     

Speciation below ground: Tempo and mode of diversification in a radiation of endogean ground beetles

Dispersal is a critical factor determining the spatial scale of speciation, which is constrained by the ecological characteristics and distribution of a species’ habitat and the intrinsic traits of species. Endogean taxa are strongly affected by the unique qualities of the below‐ground environment and its effect on dispersal, and contrasting reports indicate either high dispersal capabilities favoured by small body size and mediated by passive mechanisms, or low dispersal due to restricted movement and confinement inside the soil. We studied a species‐rich endogean ground beetle lineage, Typhlocharina, including three genera and more than 60 species, as a model for the evolutionary biology of dispersal and speciation in the deep soil . A time‐calibrated molecular phylogeny generated from >400 individuals was used to delimit candidate species, to study the accumulation of lineages through space and time by species–area–age relationships and to determine the geographical structure of the diversification using the relationship between phylogenetic and geographic distances across the phylogeny. Our results indicated a small spatial scale of speciation in Typhlocharina and low dispersal capacity combined with sporadic long distance, presumably passive dispersal events that fuelled the speciation process. Analysis of lineage growth within Typhlocharina revealed a richness plateau correlated with the range of distribution of lineages, suggesting a long‐term species richness equilibrium mediated by density dependence through limits of habitat availability. The interplay of area‐ and age‐dependent processes ruling the lineage diversification in Typhlocharina may serve as a general model for the evolution of high species diversity in endogean mesofauna.     

Floristic patterns of epiphytes in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest,a biodiversity hotspot

To assess the main factors driving epiphytic angiosperm distribution throughout the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, we compiled 57 floristic surveys and analysed species composition under the influence of environmental variables, space and vegetation type using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), similarity (Sorensen) and Mantel's tests. The indicator value index (IndVal) was used to find indicator species of each Brazilian Atlantic Forest vegetation type. Group sharpness analysis was performed in order to determine the appropriate group partition level. CCA showed a separation of the epiphytic flora reflecting temperature and rainfall gradients. Mantel's test showed that environment and space were highly correlated with floristic similarity. Cluster analysis, indicating floristic similarity, resolved five groups, mainly grouped by region. Clear differentiation of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest epiphytic flora on a north–south axis with a strong correlation with temperature and rainfall gradients was found. The role of space and environment on species composition varied according to distinct epiphytic species groups. In particular, for Bromeliaceae and Orchidaceae, the main factor associated with floristic similarity was space. Indicator species were found for all vegetation types apart from the Seasonal Semideciduous Forest that seemed to represent a subset of a more humid forest type. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 179 , 587–601.     

柴达木盆地荒漠灌丛群落谱系结构研究

谱系信息是群落生态学和保育生物学研究的主要内容之一。为探究柴达木盆地荒漠灌丛群落谱系结构及其与环境因子的关系,该研究以柴达木盆地荒漠灌丛为对象,基于群落中物种存在与否的物种组成数据,使用R语言中picante软件包计算了灌丛群落谱系多样性指数和谱系结构指数,并且分析了谱系结构指数与年均温度、年均降水以及土壤含水量之间的关系,以揭示柴达木盆地灌丛群落物种之间的亲缘关系和群落生物多样性维持机制。结果表明:(1)柴达木盆地灌丛群落谱系结构与土壤含水量之间存在极显著相关性(P=2.77×10-6),随着土壤含水量的增加,群落谱系结构聚集程度逐渐降低,表现出生境过滤作用逐步减弱,生物间相互作用逐渐加强的变化趋势。(2)群落谱系结构与年均温度、年均降水之间无显著相关性。(3)典型荒漠生境灌丛和河谷(河漫滩)生境灌丛群落的谱系结构差异显著(P0.05),整体上分别表现为谱系聚集状态和谱系发散状态;河谷(河漫滩)生境灌丛群落的谱系多样性显著高于典型荒漠生境灌丛(P0.05)。(4)将群落谱系信息应用在生物多样性保护实践中,发现河谷(河漫滩)生境灌丛群落较典型荒漠生境的灌丛群落可能具有更高的保护价值。研究认为,将群落谱系研究与保育生物学理论结合将会使生物多样性保护策略更加科学有效。     

Linking beta diversity patterns to protected areas: lessons from the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest

Understanding the processes that drive patterns of beta diversity is crucial for planning conservation policies and for designing networks of protected area (PAs). Beta diversity can be decomposed into two components: 1—species turnover, the replacement of species by others resulting in a low proportion of shared species; 2—species nestedness—the result of differences in species richness, when a poorer community is a subset of species from a richer community. We aimed to evaluate beta diversity patterns and how they are represented in the network of PAs in southern Brazilian, regarding three forest types: Atlantic Forest s.s., Araucaria Forest, and Seasonal Forest. Beta diversity was partitioned into the turnover and nestedness components. Additionally, we examined spatial patterns of site similarity using distance decay curves. Beta diversity was mainly caused by species turnover (approx. 86%), with only a small contribution of nestedness (approx. 5%) in all three forests types. The patterns of distance decay curves revealed that even at small distances (50–100 km), we found a considerable decrease in similarities, reinforcing turnover patterns. As turnover brought the larger contribution to beta diversity, additional conservation efforts must target an increase in the number of PAs, that should be spread across each one of the regions, to maximize the protection of species diversity. Most of the PAs are currently limited to the eastern region and prioritize the Atlantic Forest s.s. Thus Araucaria Forest and Seasonal Forest should deserve special priority in new conservation actions, as they also contain high levels of species turnover.     

Point process models,the dimensions of biodiversity and the importance of small-scale biotic interactions

Aims Recent mechanistic explanations for community assembly focus on the debates surrounding niche-based deterministic and dispersal-based stochastic models. This body of work has emphasized the importance of both habitat filtering and dispersal limitation, and many of these works have utilized the assumption of species spatial independence to simplify the complexity of the spatial modeling in natural communities when given dispersal limitation and/or habitat filtering. One potential drawback of this simplification is that it does not consider species interactions and how they may influence the spatial distribution of species, phylogenetic and functional diversity. Here, we assess the validity of the assumption of species spatial independence using data from a subtropical forest plot in southeastern China.Methods We use the four most commonly employed spatial statistical models—the homogeneous Poisson process representing pure random effect, the heterogeneous Poisson process for the effect of habitat heterogeneity, the homogenous Thomas process for sole dispersal limitation and the heterogeneous Thomas process for joint effect of habitat heterogeneity and dispersal limitation—to investigate the contribution of different mechanisms in shaping the species, phylogenetic and functional structures of communities.Important findings Our evidence from species, phylogenetic and functional diversity demonstrates that the habitat filtering and/or dispersal-based models perform well and the assumption of species spatial independence is relatively valid at larger scales (50×50 m). Conversely, at local scales (10×10 and 20×20 m), the models often fail to predict the species, phylogenetic and functional diversity, suggesting that the assumption of species spatial independence is invalid and that biotic interactions are increasingly important at these spatial scales.     

Disentangling niche and neutral influences on community assembly: assessing the performance of community phylogenetic structure tests

Patterns of phylogenetic relatedness within communities have been widely used to infer the importance of different ecological and evolutionary processes during community assembly, but little is known about the relative ability of community phylogenetics methods and null models to detect the signature of processes such as dispersal, competition and filtering under different models of trait evolution. Using a metacommunity simulation incorporating quantitative models of trait evolution and community assembly, I assessed the performance of different tests that have been used to measure community phylogenetic structure. All tests were sensitive to the relative phylogenetic signal in species metacommunity abundances and traits; methods that were most sensitive to the effects of niche-based processes on community structure were also more likely to find non-random patterns of community phylogenetic structure under dispersal assembly. When used with a null model that maintained species occurrence frequency in random communities, several metrics could detect niche-based assembly when there was strong phylogenetic signal in species traits, when multiple traits were involved in community assembly, and in the presence of environmental heterogeneity. Interpretations of the causes of community phylogenetic structure should be modified to account for the influence of dispersal.     

Contrasting patterns and mechanisms of spatial turnover for native and exotic freshwater fish in Europe

Aim We compare the distribution patterns of native and exotic freshwater fish in Europe, and test whether the same mechanisms (environmental filtering and/or dispersal limitation) govern patterns of decrease in similarity of native and exotic species composition over geographical distance (spatial species turnover). Locations Major river basins of Europe. Methods Data related to geography, habitat diversity, regional climate and species composition of native and exotic freshwater fish were collated for 26 major European river basins. We explored the degree of nestedness in native and exotic species composition, and quantified compositional similarity between river basins according to the beta‐sim (independent of richness gradient) and Jaccard (dependent of richness gradient) indices of similarity. Multiple regression on distance matrices and variation‐partitioning approaches were used to quantify the relative roles of environmental filtering and dispersal limitation in shaping patterns of decreasing compositional similarity over geographical distance. Results Native and exotic species exhibited significant nested patterns of species composition, indicating that differences in fish species composition between river basins are primarily the result of species loss, rather than species replacement. Both native and exotic compositional similarity decreased significantly with increasing geographical distance between river basins. However, gradual changes in species composition with geographical distance were found only for exotic species. In addition, exotic species displayed a higher rate of similarity decay (higher species turnover rate) with geographical distance, compared with native species. Lastly, the majority of explained variation in exotic compositional similarity was uniquely related to geography, whereas native compositional similarity was either uniquely explained by geography or jointly explained by environment and geography. Main conclusions Our study suggests that large‐scale patterns of spatial turnover for exotic freshwater fish in Europe are generated by human‐mediated dispersal limitation, whereas patterns of spatial turnover for native fish result from both dispersal limitation relative to historical events (isolation by mountain ranges, glacial history) and environmental filtering.     

Speciation in Hawaiian angiosperm lineages: cause, consequence, and mode

The biota of Hawaiian Islands is derived entirely from long distance dispersal, often followed by in situ speciation. Species descended from each colonist constitute monophyletic lineages that have diverged to varying degrees under similar spatial and temporal constraints. We partitioned the Hawaiian angiosperm flora into lineages and assessed morphological, ecological, and biogeographic characteristics to examine their relationships to variation in species number (S). Lineages with external bird dispersal (through adhesion) were significantly more species-rich than those with abiotic dispersal, but only weakly more species-rich than lineages with internal bird dispersal (involving fleshy fruits). Pollination mode and growth form (woody vs. herbaceous) had no significant effect on S, in contrast to studies of angiosperm families. S relates positively to the geographic and ecological range size of whole lineages, but negatively to local abundance and mean range sizes of constituent species. Species-rich lineages represent a large proportion of major adaptive shifts, although this appears to be an artifact of having more species. Examination of 52 sister species pairs in numerous lineages provides evidence for allopatric (including peripheral isolates) and parapatric (ecological) modes, with 15 cases of each. Although postspeciational dispersal may obscure these modes in many of the remaining cases, instances of sympatric and hybrid speciation are also discussed. Because speciation is both a consequence and a cause of ecological and biogeographic traits, speciation mode may be integral to relationships between traits. We discuss the role of speciation in shaping the regional species pool.     

The relative importance of local conditions and regional processes in structuring aquatic plant communities

1. The structure of biological communities reflects the influence of both local environmental conditions and processes such as dispersal that create patterns in species’ distribution across a region. 2. We extend explicit tests of the relative importance of local environmental conditions and regional spatial processes to aquatic plants, a group traditionally thought to be little limited by dispersal. We used partial canonical correspondence analysis and partial Mantel tests to analyse data from 98 lakes and ponds across Connecticut (northeastern United States). 3. We found that aquatic plant community structure reflects the influence of local conditions (pH, conductivity, water clarity, lake area, maximum depth) as well as regional processes. 4. Only 27% of variation in a presence/absence matrix was explained by environmental conditions and spatial processes such as dispersal. Of the total explained, 45% was related to environmental conditions and 40% to spatial processes. 5. Jaccard similarity declined with Euclidean distance between lakes, even after accounting for the increasing difference in environmental conditions, suggesting that dispersal limitation may influence community composition in the region. 6. The distribution of distances among lakes where species occurred was associated with dispersal‐related functional traits, providing additional evidence that dispersal ability varies among species in ways that affect community composition. 7. Although environmental and spatial variables explained a significant amount of variation in community structure, a substantial amount of stochasticity also affects these communities, probably associated with unpredictable colonisation and persistence of the plants.