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Beta Diversity Provides Evidence of Niche Based Assembly in Temperate Forest Understory Assemblages of Mississippi

Assembly is a process that shapes the abundance and identity of species in a community. Niche and neutral theory explain assembly processes with mechanisms driven by either species differences, or functional equivalence and stochastic dispersal. In 2017 I sampled vegetation and environmental variables at 59 sites in the Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge and Tombigbee National Forest of Mississippi to explore forest understory community assembly. I developed and assessed a framework of predictions concerning general patterns and underlying mechanism. Evidence of dispersal limitation and functional equivalence were expected under neutral theory. Local environmental characteristics, surrounding landscape variables, and fire were significant determinants of beta diversity. Dispersal was not a strong predictor of beta diversity. I found evidence of both niche complementarity and functional equivalence, as well as niche differences among common vines and an introduced vine (Lonicera japonica). Overall, the results were more congruent with predictions expected under niche theory.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:MSSTATE/oai:scholarsjunction.msstate.edu:td-1869
Date14 December 2018
CreatorsMason, David Steven
PublisherScholars Junction
Source SetsMississippi State University
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
SourceTheses and Dissertations

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