Island Biogeography and Life-History Traits Stabilize Island Bird Communities

Abstract

Islands are model systems for testing and developing ecological theories. Despite extensive research on island biodiversity, the importance of the biogeographic context for biodiversity–stability relationships is poorly understood. We addressed this knowledge gap by integrating the Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography (ETIB) with a functional perspective to explore island biodiversity–stability relationships. We conducted annual breeding bird surveys across 36 land-bridge islands in eastern China over 13 years. Using this long-term dataset, we quantified avian temporal community stability (and its components of population stability and population asynchrony) and tested how island biogeographic factors (i.e., island area, isolation, colonization rates, and extinction rates) and biodiversity facets (i.e., species richness, average population size, and life-history traits) interact to influence stability. We found larger islands supported higher species richness due to colonization–extinction dynamics and habitat heterogeneity, which in turn promote both population stability and asynchrony. In addition, larger islands harbored larger and individually more stable populations over time. In contrast, island isolation had a weak net effect on stability, as its positive and negative influences through different pathways balanced each other out. Furthermore, species with ‘fast’ life-history traits, characterized by shorter generation times, contributed more to community stability. These findings clarify multiple pathways through which biogeographic factors shape avian community dynamics on islands. Our study thus illustrates how island biotas maintain community stability and provides insights for preserving biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in fragmented or island-like landscapes facing rapid biodiversity loss in an era of global change.