The influence of ecological traits and environmental factors on the co‐occurrence patterns of birds on islands worldwide

Abstract

To understand the mechanisms shaping global species diversity patterns, we focused on species assembly of bird communities on islands, which are ideal for detecting ecological and historical processes. We tested the hypotheses that species traits and island environments interactively shape the phylogenetic structure of island bird assemblages through a variety of ecological processes: habitat filtering, in‐situ speciation, extinction, dispersal limitation and competitive exclusion. We assessed the effects of species ecological traits and environment factors on the phylogenetic fields, which defined as phylogenetic distance between individual bird species and co‐occurred species within each island, using phylogenetic generalized linear mixed models. Climate and isolation were the most important factors driving the co‐occurrence patterns of island bird species: the species' phylogenetic fields were significantly clustered on tropical and/or isolated islands. We also found that the phylogenetic fields strongly correlated with the ecological traits especially for the diet and habitat preferences: the phylogenetic fields tended to over‐disperse for granivores and species inhabiting in wetlands or coasts, while frugivores showed clustered phylogenetic fields. Moreover, mobility and body size had substantial effects on species assemblages: long‐distance dispersers had clustered phylogenetic fields and small‐bodied species showed overdispersed phylogenetic fields.

Biologia Futura: rapid diversification and behavioural adaptation of birds in response to Oligocene–Miocene climatic conditions

“…However, the loss of migratory behaviour occurred more frequently in Turdus thrushes and in other passerine families (Nagy et al 2019), which was in association with the narrowing distribution to tropical areas (including islands) and/ or changes in their foraging behaviour (Nagy et al 2019;Nagy 2019;Sato et al 2020). The specialization of diets and meeting energetic demands are two of the key drivers in the evolution of migration in birds (e.g.…”

“…The specialization of diets and meeting energetic demands are two of the key drivers in the evolution of migration in birds (e.g. raptors, Nagy and Tökölyi 2014;thrushes, Nagy et al 2019;birds, Somveille et al 2018;Sato et al 2020).…”

Ecological factors drive the divergence of morphological, colour and behavioural traits in cactus wrens (Aves, Troglodytidae)

“…We obtained 108 recordings from sound repositories and private collections. We randomly chose up to five songs per recording and we average them, obtaining a total of 89 S2, appendix A). We selected recordings of cactus wrens' songs with a high signal-to-noise ratio.…”

Functional convergence underground? The scale-dependency of community assembly processes in European cave spiders

“…However, there is still controversy on the direction of these changes and their causes (2,6,7). To minimize confounding factors and achieve a better understanding of community assembly rules, scientists are therefore increasingly turning their attention to island-like systems (e.g., oceanic islands, lakes, and mountain summits; (17)) and specific biological communities within them [e.g., plants (18,19); birds (20)(21)(22)], as models. The use of island-like systems, i.e., mostly closed, with known histories, and with a relatively low richness of species and interactions, allows ecologists to more easily disentangle community assembly processes while controlling for immigration, extinction, and dispersal dynamics (17,23,24).…”