Zeta Diversity as a Concept and Metric That Unifies Incidence-Based Biodiversity Patterns

Hui, Cang; McGeoch, Mélodie A.

doi:10.1086/678125

Cited by 151 publications

(285 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…Simply put, zeta diversity of n sites, ζ n (using the lower case Latin letter of zeta), is defined as the number of species shared by n sites, with n named zeta order hereafter (Hui & McGeoch 2014). Computation can be easily implemented by using the R package zetadiv .…”

Section: Zeta Diversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Zeta diversity normally declines with increasing zeta order in two forms: power law and negative exponential (Hui & McGeoch 2014). A power law decline signals niche differentiation between species (e.g.…”

Section: Zeta Diversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A negative exponential decline represents stochastic occurrence, even when sites are heterogeneous (hosting different alpha diversities). Once the parametric form of zeta diversity decline is determined, we could further calculate a species accumulation curve and thus estimate species richness in the regional pool through extrapolating the total number of species by extending the number of sites n to a large number (Hui & McGeoch 2014). When the decline of zeta diversity follows the negative exponential form, the zeta-based richness estimator becomes the same as the incidence-based Chao II estimator which estimates richness based on the frequency of singletons and doubletons in samples.…”

Section: Zeta Diversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Zeta diversity was recently developed as a concept for quantifying the number of species shared by multiple sites (Hui & McGeoch 2014). This metric allows us to calculate all components in multi-site diversity partitioning and provides a common currency for building and connecting other incidence-based diversity measures and patterns.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, we further refine our search for signs of niche differentiation and competition dominance in driving observed ecological differences and species turnover. Specifically, we examine the parametric form of zeta diversity declining with zeta order (power law [signalling niche differentiation] versus negative exponential [signalling the dominance of stochastic force]; Hui & McGeoch 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Quantifying multiple-site compositional turnover in an Afrotemperate forest, using zeta diversity

Hui

Durrheim

2018

For. Ecosyst.

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Background: Species turnover is typically measured by partitioning diversity components into alpha and pairwise beta diversity. However, alpha and beta components cannot express the full spectrum of multiple-site compositional turnover. To this end, zeta diversity has been proposed as an extended framework to allow complete biodiversity partitioning and to measure multiple-site species turnover. We use a zeta-diversity framework to explore the turnover and potential community assembly processes of an African Montane Forest. Methods: Using a 20 m grid, we explore the species turnover in a 4.55 ha forest plot located in the Garden Route National Park of South Africa, with 47 and 27 canopy and sub-canopy tree species in the regional pool. We first calculate how zeta diversity declines and how the probability of retention of species with particular occupancies changes with increasing zeta orders (i.e. the number of sites [grid cells] involved in the calculation). Using null models with row sums and column sums constrained respectively, we explore whether species turnover is driven by mechanisms of ecological differences (species-specific occupancies) or habitat heterogeneity (site-specific alpha diversity and thus environmental filters). Results: The decline of zeta diversity with zeta order followed a power law; that is, the probability of retention increased with species occupancies, suggesting common species being more likely to be discovered in extra sites. The null model retaining row sums (species' occupancy) of the species-by-site matrix recreated perfectly the decline of zeta diversity, while the null model of habitat heterogeneity (retaining column sums) was rejected. This suggests that mechanisms driving species-specific occupancies (i.e. ecological differences between species) dictate the multi-site species turnover in the community. The spatial patterns of zeta diversity revealed little spatial structuring forces, supporting a fine-grain structure in these southern Cape forests. Conclusions: The framework of zeta diversity revealed mechanisms driving the large discrepancies in the occupancy among species that are behind the species turnover in the African Montane forest plot. Future studies could further link species turnover to spatial distance decay. Environmental filters and temporal turnover from landscape demography could bring a cohesive understanding of community assembly in these unique forest ecosystems.

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Section: Zeta Diversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Zeta Diversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Zeta Diversitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Quantifying multiple-site compositional turnover in an Afrotemperate forest, using zeta diversity

Hui

Durrheim

2018

For. Ecosyst.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Using alpha, beta, and zeta diversity in describing the health of stream‐based benthic macroinvertebrate communities

Simons

Mazor

Stein

et al. 2019

Ecological Applications

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Ecological monitoring of streams has frequently focused on measures describing the taxonomic, and sometimes functional, α diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs) within a single sampled community. However, as many ecological processes effectively link BMI stream communities there is a need to describe groups of communities using measures of regional diversity. Here we demonstrate a role for incorporating both a traditional pairwise measure of community turnover, β diversity, in assessing community health as well as ζ diversity, a more generalized framework for describing similarity between multiple communities. Using 4,395 samples of BMI stream communities in California, we constructed a model using measures of α, β, and ζ diversity, which accounted for 71.7% of among‐watershed variation in the mean health of communities, as described by the California Streams Condition Index (CSCI). We also investigated the use of ζ diversity in assessing models of stochastic vs. niche assembly across communities of BMIs within watersheds, with the niche assembly model found to be the likelier of the two.

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Landscape analyses using eDNA metabarcoding and Earth observation predict community biodiversity in California

Lin

Simons

Harrigan

et al. 2021

Ecological Applications

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Ecosystems globally are under threat from ongoing anthropogenic environmental change. Effective conservation management requires more thorough biodiversity surveys that can reveal system‐level patterns and that can be applied rapidly across space and time. Using modern ecological models and community science, we integrate environmental DNA and Earth observations to produce a time snapshot of regional biodiversity patterns and provide multi‐scalar community‐level characterization. We collected 278 samples in spring 2017 from coastal, shrub, and lowland forest sites in California, a complex ecosystem and biodiversity hotspot. We recovered 16,118 taxonomic entries from eDNA analyses and compiled associated traditional observations and environmental data to assess how well they predicted alpha, beta, and zeta diversity. We found that local habitat classification was diagnostic of community composition and distinct communities and organisms in different kingdoms are predicted by different environmental variables. Nonetheless, gradient forest models of 915 families recovered by eDNA analysis and using BIOCLIM variables, Sentinel‐2 satellite data, human impact, and topographical features as predictors, explained 35% of the variance in community turnover. Elevation, sand percentage, and photosynthetic activities (NDVI32) were the top predictors. In addition to this signal of environmental filtering, we found a positive relationship between environmentally predicted families and their numbers of biotic interactions, suggesting environmental change could have a disproportionate effect on community networks. Together, these analyses show that coupling eDNA with environmental predictors including remote sensing data has capacity to test proposed Essential Biodiversity Variables and create new landscape biodiversity baselines that span the tree of life.

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Zeta Diversity as a Concept and Metric That Unifies Incidence-Based Biodiversity Patterns

Cited by 151 publications

References 55 publications

Quantifying multiple-site compositional turnover in an Afrotemperate forest, using zeta diversity

Quantifying multiple-site compositional turnover in an Afrotemperate forest, using zeta diversity

Using alpha, beta, and zeta diversity in describing the health of stream‐based benthic macroinvertebrate communities

Landscape analyses using eDNA metabarcoding and Earth observation predict community biodiversity in California

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