Putting Beta-Diversity On The Map: Broad-Scale Congruence And Coincidence In The Extremes

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 08 Oct 2007 - 18:00 PDT

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Beta-diversity, how species composition varies from place to place, is a fundamental attribute of biodiversity. However, despite its recognized importance, beta-diversity is rarely studied across large spatial scales.

Here, Meghan McKnight, Simon Stuart, and colleagues, published in the open-access journal PLoS Biology, use a new method to compare amphibian, bird, and mammal beta-diversity across large regions within the Western Hemisphere. They show that although the areas of low beta-diversity are different for the three groups, areas of high beta-diversity largely coincide. Moreover, they find that the degree to which the groups exhibit similar patterns of beta-diversity depends on the geographic location and extent at which it is measured. Beta-diversity is high where species are most susceptible to climate change, such as in areas with complex topography or high environmental variation. Identifying where areas of high beta-diversity coincide for different species groups is essential to the design of effective protected area networks.

Citation: McKnight MW, White PS,McDonald RI, Lamoreux JF, Sechrest W, et al. (2007) Putting beta-diversity on themap: Broad-scale congruence and coincidence in the extremes. PLoS Biol 5(10): e272. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050272 Please click here

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