Regional metacommunities in two coastal systems: spatial structure and drivers of plant assemblages

摘要: Aim Biogeographical patterns in metacommunities are still poorly understood, and different processes expected to occur habitats. We analysed the regional plant of coastal habitats test whether (1) influence space climate differs between two differentiated along seashore–inland gradient, (2) variation species composition these can be ascribed metacommunity paradigms. Location The entire coast Iberian Peninsula, south-western Europe. Methods collected data on sites sand dunes across 3000 km coastline. were classified into corresponding shifting stable dunes, divided three distinct geographical regions: Cantabrian, Atlantic Mediterranean. assessed structure using ordination, estimates turnover spatial autocorrelation. then used multivariate models partitioning climatic effects. Analyses conducted for whole set subsets. Results Metacommunities from showed similar patterns, with highest occurring Mediterranean region. Similarities communities that nearer each other (typically < 100 km) weaker than although distance decay further apart was both Variation mainly explained by climate, while effect clearly dominant. observed differences relatively consistent regions. Main conclusions Distinct dune gradient. Communities seem structured an interplay neutral or patch-dynamic a lesser degree sorting. In contrast, governed sorting response gradients. These results highlight importance differentiating according local ecological factors when analysing metacommunities.