RT Journal Article
T1 Post-glacial determinants of regional species pools in alpine grasslands
A1 Jiménez-Alfaro, Borja
A1 Abdulhak, Sylvain
A1 Attorre, Fabio
A1 Gavilán García, Rosario Gloria
A1 Milanović, Đorđije
A1 Šibik, Jozef
A1 Stanisci, Angela
A1 Testolin, Riccardo
A1 Testolin, Riccardo
A1 Winkler, Manuel
AB Aim Alpine habitats support unique biodiversity confined to high-elevation areas in the current interglacial. Plant diversity in these habitats may respond 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 50 degrees N.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 spatio-temporal 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 post-glacial 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.
PB Wiley
SN 1466-822X 
YR 2021
FD 2021
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/98147
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/98147
LA eng
NO Gobierno del Principado de Asturias
NO Agencia Nacional de Investigación e Innovación
NO Fundación para el Fomento en Asturias de la Investigación Científica Aplicada y la Tecnología
NO Programa Clarín COFUND
DS Docta Complutense
RD 18 abr 2025