An ecological and evolutionary approach to arboreal communities under different environmental stress conditions

Abstract

Biodiversity distribution patterns and the ecological processes underlying them reflect how organisms respond to abiotic and biotic factors that interact across both space and time. In this study, we aimed to test the hypothesis that small-scale environmental variations shape ecological and phylogenetic patterns in arboreal communities through environmental filters created by the specific conditions of each environment examined. We investigated a mosaic of Atlantic forest environments, analyzing species composition, community dynamics, and phylogenetic relationships among the various environments. This approach provided valuable insight into how environmental factors influence the ecological differentiation of these communities. Variations in conditions and resources produced environmental filters that resulted in significant small-scale heterogeneity in species composition, community dynamics, and evolutionary relationships among the environments. By considering the dynamic interations between biotic and abiotic factors, we conclude that the prevailing environmental conditions at these sites play a crucial role in shaping the behavior and distribution of the species that inhabit them.