Abstract
Differences in species composition between sites (β diversity) may be the result of spatial species replacement (turnover) or nestedness (subgroups of species from a more diverse site). In fragmented landscapes, the environmental factors that lead to these differences may be spatially structured. Herein, our objective is to determine if the β diversity of Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera) is due to turnover or nestedness and whether the observed pattern is due to loss of forest cover or spatial processes in forest remnants immersed in a matrix dominated by intense agricultural practice. We used an incidence matrix of 99 species sampled from 16 forest remnants and found that the difference in species composition among the fragments is mostly determined by turnover and that this variation is not explained by forest cover or spatial variables. In regions where high habitat loss has generated landscapes containing small and islated forest fragments, structural features, related both to habitat (area, isolation, shape, etc.) and landscape (land use, landscape heterogeneity, etc.) could predict diversity patterns.
Highlights
The land-use conversion is one of the major threats to biodiversity, owing to its association with habitat loss and fragmentation
Studies show that small fragments can increase beta diversity by creating irregularities in spatial distribution of species and different local extinction dynamics between fragments (Haddad et al 2015)
We found 450 leaf beetles belonging to 99 species (Table II)
Summary
The land-use conversion is one of the major threats to biodiversity, owing to its association with habitat loss and fragmentation. About 70% of the tropical forest remnants are isolated from original forests and subject to deleterious effects of fragmentation (Haddad et al 2015). In this anthropogenic process, the remaining native vegetation cover is generally fragmented into many small patches (Fahrig et al 2019) and, as a result, many animal and plant populations are isolated in small, disconnected fragments surrounded by a matrix that is usually composed of agriculture and pasture, unsuitable for the survival of many native species (Fernández-Chacón et al 2014). Isolation and size of fragments can lead to changes in the composition and structure of animal and plant communities over time, which may generate local extinctions and affect essential ecosystem functions, such as decomposition (Didham et al 1996). A set of small habitat patches collectively may harbor more species than certain large patches with similar total area (Fahrig et al 2019), resulting in high β
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
