Pedodiversity-area relationships for islands

Abstract

Our objectives were examine whether the pedotaxa-abundance distributions conform to abundance distribution models and how pedorichness-area data fit diversity-area models considered by ecologists. The study area selected was the Aegean Islands. Standard statistical methods were used to gauge the abundance distribution models (Smirnov–Kolmogorov test of goodness of fit) and pedorichness-area models (linear regression, log–log or semi-log). The Smirnov–Kolmogorov test of goodness of fit indicated that the logseries and the broken stick distribution models should be rejected, whereas the geometric and lognormal models were not rejected ( P<5%) Pedorichness-area relationships conform to a power law whose exponent is close to 0.25, as ecological literature predicts. No significant difference was observed between the abundance distribution models and the diversity-area relationships followed by biodiversity and pedodiversity data in similar situations.