Unravelling the small‐island effect through phylogenetic community ecology

• DOI: 10.1111/jbi.13940
• Publication Date: 2020-09-26T05:22:36Z
• Authors: Thomas J. Matthews; François Rigal; Kostas Kougioumou...; Panayiotis Trigas; Kostas A. Triantis
• Keywords: Phylogenetic diversity; Null model; Phylogenetic comparative methods; Insular biogeography; Community

Abstract Aim The small‐island effect (SIE) describes a different relationship between island area and species richness on smaller compared to larger islands. pattern has recently gained widespread support. However, few studies have attempted identify the actual mechanisms driving SIE. Here, we use phylogenetic community framework study SIE, based assumption that if dominant assembly processes differ small large islands, patterns of structure should shift across habitat diversity gradient. Location Aegean Archipelago, Greece. Taxon Plants. Methods We used dataset 3,262 vascular plant distributed 173 in combination with species‐level phylogeny. each was calculated using null modelling quantified sizes (ES); negative values indicating clustering positive overdispersion. Habitat diversity, richness, (PD) ES were regressed against log 10 ‐transformed tested for SIE piecewise regression models. also assessed differences taxonomic composition islands beta framework. Results found evidence PD (ES values). Small displayed low variation tended be more phylogenetically clustered, while shifted from towards overdispersion increasing diversity. In addition, showed similar than expected. Main conclusion Overall, our results provide an example analysis structure, point role generally.