New paper: 3D vegetation structure drives avian diversity
New Paper out!
Colin, Marta, and collaborators published a new papers on LiDAR-derived metrics of vegetation structure as drivers of bird diversity. We found that avian functional diversity correlates with 3D vegetation structure much stronger than other dimensions of biodiversity such as taxonomic or phylogenetic diversity. Find out more below!
Abstract
Understanding how three-dimensional (3D) habitat structure drives biodiversity patterns is key to predicting how habitat altera-tion and loss will affect species and community-level patterns in the future. To date, few studies have contrasted the effects of 3Dhabitat composition with those of 3D habitat configuration on biodiversity, with existing investigations often limited to measuresof taxonomic diversity (i.e., species richness). Here, we examined the influence of Light Detecting and Ranging (LiDAR)-derived3D habitat structure–both its composition and configuration–on multiple facets of bird diversity. Specifically, we used data fromthe National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) to test the associations between 11 measures of 3D habitat structure andavian species richness, functional and trait diversity, and phylogenetic diversity. We found that 3D habitat structure was the mostconsistent predictor of avian functional and trait diversity, with little to no effect on species richness or phylogenetic diversity.Functional diversity and individual trait characteristics were strongly associated with both 3D habitat composition and configu-ration, but the magnitude and the direction of the effects varied across the canopy, subcanopy, midstory, and understory verticalstrata. Our findings suggest that 3D habitat structure influences avian diversity through its effects on traits. By examining theeffects of multiple aspects of habitat structure on multiple facets of avian diversity, we provide a broader framework for futureinvestigations on habitat structure.