title: How pervasive is biotic homogenization in human-modified tropical forest landscapes?
abstract: Land-cover change and ecosystem degradation may lead to biotic homogenization, yet our understanding of this phenomenon over large spatial scales and different biotic groups remains weak. We used a multi-taxa dataset from 335 sites and 36 heterogeneous landscapes in the Brazilian Amazon to examine the potential for landscape-scale processes to modulate the cumulative effects of local disturbances. Biotic homogenization was high in production areas but much less in disturbed and regenerating forests, where high levels of among-site and among-landscape β-diversity appeared to attenuate species loss at larger scales. We found consistently high levels of β-diversity among landscapes for all land cover classes, providing support for landscape-scale divergence in species composition. Our findings support concerns that β-diversity has been underestimated as a driver of biodiversity change and underscore the importance of maintaining a distributed network of reserves, including remaining areas of undisturbed primary forest, but also disturbed and regenerating forests, to conserve regional biota.
authors: Departamento de Biologia Geral. Av. PH Rolfs s/n. Viçosa, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Vicosa, Minas Gerais, CEP 36570-900, Brasil.|Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK.
authors: Ricardo Ribeiro de Castro
authors: RR
authors: Solar
authors: Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK.|MCTI/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, CP 399, CEP 66040-170, Belém, PA, Brasil.
authors: Jos
authors: J
authors: Barlow
authors: Embrapa Amazônia Oriental. Belém, Pará, CEP 66095-100, Brasil.
authors: Joice
authors: J
authors: Ferreira
authors: Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK.
authors: Erika
authors: E
authors: Berenguer
authors: MCTI/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, CP 399, CEP 66040-170, Belém, PA, Brasil.
authors: Alexander C
authors: AC
authors: Lees
authors: Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia.|Department of Environment, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Land, Water and Planning, Vic., 3084, Australia.
authors: James R
authors: JR
authors: Thomson
authors: Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK.|Universidade Federal de Lavras, Setor de Ecologia e Conservação. Lavras, Minas Gerais, CEP 37200-000, Brasil.
authors: Júlio
authors: J
authors: Louzada
authors: Embrapa Amazônia Oriental. Belém, Pará, CEP 66095-100, Brasil.
authors: Márcia
authors: M
authors: Maués
authors: MCTI/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, CP 399, CEP 66040-170, Belém, PA, Brasil.
authors: Nárgila G
authors: NG
authors: Moura
authors: Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK.|Universidade Federal de Lavras, Setor de Ecologia e Conservação. Lavras, Minas Gerais, CEP 37200-000, Brasil.
authors: Victor H F
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0553-0268
authors: VH
authors: Oliveira
authors: Departamento de Biologia Geral. Av. PH Rolfs s/n. Viçosa, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Vicosa, Minas Gerais, CEP 36570-900, Brasil.
authors: Júlio C M
authors: JC
authors: Chaul
authors: Departamento de Biologia Geral. Av. PH Rolfs s/n. Viçosa, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Vicosa, Minas Gerais, CEP 36570-900, Brasil.
authors: José Henrique
authors: JH
authors: Schoereder
authors: MCTI/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, CP 399, CEP 66040-170, Belém, PA, Brasil.
authors: Ima Célia Guimarães
authors: IC
authors: Vieira
authors: Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT 2617, Australia.
authors: Ralph
authors: R
authors: Mac Nally
authors: Stockholm Environment Institute, Linnégatan 87D, Box 24218, Stockholm, 104 51, Sweden.|International Institute for Sustainability, Estrada Dona Castorina, 124, Horto, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 22460-320, Brasil.
authors: Toby A
authors: TA
authors: Gardner
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D001717:Birds; D001938:Brazil; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D065928:Forests; D007313:Insecta; D014329:Tropical Climate
keywords: Amazon forest; diversity partitioning; land-cover change; landscape divergence; multi-taxa; nestedness; turnover