Landscape-driven effects on taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of vegetation developing on sand-gravel pits of early successional stages

Abstract

Among the key drivers of the progressive transformation of biomes are mining activities, usually leading to the establishment of novel ecosystems, characterized by new species assemblages, combinations of habitats, and unprecedented functioning. It remains unknown how the composition of surrounding land cover may influence species composition, community assembly processes, and the phylogenetic relatedness structure of vegetation developing spontaneously on these de novo established biological systems. In this study, I investigated the influence of different landscape types in the proximity of 31 sand-gravel pits of pioneer successional stages on vegetation's taxonomical, functional, and phylogenetic diversity. Further, I accounted for the effects of the surrounding landscape on ten ecological groups of plant species, and biotic novelty indices as a supporting explanation of mechanisms shaping the species' co-occurrence patterns. I explored that plants' functional and phylogenetic diversity was higher in pits surrounded by riverine landscape, and lower if the contribution of settlements in the surrounding landscape was higher. Both landscape features promoted the occurrence of exotic species on sand-gravel pits, but only the settlements' proportion exerted a positive effect on biotic novelty indices. On the other hand, pits with a prevalence of forests in the surroundings were dominated by phylogenetically diverse, but functionally more homogenous native taxa, reflected, inter alia, in negative effects of forests on biotic novelty indices. Comprehensive assessment of the impacts of the surrounding landscape on different components of plant diversity may be used as a useful predictor in the exploration of successional trajectories, as well as a helpful tool in the formulation of strategies for mining-transformed ecosystems management.