Climate and small scale factors determine functional diversity shifts of biological soil crusts in Iberian drylands

摘要: Understanding functional diversity is critical to manage and preserve biodiversity ecosystem functioning in the face of global change. However, efforts characterize this component have been mostly directed vascular vegetation. We sampled lichen-dominated biological soil crusts (BSCs) semiarid grasslands along an environmental gradient Iberian Peninsula. characterized five effect traits for 31 lichens species, evaluated influence large scale (i.e. precipitation) small factors substrate type, shrub presence, Stipa tenacissima presence) on dominant trait values; i.e. community weighted means, divergence; Rao quadratic entropy 580 sampling quadrats. Across gradient, we found multiple shifts a general increase divergence with increasing precipitation. also observed that type biotic determined all studied, while these affected less divergence. Comparing taxonomic diversity, contrasting responses both factors. These findings suggest BSC composition influenced by multi-scale abiotic filtering dominating at spatial scales limiting similarity specific scales. Also, our results emphasize potential differences between response concluded BSCs not only provides novel knowledge structure, but it should be considered as tool conservation strategies, services assessment ecological modelling.