title: Comment on "Disentangling the drivers of β diversity along latitudinal and elevational gradients".
abstract: Kraft et al. (Report, 23 September 2011, p. 1755) analyzed two data sets and concluded that "there is no need to invoke differences in the mechanisms of community assembly in temperate versus tropical systems to explain these global-scale patterns of β diversity." We show that their conclusion is based on inappropriate data and inadequate methods of analysis.
authors.affiliation: Research and Collections Center, Illinois State Museum, Springfield, IL 62703, USA. hqian@museum.state.il.us
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Xianli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yangjian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000531:Altitude; D044822:Biodiversity; D017753:Ecosystem; D004777:Environment; D010944:Plants; D014197:Trees