Aim: Beech forests comprise a globally unique temperate forest type in Europe. The dominance of beech in these forests developed during the ongoing post-glacial northward re-colonization, concurrently with intensified forest use by humans. We investigated how these two processes together with climate shaped the patterns of functional diversity of two major species groups involved in wood decomposition and whether functional diversity is determined on the local or regional species pool level.
Location: European beech forest distribution range.
Taxon: Saproxylic beetles and fungi.
Methods: We analysed records of 532,496 saproxylic beetles of 788 species and 8,630 records of 234 saproxylic fungal species based on sets of traits similar to both groups. We tested how space, climate and landscape composition affect trait-based functional diversity on local and regional scales. Using structural equation modelling, we tested whether functional diversity is shaped on the local or regional scale.
Results: The response of local functional diversity of both saproxylic beetles and fungi followed a highly congruent pattern of decreasing functional diversity towards the north, with higher elevation and accounted for overall geographical gradients with higher temperature, while increasing with higher precipitation. Structural equation modelling revealed that local functional diversity is determined by community changes operating on the level of the regional species pool.
Main conclusions: Our findings suggest that the functional diversity patterns of saproxylic organisms in European beech forests are mainly determined on the regional scale and driven by anthropogenic and biogeographical processes. To conserve the variation and hotspots of functional diversity in beech forests, activities have to focus on a broad spatial and climatic range of sites throughout Europe, including the primeval forests in the east, as started by the UNESCO World Heritage selection of "Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe".
1.Tech Univ Munich, Dept Anim Sci, Entomol Res Grp, Chair Zool, Freising Weihenstephan, Germany 2.Bavarian Forest Natl Pk, Grafenau, Germany 3.Univ Helsinki, Dept Agr Sci, Helsinki, Finland 4.Tech Univ Munich, Chair Terr Ecol, Freising Weihenstephan, Germany 5.Natl Res Inst Sci & Technol Environm & Agr Irstea, Forest Ecosyst Res Unit, Nogent Sur Vernisson, France 6.Univ Toulouse, Ecole Ingenieurs Purpan, UMR INRA INPT 1201 Dynafor, Toulouse, France 7.Hvidtjornevej 1, Soro, Denmark 8.Swiss Fed Res Inst WSL, Forest Entomol, Birmensdorf, Switzerland 9.Univ Copenhagen, Ctr Macroecol Evolut & Climate, Biol Inst, Copenhagen, Denmark 10.Czech Univ Life Sci Prague, Fac Forestry & Wood Sci, Prague, Czech Republic 11.Swedish Forest Agcy, Hassleholm, Sweden 12.Strombergstr 22a, Bornheim, Germany 13.Bern Univ Appl Sci, Sch Agr Forest & Food Sci HAFL, Zollikofen, Switzerland 14.Univ Toulouse, UMR 1201 DYNAFOR, INPT El Purpan, INRA,INPT, Auzeville Tolosane, France 15.CRPF Occitanie, Antenne Tarbes, Tarbes, France 16.Masaryk Univ, Fac Sci, Dept Bot & Zool, Brno, Czech Republic 17.Univ Wurzburg, Bioctr, Dept Anim Ecol & Trop Biol, Field Stn Fabrikschleichach, Rauhenebrach, Germany 18.Ctr Nazl Studio & Conservaz Biodiversita Forestal, Marmirolo, MN, Italy
Recommended Citation:
Hagge, Jonas,Abrego, Nerea,Baessler, Claus,et al. Congruent patterns of functional diversity in saproxylic beetles and fungi across European beech forests[J]. JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY,2019-01-01,46(5):1054-1065