Data from: Postglacial determinants of regional species pools in alpine grasslands

  1. Jiménez-Alfaro, Borja 1
  2. Willner, Wolfgang 2
  3. Ruprecht, Eszter 3
  4. Vassilev, Kiril 4
  5. Kuzmanovic, Nevena 5
  6. Ćušterevska, Renata 6
  7. Milanovic, Djordjije 7
  8. Sibik, Josef 8
  9. Abdulhak, Sylvain 9
  10. Stanisci, Angela 10
  11. Carranza, Maria Luisa 10
  12. Bergamini, Ariel 11
  13. Marcenó, Corrado 12
  14. Giusso del Galdo, Gianpietro 13
  1. 1 Universidad de Oviedo
    info
    Universidad de Oviedo

    Oviedo, España

    ROR https://ror.org/006gksa02

    Geographic location of the organization Universidad de Oviedo
  2. 2 University of Vienna
    info
    University of Vienna

    Viena, Austria

    ROR https://ror.org/03prydq77

    Geographic location of the organization University of Vienna
  3. 3 Babeș-Bolyai University
    info
    Babeș-Bolyai University

    Cluj, Rumanía

    ROR https://ror.org/02rmd1t30

    Geographic location of the organization Babeș-Bolyai University
  4. 4 Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
    info
    Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

    Sofía, Bulgaria

    ROR https://ror.org/01x8hew03

    Geographic location of the organization Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
  5. 5 University of Belgrade
    info
    University of Belgrade

    Belgrado, Serbia

    ROR https://ror.org/02qsmb048

    Geographic location of the organization University of Belgrade
  6. 6 University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava
  7. 7 University of Banja Luka
    info
    University of Banja Luka

    Bania Luka, Bosnia-Herzegovina

    ROR https://ror.org/0282m7c06

    Geographic location of the organization University of Banja Luka
  8. 8 Slovak Academy of Sciences
    info
    Slovak Academy of Sciences

    Bratislava, Eslovaquia

    ROR https://ror.org/03h7qq074

    Geographic location of the organization Slovak Academy of Sciences
  9. 9 Alpine National Botanical Conservatory
  10. 10 University of Molise
    info
    University of Molise

    Campobasso, Italia

    ROR https://ror.org/04z08z627

    Geographic location of the organization University of Molise
  11. 11 Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research
    info
    Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research

    Birmensdorf, Suiza

    ROR https://ror.org/04bs5yc70

    Geographic location of the organization Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research
  12. 12 Masaryk University
    info
    Masaryk University

    Brno, República Checa

    ROR https://ror.org/02j46qs45

    Geographic location of the organization Masaryk University
  13. 13 University of Catania
    info
    University of Catania

    Catania, Italia

    ROR https://ror.org/03a64bh57

    Geographic location of the organization University of Catania
Show affiliations +

Editor: Dryad

Year of publication: 2021

Type: Dataset

Version: 3

CC0 1.0

DOI: 10.5061/DRYAD.0CFXPNW1H lock_openOpen access editor

Abstract

Aim: Alpine habitats support unique biodiversity confined to high-elevation areas in the current interglacial. Plant diversity in these habitats responds to area, environment, connectivity and isolation, yet these factors have been rarely evaluated in concert. Here we investigate major determinants of regional species pools in alpine grasslands, and the responses of their constituent species groups. Location: European mountains below 50ºN. Time Period: Between 1928 and 2019. Major Taxa Studied: Vascular plants. Methods: We compiled species pools from alpine grasslands in 23 regions, including 794 alpine species and 2,094 non-alpines. We used species-area relationships to test the influence of the extent of alpine areas on regional richness, and mixed-effects models to compare the effects of 12 spatial and environmental predictors. Variation in species composition was addressed by generalized dissimilarity models and by a coefficient of dispersal direction to assess historical links among regions. Results: Pool sizes were partially explained by current alpine areas, but the other predictors largely contributed to regional differences. The number of alpine species was influenced by area, calcareous bedrock, topographic heterogeneity and regional isolation, while non-alpines responded better to connectivity and climate. Regional dissimilarity of alpine species was explained by isolation and precipitation, but non-alpines only responded to isolation. Past dispersal routes were correlated with latitude, with alpine species showing stronger connections among regions. Main Conclusions: Besides area effects, edaphic, topographic and spatiotemporal determinants are important to understand the organization of regional species pools in alpine habitats. The number of alpine species is especially linked to refugia and isolation, but their composition is explained by past dispersal and postglacial environmental filtering, while non-alpines are generally influenced by regional floras. New research on the dynamics of alpine biodiversity should contextualize the determinants of regional species pools and the responses of species with different ecological profiles