Spatial heterogeneity in species composition constrains plant community responses to herbivory and fertilisation

• DOI: 10.1111/ele.13102
• Publication Date: 2018-06-28T05:35:11Z
• Authors: Dorothee Hodapp; Elizabeth T. Borer; W. Stanley Harpole; Eric M. Lind; Eric W. Seabloom; Peter B. Adler; Juan Alberti; Carlos A. Arnillas; Jonathan D. Bakker; Lori Biederman; Marc Cadotte; Elsa E. Cleland; Scott Collins; Philip A. Fay; Jennifer Firn; Nicole Hagenah; Yann Hautier; Oscar Iribarne; Johannes M. H. Knops; Rebecca L. McCulley; Andrew MacDougall; Joslin L. Moore; John W. Morgan; Brent Mortensen; Kimberly J. La Pi...; Anita C. Risch; Martin Schütz; Pablo Peri; Carly J. Stevens; Justin Wright; Helmut Hillebrand
• Keywords: Extinction (optical mineralogy); Spatial heterogeneity; Extinction debt; Environmental change; Community

Environmental change can result in substantial shifts community composition. The associated immigration and extinction events are likely constrained by the spatial distribution of species. Still, studies on environmental typically quantify biotic responses at single (time series within a plot) or temporal (spatial beta diversity time points) scales, ignoring their potential interdependence. Here, we use data from global network grassland experiments to determine how turnover two major forms - fertilisation herbivore loss affected species pool size compositional heterogeneity. Fertilisation led higher rates local extinction, whereas exclusion plots was driven replacement. Overall, sites with more spatially heterogeneous composition showed significantly annual turnover, independent treatment. Taking into account biodiversity aspects will therefore improve our understanding consequences anthropogenic dynamics.