Using the Zeta (ζ) diversity approach for understanding the effects of variations in climatic covariates, vegetation patterns, and human influence on species composition of arboreal frogs in India

Abstract

The biodiversity patterns of an ecosystem provide an opportunity for understanding the drivers of the community structure and, together, interpreting better conservation strategies for the species. Here we map the patterns in compositional turnover of the arboreal frog species (Anura: Rhacophoridae) in India and explore the impacts of climatic covariates, vegetation patterns, and human influence on driving their species composition. Using the previously published data, we compiled the occurrence matrix for the species of nine genera of the family Rhacophoridae from India. The species turnover trends were analyzed using the zeta diversity decline and retention-rate analysis. We further used the multisite generalized dissimilarity modeling (MS-GDM) to test the variations in climatic, vegetational, and anthropogenic drivers that better explain the species turnover. The results suggested a low nestedness among the genera of arboreal frogs barring Polypedates and Raorchestes. The difference in the mean temperature of the warmest quarter in the colder temperature regime is the primary driver of the compositional turnover of arboreal frog species. Also, differences in the precipitation seasonality of the lower and higher precipitation regime emerged as a driver of the compositional turnover for some genera. The differences in diversity patterns and their corresponding drivers are ideally only species-specific or group-specific. We suggest their utility while designing conservation efforts for co-occurring groups in a region.