Life-form species–area relationships in a temperate eucalypt woodland community |
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Authors: | John W Morgan Nathan K Wong Seraphina C Cutler |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Botany, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3083, Australia |
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Abstract: | Viewing species–area curves in the context of the different life forms that generate them might be instructive for understanding
why high species density develops in some plant communities. In order to evaluate the patterns of species density in an Australian
temperate eucalypt woodland community, we used species–area curves and document rate of species accumulation by life forms
in six nested plots ranging in size from 1 m2 to 0.1 ha at 13 woodland sites. Mean total species density was 82 ± 3.8 species at 0.1 ha scales (range 49–104 species),
making them amongst the most diverse woodlands in Australia at these spatial scales. Species–area relationships for total
species were best described by power function models (log–log linear) with slopes (z) ranging from 0.12 to 0.35 (mean = 0.17 ± 0.02). When species were analysed by life form, species–area relationships were
similarly well-described by the power function for all life forms, although their slopes differed significantly; annuals had
the lowest slope and woody species the highest. Annuals and perennial herb species density were equal at the smallest spatial
scales (mean 11.7 and 11.5 species/m2, respectively) and hence, both life forms help generate high small scale species density. Small-scale total species density,
but not individual life form, was a significant predictor of larger-scale total species density (r
2 = 0.36, P = 0.03). Our findings suggest that high species density may be a general property of temperate eucalypt woodlands with herbaceous
understoreys and that the mechanisms that underpin these patterns require further study. |
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