Source pool diversity and proximity shape the compositional uniqueness of insular mammal assemblages worldwide

Abstract

AbstractAimIslands have been the test bed of several theories in community ecology, biogeography, and evolutionary biology. Progress within these disciplines has given a more comprehensive and mechanistic understanding of the processes governing variation in species richness among islands. However, it remains unclear whether these same processes also explain variation in species and phylogenetic composition among islands. Integrating theory from ecology and biogeography, we infer the roles of dispersal, selection, and stochasticity on the composition of insular assemblages within archipelagos. We further assess the influence of source pool diversity and connectivity on the compositional uniqueness of insular assemblages.LocationIsland systems worldwide.TaxonMammals.MethodsWe compiled data on species composition of nonvolant mammals on ~200 islands in nine archipelagos distributed worldwide from the literature. We used variation partitioning to quantify the relative influence of the environment (selection) and geographic distance (dispersal) relative to a null model (stochasticity, randomness) on taxonomic and phylogenetic compositional turnover within archipelagos. We then used a linear mixed model to gain further insight into the underlying mechanisms shaping variation in assemblage composition among islands at a global scale. Specifically, we assessed the influence of source pool diversity, isolation from the source pool, and island characteristics on compositional uniqueness.ResultsOur results suggest that within‐archipelago variation in the composition of insular mammal assemblages is associated with stochastic or unmeasured processes rather than abiotic selection or dispersal limitation. The diversity and proximity of the source pool, as well as some island characteristics, explained variation in phylogenetic, but not taxonomic, compositional uniqueness globally. Globally, isolated islands associated with phylogenetically diverse source pools exhibit high phylogenetic uniqueness whereas well‐connected islands associated with phylogenetically clustered source pools show the opposite trend. Phylogenetically unique assemblages also tend occur on islands with a small elevational span and low annual temperature variation.Main conclusionsTaken together, our results suggest that source pool diversity, along with the potential for colonization from those pools, has a strong influence on the composition of insular mammal assemblages worldwide.