物种多样性及环境因子对入侵植物空心莲子草群落稳定性的影响

为探讨外来入侵植物空心莲子草群落稳定性的驱动机制,在中国21°N-37°N范围内设置73个面积为10 mX 10 m的空心莲子草群落样地(陆生39个,水生34个),分别计算其Godron群落稳定性坐标值和4个α-物种多样性指数,并测定各样地的7项环境因子(经度、纬度、海拔、铵态氮、硝态氮、年均温和年均降雨量),采用回归...     

Resource availability and plant diversity explain patterns of invasion of an exotic grass

Aims In this study, we examine two common invasion biology hypotheses—biotic resistance and fluctuating resource availability—to explain the patterns of invasion of an invasive grass, Microstegium vimineum.Methods We used 13-year-old deer exclosures in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA, to examine how chronic disturbance by deer browsing affects available resources, plant diversity, and invasion in an understory plant community. Using two replicate 1 m 2 plots in each deer browsed and unbrowsed area, we recorded each plant species present, the abundance per species, and the fractional percent cover of vegetation by the cover classes: herbaceous, woody, and graminoid. For each sample plot, we also estimated overstory canopy cover, soil moisture, total soil carbon and nitrogen, and soil pH as a measure of abiotic differences between plots.Important findings We found that plant community composition between chronically browsed and unbrowsed plots differed markedly. Plant diversity was 40% lower in browsed than in unbrowsed plots. At our sites, diversity explained 48% and woody plant cover 35% of the variation in M. vimineum abundance. In addition, we found 3.3 times less M. vimineum in the unbrowsed plots due to higher woody plant cover and plant diversity than in the browsed plots. A parsimonious explanation of these results indicate that disturbances such as herbivory may elicit multiple conditions, namely releasing available resources such as open space, light, and decreasing plant diversity, which may facilitate the proliferation of an invasive species. Finally, by testing two different hypotheses, this study addresses more recent calls to incorporate multiple hypotheses into research attempting to explain plant invasion.     

Microsatellite markers show decreasing diversity but unchanged level of clonality in Dryas octopetala (Rosaceae) with increasing latitude

? Premise of the study: Average arctic temperatures have increased at almost twice the global average in the past 100 years. Most studies on biodiversity along latitudinal gradients have focused on species richness or genetic diversity at lower latitudes, and only a few studies have inferred genetic diversity within a species along a latitudinal gradient at higher latitudes, even though these areas might be most affected by recent climate changes. Here, intraspecific genetic diversity of the arctic-alpine Dryas octopetala (Rosaceae) is studied along a latitudinal gradient to test the hypotheses that genetic diversity decreases and vegetative clonal growth increases with latitude. ? Methods: Ten microsatellite markers have been developed for D. octopetala and analyzed with population genetic methods in five populations along a latitudinal transect spanning from 59.0°N to 79.9°N. ? Key results: The nine microsatellites that were used in the final analyses resulted in a resolution high enough to distinguish between ramets while providing useful information at a larger geographical scale. Three genetic clusters were indicated, a southern Norway group, a northern Norway group, and a Svalbard group, with corresponding decreasing genetic diversity. No trend was found with regard to clonality along the gradient. ? Conclusions: The newly developed microsatellite markers provide a useful tool for further genetic studies of D. octopetala and its close relatives, addressing population structure as well as phylogeographic patterns. The results of this study support the hypothesis of decreasing genetic diversity with increasing latitude, which may have implications for future adaptability to climate change.     

南方菟丝子寄生对喜旱莲子草生长及群落多样性的影响

菟丝子属植物是一种有潜力的入侵植物的生物防治剂。以南方菟丝子(Cuscuta australis)天然寄生的喜旱莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)群落为研究对象,对比分析了南方菟丝子寄生对入侵植物喜旱莲子草生长的影响,同时采用群落调查的方法分析南方菟丝子寄生对入侵群落多样性的影响,以判断南方菟丝子是否具有防治喜旱莲子草的能力。结果表明南方菟丝子寄生可以降低喜旱莲子草的根生物量、茎生物量、叶生物量和总生物量,但与对照之间均不存在显著性差异;南方菟丝子寄生可以显著降低茎生物量比,显著增加根生物量比和根冠比。在无南方菟丝子寄生的喜旱莲子草群落中,除南方菟丝子和喜旱莲子草外,共有10科14属14种植物;而在南方菟丝子寄生的喜旱莲子草群落中,除南方菟丝子和喜旱莲子草外,共有16科27属28种植物,南方菟丝子能以产生吸器而寄生生长的植物共有19种,占样地植物种数的67.86%。南方菟丝子寄生可使群落物种丰富度显著性增加,也可使群落Simpson指数、Shannon-Wiener指数、McIntosh指数和均匀度指数增加,但是与对照之间不存在显著性差异。南方菟丝子寄生使喜旱莲子草的多度显著性下降,使喜旱莲子草的盖度和高度下降,但与未寄生的喜旱莲子草群落相比不存在显著性差异。但是南方菟丝子寄生可使喜旱莲子草在群落上的相对盖度、相对高度和相对多度均显著性下降,从而导致群落中喜旱莲子草的重要值显著性下降。南方菟丝子寄生可以在一定程度上抑制入侵植物喜旱莲子草的生长,促使群落多样性增加,促进本地群落的恢复。     

台湾和日本拟步甲在纬度分布上的比较研究

台湾和日本处在不同的地理纬度上,同属岛屿海洋性气候,前者地域面积远小于后者,拟步甲的物种多样性却大于后者。为弄清楚这些科学问题,作者采用G-F指数对从台湾到日本不同纬度梯度上的拟步甲多样性分布格局进行了比较分析,得到如下初步结论：(1) G-F指数从大到小依次是：台湾(21°N-25°N)(0．826)>日本(24°N-45°N)(0．824)>日本Ⅱ纬度区(30°N-35°N)(0．792)>日本Ⅰ纬度区(24°N-30°N)(0．765)>日本Ⅲ纬度区(35°N-40°N)(0．761)>日本Ⅳ纬度区(40°N-45°N)(0．603);(2)台湾拟步甲属的多样性(DG)、族的多样性(DF)和G-F指数(DG-F)均最高,分别是4．263、24．464和0．826;(3)各纬度上拟步甲的物种分布情况：台湾(21°N-25°N)(541种)>日本(24°N-45°N)(489种)>日本Ⅰ纬度区(24°N-30°N)(257种)>日本Ⅱ纬度区(30° N-35° N)(231种)>日本Ⅲ纬度区(35° N-40° N)(172种)>日本Ⅳ纬度区(40° N-45° N)(60种)。研究数据显示, G-F指数能较好地反映台湾和日本各地拟步甲族、属的多样性。其物种多样性在纬度上的分布表现为从南向北递减的趋势,并对其基本原因进行分析。作者首次基于台湾和日本两个岛屿拟步甲物种多样性的比较分析,对现有岛屿生物多样性的有关理论提出个人看法,认为岛屿生物地理学的“物种-面积关系理论”中的“岛屿面积越大,物种数量就越多”可能存在一定的局限性,不一定能客观地反映种类众多的现生岛屿昆虫物种多样性的实际情况。     

Relative abundance of invasive plants more effectively explains the response of wetland communities to different invasion degrees than phylogenetic evenness

入侵植物的相对多度比群落系统发育均匀度更能解释湿地群落对不同入侵程度的响应 本地植物群落普遍受到入侵植物不同程度的入侵。然而,入侵植物相对多度与群落系统发育均匀度对不同入侵程度下湿地植物群落响应入侵的相对贡献尚不明确。此外,这种贡献是否随淹水等环境 条件的变化而变化也不清楚。为了探讨这些问题,我们选择空心莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)作为入侵植物,通过改变植物群落物种组成,构建了4个不同的入侵程度,并且设置了水淹和无水淹两种处理。 改变群落入侵程度的同时改变了空心莲子草的相对多度和群落的系统发育均匀度。研究结果表明,不同的入侵程度显著影响了空心莲子草和一些本地物种的单株生物量。变异分割结果表明,无论淹水情况结果如何,空心莲子草相对多度对植物群落指标变异的贡献都大于系统发育均匀度。斯皮尔曼等级相关检验结果表明,空心莲子草的相对多度与空心莲子草和部分本地物种的单株生物量显著负相关;群落系统发育均匀度仅与少数本地种性状显著正相关。其相关强度和显著性均受特定的物种和水淹环境的影响。总之,这些研究结果表明：无论淹水情况如何,入侵植物(空心莲子草)的相对多度都比群落的系统发育均匀度更能有效地解释湿地植物群落对不同入侵程度的响应。     

植物群落的生物多样性及其可入侵性关系的实验研究

 生物入侵已经成为一个普遍性的环境问题,并为许多学者所关注。尽管一些理论研究和观察表明生物多样性丰富的群落不容易受到外来种的入侵,但后来有些实验研究并没能证实两者的负相关性,多样性 可入侵性假说仍然是入侵生态学领域争论比较多的一个焦点。人为构建不同物种多样性和物种功能群多样性（C3 禾本科植物、C4植物、非禾本科草本植物和豆科植物）梯度的小尺度群落,把其它影响可入侵性的外在因子和多样性效应隔离开来,研究入侵种喜旱莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)在不同群落里的入侵过程来验证多样性 可入侵性及其相关假说。研究结果显示,物种功能群丰富的群落可入侵程度较低,功能群数目相同而物种多样性不同的群落可入侵性没有显著性差异,功能群特征不同的群落也表现出可入侵性的差异,生活史周期短的单一物种群落和有着生物固氮功能的豆科植物群落可入侵程度较高,与喜旱莲子草属于同一功能群且有着相似生态位的土著种莲子草(A. sessilis)对入侵的抵抗力最强。实验结果表明,物种多样性和群落可入侵性并没有很显著的负相关,而是与物种特性基础上的物种功能群多样性呈负相关,群落中留给入侵种生态位的机会很可能是决定群落可入侵性的一个关键因子。     

Latitudinal variation in plant chemical defences drives latitudinal patterns of leaf herbivory

A long‐standing paradigm in ecology holds that herbivore pressure and thus plant defences increase towards lower latitudes. However, recent work has challenged this prediction where studies have found no relationship or opposite trends where herbivory or plant defences increase at higher latitudes. Here we tested for latitudinal variation in herbivory, chemical defences (phenolic compounds), and nutritional traits (phosphorus and nitrogen) in leaves of a long‐lived tree species, the English oak Quercus robur. We further investigated the underlying climatic and soil factors associated with such variation. Across 38 populations of Q. robur distributed along an 18° latitudinal gradient, covering almost the entire latitudinal and climatic range of this species, we observed strong but divergent latitudinal gradients in leaf herbivory and leaf chemical defences and nutrients. As expected, there was a negative relationship between latitude and leaf herbivory where oak populations from lower latitudes exhibited higher levels of leaf herbivory. However, counter to predictions there was a positive relationship between leaf chemical defences and latitude where populations at higher latitudes were better defended. Similarly, leaf phosphorus and nitrogen increased with latitude. Path analysis indicated a significant (negative) effect of plant chemical defences (condensed tannins) on leaf herbivory, suggesting that the latitudinal gradient in leaf herbivory was driven by an inverse gradient in defensive investment. Leaf nutrients had no independent influence on herbivory. Further, we found significant indirect effects of precipitation and soil porosity on leaf herbivory, which were mediated by plant chemical defences. These findings suggest that abiotic factors shape latitudinal variation in plant defences and that these defences in turn underlie latitudinal variation in leaf herbivory. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of latitudinal variation in plant–herbivore interactions by determining the identity and modus operandi of abiotic factors concurrently shaping plant defences and herbivory.     

Climate warming affects biological invasions by shifting interactions of plants and herbivores

Plants and herbivorous insects can each be dramatically affected by temperature. Climate warming may impact plant invasion success directly but also indirectly through changes in their natural enemies. To date, however, there are no tests of how climate warming shifts the interactions among invasive plants and their natural enemies to affect invasion success. Field surveys covering the full latitudinal range of invasive Alternanthera philoxeroides in China showed that a beetle introduced for biocontrol was rare or absent at higher latitudes. In contrast, plant cover and mass increased with latitude. In a 2‐year field experiment near the northern limit of beetle distribution, we found the beetle sustained populations across years under elevated temperature, dramatically decreasing A. philoxeroides growth, but it failed to overwinter in ambient temperature. Together, these results suggest that warming will allow the natural enemy to expand its range, potentially benefiting biocontrol in regions that are currently too cold for the natural enemy. However, the invader may also expand its range further north in response to warming. In such cases where plants tolerate cold better than their natural enemies, the geographical gap between plant and herbivorous insect ranges may not disappear but will shift to higher latitudes, leading to a new zone of enemy release. Therefore, warming will not only affect plant invasions directly but also drive either enemy release or increase that will result in contrasting effects on invasive plants. The findings are also critical for future management of invasive species under climate change.     

植物竞争和昆虫取食调节入侵植物对土壤细菌群落和功能的影响

以入侵植物空心莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides(Mart.)Griseb)、本土近缘种莲子草(Alternan-thera sessilis(L.)DC)、生防昆虫莲草直胸跳甲(Agasicles hygrophila(Selman&Vogt))和本地昆虫虾钳菜披龟甲(Cassida pi...     

中国云南小兽寄生革螨的群落结构和空间分布

寄生在小兽体表的革螨可能是传播肾综合征出血热和立克次体痘等人兽共患病的媒介。本文报道了云南省28个县(市)小兽体表革螨的野外调查结果, 运用物种数、平均丰富度和Shannon多样性指数对小兽寄生革螨的群落特征和沿环境梯度的空间分布进行了研究, 并用系统聚类分析法 (SPSS 16.0软件)对18种主要小兽的革螨群落相似性进行了比较。在云南省28个县(市)共捕获到小兽14 544头, 隶属于5目（啮齿目、食虫目、攀鼩目、兔形目、食肉目）10科35属67种, 在捕获的小兽体表采集到革螨80 791头, 经鉴定属于10科33属112种。结果分析表明: 主要的宿主动物为黄胸鼠 Rattus tanezumi、齐氏姬鼠Apodemus chevrieri和大绒鼠Eothenomys miletus;纳氏厉螨Laelaps nuttalli、毒厉螨L. echidninus和贵州厉螨L. guizhouensis为革螨的优势种。齐氏姬鼠A. chevrieri、社鼠N. confucianus和黄胸鼠R. tanezumi体表寄生的革螨种类最多;臭鼩鼱Suncus murinus、齐氏姬鼠A. chevrieri和灰麝鼩Crocidura attenuata的革螨群落多样性最高。聚类分析结果表明, 大部分革螨群落的相似程度与相应小兽的亲缘关系及所处生态环境的相似性是基本一致的, 分类地位和生境选择相似的小兽, 它们的革螨群落也被聚为一类。革螨物种数沿纬度梯度的水平分布呈现两个峰值, 最大峰值出现在25°~26°N之间;沿海拔梯度的垂直分布呈单峰分布格局, 峰值在海拔2 000~2 500 m之间。革螨和小兽的多样性沿纬度梯度和海拔梯度的空间分布趋势也均表现出随着纬度和海拔的升高而先升高后降低的单峰型分布格局, 峰值分别出现在北纬25°~27°N和海拔2 000~2 500 m之间。结果提示云南革螨群落种类丰富, 多样性高。云南革螨物种数和多样性的分布格局可能直接受到古北和东洋两区系边缘效应的影响。     

A paradox of latitudinal leaf defense strategies in deciduous and evergreen broadleaved trees

The classical “low latitude–high defense” hypothesis is seldom supported by empirical evidence. In this context, we tested latitudinal patterns in the leaf defense traits of deciduous broadleaved (DB) and evergreen broadleaved (EGB) tree species, which are expected to affect herbivore diversity. We examined the co-occurrence of leaf defense traits (tannin and phenol content, leaf mechanical strength, leaf dry matter content, leaf mass per area, and leaf thickness) in 741 broadleaved tree species and their correlations with species geographical range in East Asian island flora. We discovered contrasting latitudinal defense strategy gradients in DB and EGB tree species. DB species employed chemical defenses (increasing tannin and phenol content) at higher latitudes and physical defenses (softer and thinner leaves) at lower latitudes, whereas EGB tree species exhibited opposite latitudinal defense patterns. The “low latitude high defense” hypothesis included a paradoxical aspect in chemical and physical defense traits across broadleaved tree species. To reconcile paradoxical defense strategies along the latitudinal gradient, we conclude that interactive correlations among leaf traits are controlled by leaf longevity, which differs between DB and EGB tree species.     

Latitudinal gradient in the taxonomic composition of parasite communities

Although latitudinal gradients in diversity have been well studied, latitudinal variation in the taxonomic composition of communities has received less attention. Here, we use a large dataset including 950 surveys of helminth endoparasite communities in 650 species of vertebrate hosts to test for latitudinal changes in the relative contributions of trematodes, cestodes, nematodes and acanthocephalans to parasite assemblages. Although the species richness of helminth communities showed no consistent latitudinal variation, their taxonomic composition varied as a function of both host type and latitude. First, trematodes and acanthocephalans accounted for a higher proportion of species in helminth communities of fish, whereas nematodes achieved a higher proportion of the species in communities of bird and especially mammal hosts. Second, the proportion of trematodes in helminth communities of birds and mammals increased toward higher latitudes. Finally, the proportion of nematodes per community increased toward lower latitudes regardless of the type of host. We present tentative explanations for these patterns, and argue that new insights in parasite community ecology can be gained by searching for latitudinal gradients not only in parasite species richness, but also in the taxonomic composition of parasite assemblages.     

Genetic diversity within vertebrate species is greater at lower latitudes

The latitudinal gradient of species diversity is one of the oldest recognized patterns in biology. While the cause of the pattern remains debated, the global signal of greater diversity toward the tropics is widely established. Whether the pattern holds for genetic diversity within species, however, has received much less attention. We examine latitudinal variation of intraspecific genetic diversity by contrasting nucleotide distance within low- and high-latitude animal groups. Using mitochondrial DNA markers across 72 vertebrate species that together span six continents, two oceans, and 129 degrees of latitude, we found significantly greater genetic diversity at low latitudes within mammalian species, and trends consistent with this pattern in reptiles, amphibians, fish, and birds. The signal held even after removing species whose current geographic ranges include areas recently covered by glaciers during the late Pleistocene and which presumably have experienced colonization bottlenecks in high latitudes. Higher genetic diversity within species was found at low latitudes also for genera that do not possess higher species richness toward the tropics. Moreover, examination of a subset of species with sufficient sampling across a broad geographic range revealed that genetic variation demonstrates a typical gradient, with mid-latitude populations intermediate in genetic diversity between high and low latitude ones. These results broaden the pattern of the global latitudinal diversity gradient, to now include variation within species. These results are also concordant with other studies indicating that low latitude populations and species are on different evolutionary trajectories than high latitude ones, and we speculate that higher rates of evolution toward the equator are driving the pattern for genetic diversity within species.     

A global comparison of plant invasions on oceanic islands

Oceanic islands have long been considered to be particularly vulnerable to biotic invasions, and much research has focused on invasive plants on oceanic islands. However, findings from individual islands have rarely been compared between islands within or between biogeographic regions. We present in this study the most comprehensive, standardized dataset to date on the global distribution of invasive plant species in natural areas of oceanic islands. We compiled lists of moderate (5–25% cover) and dominant (>25% cover) invasive plant species for 30 island groups from four oceanic regions (Atlantic, Caribbean, Pacific, and Western Indian Ocean). To assess consistency of plant behaviour across island groups, we also recorded present but not invasive species in each island group.We tested the importance of different factors discussed in the literature in predicting the number of invasive plant species per island group, including island area and isolation, habitat diversity, native species diversity, and human development. Further we investigated whether particular invasive species are consistently and predictably invasive across island archipelagos or whether island-specific factors are more important than species traits in explaining the invasion success of particular species.We found in total 383 non-native spermatophyte plants that were invasive in natural areas on at least one of the 30 studied island groups, with between 3 and 74 invaders per island group. Of these invaders about 50% (181 species) were dominants or co-dominants of a habitat in at least one island group. An extrapolation from species accumulation curves across the 30 island groups indicates that the total current flora of invasive plants on oceanic islands at latitudes between c. 35°N and 35°S may eventually consist of 500–800 spermatophyte species, with 250–350 of these being dominant invaders in at least one island group. The number of invaders per island group was well predicted by a combination of human development (measured by the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita), habitat diversity (number of habitat types), island age, and oceanic region (87% of variation explained). Island area, latitude, isolation from continents, number of present, non-native species with a known invasion history, and native species richness were not retained as significant factors in the multivariate models.Among 259 invaders present in at least five island groups, only 9 species were dominant invaders in at least 50% of island groups where they were present. Most species were invasive only in one to a few island groups although they were typically present in many more island groups. Consequently, similarity between island groups was low for invader floras but considerably higher for introduced (but not necessarily invasive) species – especially in pairs of island groups that are spatially close or similar in latitude. Hence, for invasive plants of natural areas, biotic homogenization among oceanic islands may be driven by the recurrent deliberate human introduction of the same species to different islands, while post-introduction processes during establishment and spread in natural areas tend to reduce similarity in invader composition between oceanic islands. We discuss a number of possible mechanisms, including time lags, propagule pressure, local biotic and abiotic factors, invader community assembly history, and genotypic differences that may explain the inconsistent performance of particular invasive species in different island groups.     

Evidence of a latitudinal gradient in spider diversity in Australian cotton

The most common explanation for species diversity increasing towards the tropics is the corresponding increase in habitats (spatial heterogeneity). Consequently, a monoculture (like cotton in Australia) which is grown along a latitudinal gradient, should have the same degree of species diversity throughout its range. We tested to see if diversity in a dominant cotton community (spiders) changed with latitude, and if the community was structurally identical in different parts of Australia. We sampled seven sites extending over 20° of latitude. At each site we sampled 1–3 fields 3–5 times during the cotton growing season using pitfall traps and beatsheets, recording all the spiders collected to family. We found that spider communities in cotton are diverse, including a large range of foraging guilds, making them suitable for a conservation biological control programme. We also found that spider diversity increased from high to low latitudes, and the communities were different, even though the spiders were in the same monocultural habitat. Spider beatsheet communities around Australia were dominated by different families, and responded differently to seasonal changes, indicating that different pest groups would be targeted at different locations. These results show that diversity can increase from high to low latitudes, even if spatial heterogeneity is held constant, and that other factors external to the cotton crop are influencing spider species composition. Other models which may account for the latitudinal gradient, such as non‐equilibrium regional processes, are discussed.     

Latitudinal variation in soil nematode communities under climate warming‐related range‐expanding and native plants

Current climate change has led to latitudinal and altitudinal range expansions of numerous species. During such range expansions, plant species are expected to experience changes in interactions with other organisms, especially with belowground biota that have a limited dispersal capacity. Nematodes form a key component of the belowground food web as they include bacterivores, fungivores, omnivores and root herbivores. However, their community composition under climate change‐driven intracontinental range‐expanding plants has been studied almost exclusively under controlled conditions, whereas little is known about actual patterns in the field. Here, we use novel molecular sequencing techniques combined with morphological quantification in order to examine nematode communities in the rhizospheres of four range‐expanding and four congeneric native species along a 2,000 km latitudinal transect from South‐Eastern to North‐Western Europe. We tested the hypotheses that latitudinal shifts in nematode community composition are stronger in range‐expanding plant species than in congeneric natives and that in their new range, range‐expanding plant species accumulate fewest root‐feeding nematodes. Our results show latitudinal variation in nematode community composition of both range expanders and native plant species, while operational taxonomic unit richness remained the same across ranges. Therefore, range‐expanding plant species face different nematode communities at higher latitudes, but this is also the case for widespread native plant species. Only one of the four range‐expanding plant species showed a stronger shift in nematode community composition than its congeneric native and accumulated fewer root‐feeding nematodes in its new range. We conclude that variation in nematode community composition with increasing latitude occurs for both range‐expanding and native plant species and that some range‐expanding plant species may become released from root‐feeding nematodes in the new range.     

Biodiversity of soft-sediment benthic communities from Italian transitional waters

Aim For conservation purposes, it is important to understand the forces that shape biodiversity in transitional waters (TWs) and to evaluate the effects of small‐scale latitudinal changes. To this end, we analysed data on soft‐sediment macroinvertebrates from nine Italian TWs in order to (1) investigate the structure and distribution of the benthic fauna and their relationships with environmental and geographical variables, and (2) examine species richness and β‐diversity at various spatial scales. Location European Transition Waters Ecoregion 6. Methods Using a data set collected along a 7° latitudinal cline between 45°28′ N and 39°56′ N, we used Spearman’s rank correlation analysis to evaluate the relationships between species richness and both environmental and geographical variables, and linear regression analysis to show the relationships between α‐, β‐ and γ‐diversity. Three measures were used to assess β‐diversity: Whittaker’s β_W, and two similarity indices, namely the Bray‐Curtis similarity index and Δ_s. Using multivariate analyses, we determined the similarity in composition of the benthic community between sites and compared the biotic ordination with abiotic (geographical and environmental) characteristics. Results Two hundred and sixty‐eight species were recorded from 46 sites. Of these, 53.4% were restricted to one TW. Annelida was the dominant taxonomic group, followed by Crustacea and Mollusca. The α‐diversity was highly variable (5–87 species) and was correlated with latitude. The γ‐diversity, measured at the TW scale, was correlated significantly with α‐diversity. The β‐diversity increased with spatial scale and habitat heterogeneity. In the community pattern identified by multivariate analysis, TWs were segregated by latitude and biogeography, and this reflected different climatic conditions. Main conclusions We found that α‐diversity increased when moving from higher to lower latitudes, and that it depended on both regional and local factors. In addition, we detected latitudinal variations in the extent of regional influence on local species richness. The observed distribution pattern of TW faunas depended mostly on climate type. We suggest that the distribution of annelidan species could be used as a proxy for assessing general community patterns for Italian TWs.     

Is the proportion of clonal species higher at higher latitudes in Australia?

We provide a large‐scale quantification of the relationship between latitude and the proportion of species with clonal reproduction. Parasite pressure is thought to be higher at low latitudes, while abiotic stress is thought to be higher at high latitudes. We therefore predicted that there would be a higher proportion of clonal species at high latitudes than at low latitudes. We collected data of 4386 native seed plant species from 446 genera and 99 families present in ABRSFlora of Australia. Species' occurrence records were taken from the Atlas of Living Australia, including 817 450 species‐site combinations spanning 34.5° of latitude. Logistic regression showed that the proportion of clonal species significantly increased with latitude, rising from 3.3% clonal species at 9.25°S to 26.7% clonal species at 43.75°S. The overall average proportion of clonal species in Australian seed plants was 9.4%. This study adds to our growing understanding of dramatic latitudinal gradients in the way plants grow and reproduce. It also reveals that Australian vegetation contains a relatively low proportion of clonally reproducing species.     

Using structural equation modelling to test the passenger,driver and opportunist concepts in a Poa pratensis invasion

The passenger, driver, and opportunist models are conceptual models of the invasion process used to describe alternative invasion scenarios. In the passenger model, both the invasive species and native community respond independently to environmental changes. In the driver model, changes to the native community are driven by the invasive species, while in the opportunist model invasion occurs in response to changes in the native community. In any given invasion scenario, however, it is possible that the relationships between the invasive, the native community, and the environment correspond to some combination of these invasion models acting simultaneously. We study invasion by Poa pratensis in a grassland in Alberta, Canada. Poa pratensis is a non‐native plant implicated with loss of plant diversity in the region. In a three year field experiment, we manipulate the environment though defoliation, water addition, and nitrogen addition, and measure responses of P. pratensis cover, and cover and richness of the native community. We use structural equation modelling to describe the relationships between the invasive, the native community, and the environmental changes, and then interpret these relationships using the three invasion models. We found that P. pratensis predominantly invaded via the driver model, with subsequent reductions in native plant cover, but not in species richness. Positive effects of the environmental changes on P. pratensis also aided its ability to drive native cover. As well, we found some involvement of the opportunist model, through a negative relationship between the native community and the invasive. As invasion mainly proceeded via the driver model, management actions to limit invasion should focus on efforts to control abundance of P. pratensis itself.