Phylogenetic structure of plant community, and its relationship with environmental components

• DOI: 10.22541/au.169309622.29657431/v1
• Publication Date: 2023-08-27T00:30:36Z
• Authors: Houshang Nosrati; Seied Mansoor Mir...; Mahmoudreza Jahan...
• Keywords: Multidimensional scaling; Community; Similarity (geometry); Phylogenetic diversity

The processes shaping the biological communities are ongoing debates. Two theories of Niche and Neutral most accepted ones, emphasizing on interspecific competition/environmental filtering, stochastic processes, respectively. Recently subject is investigated by incorporating phylogeny into ecological approaches. We plant structure in Kerman, Iran, constructing phylogenetic tree for species pool using megatree vascular plants R Package V.PhyloMaker2, subsequently calculated communities’ diversity indices (PDI) Faith, Net Relatedness index (NRI) Nearest Taxon (NTI). Relationship indecis with environmental components abundance was studied Packages Picante Vegan, compositions were based both abundance-weighted phylogeny-weighted compositions, their correlation Mental test. Similarity among evaluated ordination analyses Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling (NMDS) Principal Coordinates Phylogenetic Structure (PCPS), NRI NTI values positive smaller than threshold value 1.96, indicating clustered communities, highlighting filtering role. Soil pH moisture significantly correlated NTI, but only soil affected NRI. However, EC, altitude, slope degree aspects did not affect NTI. None six abundance. NMDS- PCPS-wieghted correlated. results showed that assemblage determined importance factors rather competition distribution region.