2019/10/09 by Guogui Chen, Wenqing Wang, Yi Liu +4 · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics #Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies #Marine and coastal plant biology
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsz204
openalex publication_date 2019/10/09 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Abstract Determining the relative importance of ecological processes regulating the biogeographic patterns of marine species, especially with respect to α- and β-diversity in multi-habitat communities, is a central goal in marine ecology. We explored the relative contribution of spatial (stochastic processes) and environmental factors (deterministic processes) to the biogeographic patterns of the α- and β-diversity of mangrove mollusks. A total of 16 mangrove areas were sampled in southeast coast China from 18°N to 28°N latitude. The highest mean α-diversity was found at 20°N and that of β-diversity was at 21°N. Both spatial and environmental factors had significant effects on the α- and β-diversity patterns. The environments had greater effects than the spaces on shaping the α-diversity pattern, while the spaces were relatively more important in governing the β-diversity patterns than the environments. Our results suggest that the α-diversity pattern was mainly controlled by deterministic processes (environmental filtering), while β-diversity was primarily shaped by stochastic processes (dispersal-related), although both processes had significant impacts on α- and β-diversity patterns. Identifying the ecological variables and mechanisms that drive variations in α- and β-diversity may help guide the conservation for biodiversity in endangered mangrove ecosystems under anthropogenic and global changes.