帽儿山红松人工林鞘翅目成虫群落小尺度空间异质性变化特征

空间异质性是群落空间格局形成的基础,也是物种共存的重要前提。基于地统计空间分析方法,研究20 m×20 m空间尺度上帽儿山红松人工林鞘翅目成虫群落及物种的空间自相关性及异质性分布格局。结果显示:5次调查共捕获鞘翅目成虫10科、42种、2721只个体,群落组成具有中等或较强的空间变异性和明显的时间变异性;Moran's I系数表明群落及部分物种具有显著的空间自相关性,各调查月份接近甚至超过一半的物种不存在空间自相关性;群落及部分物种表现为异质性特征并在特定空间尺度内形成集群,且这种空间分异多由结构性因素或结构性因素和随机性因素共同调控;物种之间表现为具有复杂正的或负的空间作用关系,这种空间关联性的形成主要是结构性因素或随机性因素单一调控的结果,但简单Mantel检验并未发现物种之间存在显著的空间关联性;群落的空间格局梯度分布特征较明显,随着季节的变化(夏天到秋天)聚集物种数量的斑块复杂程度降低。本文旨在揭示鞘翅目成虫空间异质性的变化特征,为鞘翅目成虫群落物种构建机制研究奠定基础。     

温带落叶阔叶林地表鞘翅目成虫小尺度空间格局动态分析

土壤动物空间格局是格局—过程以及生物多样性维持机制研究的重要基础,目前小尺度空间土壤动物空间格局动态特征仍不清楚。基于地统计空间分析方法,以鞘翅目成虫为研究对象,研究帽儿山温带落叶阔叶林小尺度空间(5m)地表鞘翅目成虫群落及类群的空间格局动态特征。结果表明:4次调查共捕获鞘翅目成虫11科、29类、1021只个体,调查月份鞘翅目成虫群落具有较强的时空变异性;Moran'sⅠ系数表明鞘翅目成虫群落和类群具有复杂的正的空间自相关性,其空间异质性可用球状、指数、高斯和线性模型进行拟合。这种空间异质性具有一定的时间变化特征,且这种空间分异是由随机性因素单一调控或结构性因素和随机性因素共同调控的结果;类群之间在多种尺度上表现为复杂的以负相关居多的空间关联性,这种空间关联性的形成主要是结构性因素或随机性因素单一调控的结果。本实验表明地表鞘翅目成虫群落在小尺度空间具有明显的空间异质性特征,这种空间异质性时间变异性较明显。     

小兴安岭阔叶红松林地表甲虫Metacommunity格局

Metacommunity理论框架为理解生物群落的时空格局及其构建机制提供了一个强有力的方法。然而,少有研究揭示土壤动物metacommunity的格局及其构建机制,小尺度空间的研究更是少见。于2015年分别在凉水和丰林小兴安岭典型阔叶红松林长期动态监测样地内,通过空间直观定位调查监测的方法获得地表甲虫群落,揭示小尺度空间(300 m)地表甲虫metacommunity的格局,并进一步分析地形、土壤因子与这种metacommunity格局的相关性。结果表明:镶嵌型(nestedness)和随机型(random)是小尺度空间地表甲虫metacommunity的常见格局。地表甲虫的metacommunity格局具有类群依赖性,步行虫科和葬甲科多形成镶嵌型格局,而隐翅虫科则仅形成随机型格局。地表甲虫metacommunity格局具有季节波动性,在相对温暖的季节易形成显著的镶嵌型格局,而在相对寒冷的季节多为随机型格局。凉水和丰林地表甲虫的metacommunity格局没有明显差异。地形和土壤因子对地表甲虫metacommunity格局有重要的影响,该影响过程相对复杂,依类群和时间而异。本实验表明镶嵌型和随机型是小尺度空间小兴安岭典型阔叶红松林地表甲虫的常见格局,地形、土壤因子对这些格局的形成有重要的影响。     

丰林典型阔叶红松林地表鞘翅目成虫空间异质性及其与环境因子的空间关联性

土壤动物群落空间异质性及其与环境因子的空间作用关系, 是揭示土壤生态系统格局与过程及生物多样性维持机制的重要基础。作者于2015年生长季节(8月)、寒冷季节(10月)在丰林典型阔叶红松林动态监测样地内, 采用陷阱法调查地表鞘翅目成虫群落, 基于地统计空间分析方法, 揭示步甲科和隐翅虫科群落个体数和物种数及优势种的空间格局, 并分析这些空间格局与土壤含水量和地形因子的空间关联性。两次采样共捕获步甲科成虫26种617只, 隐翅虫科19种222只。8月群落个体数和物种数表现为中等变异, 10月为强变异, 群落组成在两个月间具有显著差异。生长季节(8月)和寒冷季节(10月)步甲科和隐翅虫科群落多表现为中等的空间自相关性, 空间分异由随机性因素和结构性因素共同决定。单个物种的个体数多具有中等的空间异质性特征, 且其空间分异主要由随机性因素和结构性因素共同调控。生长季节群落的个体数、物种数和优势种个体数多形成斑块和孔隙镶嵌分布的空间格局。物种之间及物种与环境因子之间多为复杂的空间关联性, 这些关联性主要受到结构性因素或随机性因素的单一调控。典范对应分析(canonical correspondence analysis, CCA)结果表明, 8月土壤含水量对步甲科和隐翅虫科物种分布影响显著, 10月凹凸度对步甲科分布影响显著, 海拔对隐翅虫科分布具有显著影响。本研究表明地表步甲科和隐翅虫科在生长季节形成明显的空间格局而在寒冷季节空间格局不明显, 为不同尺度地表土壤动物空间异质性和生物多样性维持机制研究提供了理论基础。     

阔叶红松林地表鞘翅目多样性及种间关联性

生物间相互作用被认为是群落构建机制的重要驱动力,然而目前不同空间尺度土壤动物群落物种间相互关联性仍不清楚。为了揭示小尺度空间地表鞘翅目成虫的物种组成、多样性及种间关联性,并验证是否亲缘关系较近的同属(科)物种之间多表现为负关联性,本实验于2015年8月、10月在丰林自然保护区9 hm2阔叶红松林固定监测样地,采用陷阱法捕获地表鞘翅目土壤动物。结果表明:(1)两次实验共捕获地表鞘翅目成虫1394只,隶属9科58种,其中步行虫科和隐翅虫科为优势科。10月捕获的个体数量和物种数相较于8月明显减少,群落多样性在8月和10月间具明显差异。(2)8月份,葬甲科、步行虫科和隐翅虫科群落丰富度均为显著的正关联,不同科地表鞘翅目成虫物种之间空间生态位重叠度较低,种间关系多为随机关系;同科内物种之间大多数为随机关系,极少数物种之间表现为显著的正/负的关联性。本研究表明,小尺度空间地表鞘翅目成虫群落组成和多样性在2个月份间具有明显变化,群落内物种间多为随机性关系,亲缘关系较近的物种间并未表现较多显著的负关联性。     

贺兰山冲积扇荒漠草地拟步甲群落小尺度空间格局动态

为探讨贺兰山冲积扇荒漠草地拟步甲群落小尺度空间格局动态特征,本研究于2019年5—10月每月采用陷阱法调查200 m×200 m空间尺度的拟步甲昆虫群落,基于地统计分析方法,研究拟步甲昆虫群落的空间格局,并分析空间格局与地形因子的关系。6次调查共捕获拟步甲科成虫7属10种1086只,群落组成具有较明显的空间和时间变异性。其中,拟步甲群落多样性以5月最大,7月最低。Moran I指数表明,拟步甲优势种空间自相关性具有明显的季节波动性,在5月、9月和10月表现为显著空间正相关。拟步甲群落和优势种具有较强的空间异质性,主要由结构性因素决定。普通克里金插值表明,不同季节群落空间格局梯度分布存在明显差异,夏季群落空间格局比较简单。交叉方差函数分析显示,优势种物种间大多表现为正空间关联性,且主要受结构性因素单一调控。典范对应分析(CCA)结果表明,坡度和海拔显著影响昆虫分布。本研究揭示了拟步甲昆虫群落小尺度空间异质性具有明显的季节变异,为研究贺兰山冲积扇生境地表甲虫物种多样性空间格局及维持机制奠定基础。     

平茬处理对小叶锦鸡儿灌丛邻居植物群落空间格局的影响

近几十年来,内蒙古典型草原小叶锦鸡儿(Caragana microphylla)灌丛化现象普遍发生,严重影响了草地生产力。平茬作为灌丛化草地主要管理方式之一,已受到广泛关注;然而平茬如何影响灌丛邻居植物群落的格局动态及其下土壤理化性质变化,仍缺少相应研究。以内蒙古草原小叶锦鸡儿灌丛化草地为研究对象,进行平茬处理,并依据距离小叶锦鸡儿灌丛的远近位置(远—2.5 m,近—0.5 m)设置样方进行植物群落调查和土壤样品的采集,经分析发现:(1)平茬处理显著提高了灌丛邻居植物群落均匀度及邻居植物群落下土壤全碳、全氮含量。(2)借助零模型(Null-model)分析,得出未平茬处理条件下,距离灌丛远近两种位置群落均表现为竞争性格局;而平茬处理条件下,群落竞争性格局作用弱化,且距离灌丛2.5 m位置处群落表现为促进性格局。(3)调查群落中物种间的关系多为中性作用;仅有少数物种对表现为显著正(或负)相互作用关系,且多由群落中优势物种组成;平茬处理条件下群落中显著负相互作用关系物种对比例下降,支持群落整体竞争性格局弱化这一结论。所得结果不仅为小叶锦鸡儿灌丛平茬处理条件下邻居植物群落及土壤环境的动态变化的探讨提供了实验依据,而且对灌丛化草地的恢复具有一定的实践指导意义。     

鹞落坪国家级自然保护区吊罐井物种分布格局与种间关联的多尺度分析

为了探讨群落结构形成机制,采用点格局分析方法,对鹞落坪国家级自然保护区吊罐井核心区1hm2样地内36个优势物种在0~50m尺度上的空间分布格局和种间关联性进行了研究。结果显示,36个物种的空间分布格局在小尺度上主要呈聚集分布,在较大尺度上呈随机分布的物种比例最高;对36个物种种间关联性的分析发现,无关联类型是该样地物种间相互作用的主要表现形式,并且在10m尺度上无关联种对的比例最低,正相关和负相关的种对在所有尺度上的比例均未超过20%。群落结构的次生性、生境异质性和扩散限制性是导致该样地物种分布和种间关系格局的主要原因。本研究结果有助于了解物种共存的尺度依赖性特征及其形成机制。     

长白山阔叶红松林草本层物种多度分布格局及其季节动态

草本层是森林生态系统的重要组成部分, 对维持森林生物多样性具有重要意义。本文以长白山阔叶红松(Pinus koraiensis)林25 ha固定监测样地为研究平台, 运用不同的统计模型(对数正态模型和对数级数模型)及机理模型(包括生态位模型: 断棍模型和生态位优先占领模型; 中性模型: 复合群落零和多项式模型和Volkov模型), 对不同季节草本物种多度分布进行拟合。采用Kolmogorov-Smirnov和AIC检验确定最优模型, 以揭示草本层物种多度分布格局随季节的变化规律, 探讨草本层物种组成与结构背后的生态学过程。结果表明: (1)草本层物种多度分布季节差异明显。春季各多度级物种数差异不大, 夏季中间种较多, 秋季则是稀有种较多; (2)模型拟合结果显示, 不同季节草本层物种多度分布的最优拟合模型相近。统计模型中对数级数模型表现最优, 机理模型中中性模型的拟合效果优于生态位模型。复合群落零和多项式模型较好地拟合了春夏季草本物种多度分布, Volkov模型较好地拟合了秋季草本物种多度分布。综上所述, 尽管长白山阔叶红松林草本植物不同季节的物种多度分布格局不尽一致, 但其背后的构建机制相似, 中性随机过程在草本层物种多样性维持过程中显得更为重要。     

园林鸟类群落的岛屿性格局

岛屿群落由于受岛屿栖息地特征结构的影响而产生一系列特殊的格局。通过对杭州市园林鸟类群落的研究,分析了园林鸟类群落的物种数、组成和多度与园林岛屿性状的关系,从而确定了园林鸟类群落存在如下与园林的岛屿性状有关的格局:(1)在物种数方面,在相同的取样面积下,园林的物种数随园林面积的增大而减少;(2 )在群落组成上,园林鸟类群落呈现出不完全的嵌套格局,分布于物种数较少的园林中的物种多数也分布在物种数较多的园林中;(3)在物种多度方面,园林鸟类的总密度随面积的增大而减少,园林鸟类多度的均匀度随着面积的增大而提高。群落的岛屿性格局反映了栖息地的岛屿化对群落的影响,总称之为群落的岛屿效应。通过比较全年、繁殖季节、越冬季节和迁徙季节群落岛屿性格局的显著性,分析群落的稳定性与群落岛屿效应之间的关系,认为两者之间没有必然的联系,相对非稳定的群落也可导致显著岛屿效应     

Disentangling the roles of chance,abiotic factors and biotic interactions among epiphytic bryophyte communities in a tropical rainforest (Yunnan,China)

• Epiphytes offer an appealing framework to disentangle the contributions of chance, biotic and abiotic drivers of species distributions. In the context of the stress-gradient theory, we test the hypotheses that (i) deterministic (i.e., non-random) factors play an increasing role in communities from young to old trees, (ii) negative biotic interactions increase on older trees and towards the tree base, and (iii) positive interactions show the reverse pattern.
• Bryophyte species distributions and abiotic conditions were recorded on a 1.1 ha tropical rainforest canopy crane site. We analysed co-occurrence patterns in a niche modelling framework to disentangle the roles of chance, abiotic factors and putative biotic interactions among species pairs.
• 76% of species pairs resulted from chance. Abiotic factors explained 78% of non-randomly associated species pairs, and co-occurrences prevailed over non-coincidences in the remaining species pairs. Positive and negative interactions mostly involved species pairs from the same versus different communities (mosses versus liverworts) and life forms, respectively. There was an increase in randomly associated pairs from large to small trees. No increase in negative interactions from young to old trees or from the canopy to the base was observed.
• Our results suggest that epiphytic bryophyte community composition is primarily driven by environmental filtering, whose importance increases with niche complexity and diversity. Biotic interactions play a secondary role, with a very marginal contribution of competitive exclusion. Biotic interactions vary among communities (mosses versus liverworts) and life forms, facilitation prevailing among species from the same community and life form, and competition among species from different communities and life forms.

     

The empirical Bayes approach as a tool to identify non-random species associations

A statistical challenge in community ecology is to identify segregated and aggregated pairs of species from a binary presence–absence matrix, which often contains hundreds or thousands of such potential pairs. A similar challenge is found in genomics and proteomics, where the expression of thousands of genes in microarrays must be statistically analyzed. Here we adapt the empirical Bayes method to identify statistically significant species pairs in a binary presence–absence matrix. We evaluated the performance of a simple confidence interval, a sequential Bonferroni test, and two tests based on the mean and the confidence interval of an empirical Bayes method. Observed patterns were compared to patterns generated from null model randomizations that preserved matrix row and column totals. We evaluated these four methods with random matrices and also with random matrices that had been seeded with an additional segregated or aggregated species pair. The Bayes methods and Bonferroni corrections reduced the frequency of false-positive tests (type I error) in random matrices, but did not always correctly identify the non-random pair in a seeded matrix (type II error). All of the methods were vulnerable to identifying spurious secondary associations in the seeded matrices. When applied to a set of 272 published presence–absence matrices, even the most conservative tests indicated a fourfold increase in the frequency of perfectly segregated “checkerboard” species pairs compared to the null expectation, and a greater predominance of segregated versus aggregated species pairs. The tests did not reveal a large number of significant species pairs in the Vanuatu bird matrix, but in the much smaller Galapagos bird matrix they correctly identified a concentration of segregated species pairs in the genus Geospiza. The Bayesian methods provide for increased selectivity in identifying non-random species pairs, but the analyses will be most powerful if investigators can use a priori biological criteria to identify potential sets of interacting species.     

山西稀有濒危植物脱皮榆群落的种间分离

通过对山西太岳山脱皮榆群落1 hm²样地内出现的14种乔木进行调查,在应用ArcGIS软件分析每个个体的最近邻体植株的基础上,采用N×N最近邻体列联表及其2×2列联表截表的方法和Pielou分离指数计算分析了脱皮榆群落的种间分离规律,并根据种间分离情况以及物种对环境的适应方式,利用PCA排序将样地中14个物种进行了生态种组的划分。结果表明:（1）该群落中出现的14种乔木构成的91个种对中,随机毗邻种对占绝大多数（74.73%）,正分离种对较少（23.07%）,负分离种对极少（2.20%）,群落趋于稳定。（2）群落的种间分离在不同种之间存在着一定的差异,脱皮榆仅与其他树种随机毗邻;正分离常发生在群落中的优势种之间,而负分离常发生在群落中的伴生种之间。（3）种间分离与群落的生境异质性和物种的生态需求具有密切的关系,即两个具有不同生境要求的物种之间常常发生正分离,而具有相同或相似生境要求的物种之间常常发生负分离。（4）脱皮榆群落中14种乔木可划分为3个生态种组。研究认为,脱皮榆群落内物种的总体分离规律为全面不分离。由生境异质性、物种间不同的生物学特性和生态需求为基础的种间关系可能是维持太岳山脱皮榆群落稳定共存的机制之一。     

A metacommmunity approach to co-occurrence patterns and the core-satellite hypothesis in a community of tropical arboreal ants

Inferring mechanisms of community assembly from co-occurrence patterns is difficult in systems where assembly processes occur at multiple spatial scales and among species with heterogeneous dispersal abilities. Here, we demonstrate that local scale analysis of co-occurrence patterns is inadequate to fully describe assembly mechanisms and instead utilize a metacommunity and core-satellite approach. We generated a co-occurrence and life-history data set for a community of twig-nesting ants on coffee plants across 36 sites within a tropical agroecosystem to test the following three hypotheses: (1) twig-nesting ant species compete for nest-sites, (2) they are structured as a metacommunity, and (3) core species show segregated patterns, while satellite species show random patterns of co-occurrence. Species were divided into four groups: core species that are well distributed regionally and dominant locally, regional dominants that are well distributed regionally but do not dominate locally, local dominants that are dominant locally but are not widely distributed, and satellites that are neither widely distributed nor dominant locally. Only the most abundant species in the community, Pseudomyrmex simplex, was classified as a core species. Regional dominants, local dominants, and satellite species show random patterns of co-occurrence. However, when P. simplex is included in the co-occurrence matrix, patterns become aggregated for all three species groupings. This suggests that P. simplex “assembles” the community by providing a core metapopulation that other species track. Analyzing co-occurrence patterns among candidate subsets of species, at multiple spatial scales, and linking them to species traits substantially improves the explanatory power of co-occurrence analyses in complex metacommunities.     

Species co‐occurrence patterns and dietary resource competition in primates

Diamond (Assembly of species communities. In: Cody ML, Diamond JM, editors. Ecology and evolution of communities. Cambridge: Belknap. p 342–444 ( 1975 )) argued that interspecific competition between species occupying similar niches results in a nonrandom pattern of species distributions. In particular, some species pairs may never be found in the same community due to competitive exclusion. Rigorous analytical methods have been developed to investigate the possible role that interspecific competition has on the evolution of communities. Many studies that have implemented these methods have shown support for Diamond's assembly rules, yet there are numerous exceptions. We build on this previous research by examining the co‐occurrence patterns of primate species in 109 communities from across the world. We used EcoSim to calculate a checkerboard (C) score for each region. The C score provides a measure of the proportion of species pairs that do not co‐occur in a set of communities. High C scores indicate that species are nonrandomly distributed throughout a region, and interspecific competition may be driving patterns of competitive exclusion. We conducted two sets of analyses. One included all primate species per region, and the second analysis assigned each species to one of four dietary guilds: frugivores, folivores, insectivores, and frugivore‐insectivores. Using all species per region, we found significantly high C scores in 9 of 10 regions examined. For frugivores, we found significantly high‐C scores in more than 50% of regions. In contrast, only 23% of regions exhibited significantly high‐C scores for folivores. Our results suggest that communities are nonrandomly structured and may be the result of greater levels of interspecific competition between frugivores compared to folivores. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Ant community structure on a small Pacific island: only one native species living with the invaders

In most studies about ant communities, species are grouped into competitive hierarchies where top dominants drive the majority of other species away from resources. Nevertheless, in some ecosystems high ground temperatures may disrupt this hierarchical organization. Other changes in community structure are caused by the arrival of invasive ant species, which rapidly disassemble local communities. We studied the effects of competition and temperature on ant community organization on Surprise Island (New Caledonia). Four different habitats were distinguished: a central plain, a sea shore Argusia shrubland, a dense Scaveola shrub, and an arboreal Pisonia strata. Eight ant species were identified from pitfall traps (seven introduced and only one native species, Pheidole oceanica). Ant assemblages in each habitat had a different ecologically dominant species, and a dominant species in one habitat could be non-dominant and less abundant in another. From interactions at baits, we built a competitive hierarchy where the top dominant species was the native Ph. oceanica. Daily foraging activity rhythms of the different species mostly overlapped. The relationship between bait occupation and ground temperature followed a negative linear pattern at all sites and for most species, except for the relatively thermophilous Monomorium floricola. Indices of co-occurrence in pitfall traps indicated that species co-occurred randomly with respect to one another. Conversely, species appeared to be segregated when we examined co-occurrence at baits at the sites where Ph. oceanica was abundant. Oceanic islands are very susceptible to alien species, but on Surprise Island it seems that the sole native species dominates in some habitats when confronted by invasive species.     

Spatial Segregation and Aggregation of Ectomycorrhizal and Root-Endophytic Fungi in the Seedlings of Two Quercus Species

Diverse clades of mycorrhizal and endophytic fungi are potentially involved in competitive or facilitative interactions within host-plant roots. We investigated the potential consequences of these ecological interactions on the assembly process of root-associated fungi by examining the co-occurrence of pairs of fungi in host-plant individuals. Based on massively-parallel pyrosequencing, we analyzed the root-associated fungal community composition for each of the 249 Quercus serrata and 188 Quercus glauca seedlings sampled in a warm-temperate secondary forest in Japan. Pairs of fungi that co-occurred more or less often than expected by chance were identified based on randomization tests. The pyrosequencing analysis revealed that not only ectomycorrhizal fungi but also endophytic fungi were common in the root-associated fungal community. Intriguingly, specific pairs of these ectomycorrhizal and endophytic fungi showed spatially aggregated patterns, suggesting the existence of facilitative interactions between fungi in different functional groups. Due to the large number of fungal pairs examined, many of the observed aggregated/segregated patterns with very low P values (e.g., < 0.005) turned non-significant after the application of a multiple comparison method. However, our overall results imply that the community structures of ectomycorrhizal and endophytic fungi could influence each other through interspecific competitive/facilitative interactions in root. To test the potential of host-plants'' control of fungus–fungus ecological interactions in roots, we further examined whether the aggregated/segregated patterns could vary depending on the identity of host plant species. Potentially due to the physiological properties shared between the congeneric host plant species, the sign of hosts'' control was not detected in the present study. The pyrosequencing-based randomization analyses shown in this study provide a platform of the high-throughput investigation of fungus–fungus interactions in plant root systems.     

漳江口红树植物群落周转对大型底栖动物群落结构的影响

在城市化的背景下,探明不同大型底栖动物群落对植物群落变化的响应,对红树林生态系统的健康评价和退化生态系统的修复具有重要意义。以福建漳江口国家级红树林自然保护区为研究对象,揭示红树植物群落周转对不同大型底栖动物群落结构（蟹类和软体动物）的影响,并分析其与环境参数的关联性。结果表明：在1.6 km的地理尺度上,漳江口红树林湿地的环境变化较大,表现出7.19个环境梯度。在此地理尺度的环境梯度上,红树植物群落由5种红树植物组成,其平均周转率为76%;软体动物群落由12种软体动物以模块化和非随机的方式聚集,其平均周转率为83%,并随红树植物群落周转出现显著非线性增加,盐度和老鼠簕（Acanthus ilicifolius）周转是其主要影响因素;蟹类群落则由20种蟹类以更高的模块化和非随机的方式分散,平均周转率为89%,并随红树植物群落周转而呈线性增加,主要受pH和白骨壤（Avicennia marina）周转的影响。研究揭示了大型底栖动物与植物群落和环境之间的关系,为城市化背景下红树林生态系统的保护和恢复提供基础资料。     

Community Structure of Wetland Birds During Spring Migration Through the Rainwater Basin

Abstract: Staging areas and migratory stopovers of wetland birds have the potential to function as geographic bottlenecks; entire populations within a flyway may be affected by the quality and quantity of available wetland habitat at stopover sites. Although approximately 90% of playa wetlands in the Rainwater Basin (RWB) region of south-central Nebraska, USA, have been destroyed, the area still provides essential stopover habitat for >10 million waterfowl each spring. We evaluated community patterns and species associations to assess importance of assembly rules in structuring wetland bird communities during migration and to better facilitate multispecies conservation and management strategies. We surveyed 36–40 playas twice weekly in the RWB and observed approximately 2.6 million individual migratory wetland birds representing 72 species during 3 spring migrations 2002–2004. We evaluated spatial and temporal species co-occurrence patterns of geese, dabbling ducks, diving ducks, and shorebirds using null model analysis. Goose species co-occurrence scores did not differ from random in any year of the study, suggesting that goose species frequently use the same habitats during migration. Co-occurrence patterns among dabbling ducks were not different than expected by chance in any year; however, when we evaluated co-occurrence at a weekly scale, dabbling ducks co-occurred less often than expected during weeks of peak migration (high abundance), indicating that dabbling duck species spatially segregated at high densities. Diving duck co-occurrence patterns did not differ from random in any year, suggesting that diving duck species used the same habitats during migration. Shorebird species co-occurred less often than expected in 2002 and 2004, and during weeks of high shorebird abundance, indicating that shorebird communities were distinctly structured during those times. Most association values among lesser snow geese (Chen caerulescens) and dabbling duck species were positive, indicating dabbling ducks did not avoid wetlands with snow geese, a concern for waterfowl managers. However, we frequently observed snow geese and dabbling ducks using different microhabitats within a wetland, which indicate species associations and co-occurrence patterns may have occurred at a finer spatial scale than we measured. This approach of co-occurrence analysis will allow wildlife managers charged with multispecies management at migration stopover sites to make informed conservation and management decisions based on community structure rather than historic single-species approaches.