DOI: 10.5061/dryad.p4n8rg64
title: Data from: The contribution of rare species to community phylogenetic diversity across a global network of forest plots

description: Niche differentiation has been proposed as an explanation for rarity in
 species assemblages. Testing this hypothesis requires quantifying the
 ecological similarity of species. This similarity can potentially be
 estimated by using phylogenetic relatedness. In this study, we predicted
 that if niche differentiation does explain the co-occurrence of rare and
 common species, then rare species should contribute greatly to the overall
 community phylogenetic diversity (PD), abundance will have phylogenetic
 signal and that common and rare species will be phylogenetically
 dissimilar. We tested these predictions by developing a novel method that
 integrates species rank abundance distributions with phylogenetic trees
 and trend analyses to examine the relative contribution of individual
 species to the overall community PD. We then supplement this approach with
 analyses of phylogenetic signal in abundances and measures of phylogenetic
 similarity within and between rare and common species groups. We applied
 this analytical approach to 15 long-term temperate and tropical forest
 dynamics plots from around the world. We show that the niche
 differentiation hypothesis is supported in six forests but is rejected in
 nine forests, and that the three metrics utilized in this study each
 provide unique but corroborating information regarding the phylogenetic
 distribution of rarity in communities.
description: Species name and
 abundance in 15 forest dynamic plots1.The data were used in
 paper "Xiangcheng Mi, Nathan G. Swenson, Renato Valencia, John Kress,
 David L. Erickson, álvaro J. Pérez, Haibao Ren, Sheng-Hsin Su, Nimal
 Gunatilleke, Savi Gunatilleke, Zhanqing Hao, Wanhui Ye, Min Cao, H S
 Suresh, H S Dattaraja, S Sukumar, Keping Ma. 2012. The contribution of
 rare species to community phylogenetic diversity across a global network
 of forest plots. American Naturalist (accepted for publication)." |
 2. Data in each of 15 plots were provided with a "csv" file with
 plot name, and species name, genus,family and abundance and a species code
 were provided in each "csv" file. | 3. data sources: (1) data of
 Luquillo, Barro Colorado Island,La Planada, Yasuní,Huai Kha Khaeng,
 Mudumalai,Pasoh plots, are from "Smithsonian Institute Global Earth
 Observatories. URL http://www.sigeo.si.edu/." (2) data of
 Changbaishan plot from "Hao Z.Q., Li B.H., Zhang J., Wang X. G., Ye
 J., and Yao X. L., 2008. Broad-leaved Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) mixed
 forest plot in Changbaishan (CBS) of China: community composition and
 structure. Chinese Journal of Plant Ecology, 32:238-250 (in Chinese with
 English abstract)"; (3) data of Gutianshan plot from "Legendre,
 P., X. Mi, H. Ren, K. Ma, M. Yu, I.-F. Sun, and F. He. 2009. Partitioning
 beta diversity in a subtropical broad-leaved forest of China. Ecology
 90:663-674. Appendix A." (4) data of Dinghushan plot from "Wang,
 Z. G. 2007. Species diversity and mechanisms for maintenance of monsoon
 evergreen broadleaved forest in Dinghushan. Ph. D. Dissertation, South
 China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. (In Chinese with
 English abstract)" (5) data of Xishuangbanna plot from "Cao, M.,
 H. Zhu, H. Wang, G. Lan, Y. Hu, S. Zhou, X. Deng et al. 2008,
 Xishuangbanna tropical seasonal rainforest dynamics plot: Tree
 distribution maps, diameter tables and species documentation. Kunming,
 China, Yunnan Science and Technology Press." (6) data of Fushan plot
 from "Su, S.-H., C.-H. Chang-Yang, C.-L. Lu, C.-C. Tsui, T.-T. Lin,
 C.-L. Lin, W.-L. Chiou et al. 2007, Fushan subtropical forest dynamics
 plot: tree species characteristics and distribution patterns. Taipei,
 Taiwan Forestry Research Institute." (7) data of Palanan plot from
 "Co, L. L., V. L. James, D. A. Lagunzad, K. A. C. Pasion, H. T.
 Consunji, N. A. Bartolome, S. L. Yap et al. 2006, Forest trees of Palanan,
 Philippines: A study in population ecology. Quezon, Philipines, University
 of the Philippines-Diliman. " (8) data of Sinharaja plot from
 "Gunatilleke, C. V. S., I. A. U. N. G. A. U. K. Ethugala, and S.
 Esufali. 2004, Ecology of Sinharaja rain forest and the forest dynamics
 plot in Sri Lanka's Natural World Heritage site. Sri Landka, WHT
 Publications." (9) data of Lambir plot from "Lee, H. S., P. S.
 Ashton, T. YamaKura, S. Tan, S. J. Davies, A. Itoh, E. O. K. Chai et al.
 2002, The 52-hectrare forest research plot at Lambir Hills, Sarawak,
 Malaysia: Tree distribution maps, diameter table and species
 documentation. Sarawak, Malaysia, Forest Department Sarawak & The
 Arnold Arboretum-CTFS Asia Program." | 4. Notice: the data of Yasuní
 plot used in paper were more precisely identified than different those in
 website of Smithsonian Institute Global Earth Observatories, but their
 results were very similar.Species
 abundance.zip