Stability and synchrony across ecological hierarchies in heterogeneous metacommunities: linking theory to data

• DOI: 10.1111/ecog.04290
• Publication Date: 2019-03-04T10:35:43Z
• Authors: Shaopeng Wang; Thomas Lamy; Lauren M. Hallett; Michel Loreau
• Keywords: Metacommunity; Temporal scales

Understanding stability across ecological hierarchies is critical for landscape management in a changing world. Recent studies showed that synchrony among lower‐level components key to scaling temporal two hierarchical levels, whether spatial or organizational. But an extended framework integrates both scale and organizational level simultaneously required clarify the sources of ecosystem at large scales. However, such extension far from trivial when taking into account heterogeneities real‐world ecosystems. In this paper, we develop partitioning bridges variability measures scales levels heterogeneous metacommunities. framework, metacommunity expressed as product local‐scale population indices capture coherence species space, respectively. We R function ‘var.partition’ apply it five types desert plant communities illustrate our test how diversity shapes different levels. As observation increased local populations metacommunities, productivity was reduced mainly by factors decreased synchrony. Species regional scales, community Local were Moreover, beta contributed decreasing communities. conclude new offers valuable toolbox future empirical disentangle mechanisms pathways which influence