Journal article
Analogous Environments Across the Tropics Have Similar Levels of Tree Species Αlpha Diversity
National Science Review, Vol.13(2), pp.1-16
2026
PMCID: PMC12860206
PMID: 41623561
Abstract
Different regions of the tropics vary in overall tree species diversity, with the tropical Americas exhibiting strikingly higher regional tree species richness than Africa and Southeast Asia. We investigated whether these differences also occur at the local scale, and whether the environmental conditions associated with tree species richness are consistent across tropical regions despite highly dissimilar species pools. A spatial random forest (RF) model was trained using a network of 429 one-hectare plots across the tropics, together with 24 environmental variables, to predict plot-level tree α diversity. A combination of climatic, soil and topographical variables explained around 86% of variation in richness. Despite differences in regional species pools and potentially disruptive effects of different geological, climatic and evolutionary histories, the relationship between environmental variables and local scale tree species richness is closely similar across different continents. Our findings imply a pervasive role of niche-based mechanisms in structuring local tree species richness, regardless of regional species assemblages. This pantropical convergence in the richness-environment relationship poses a challenge for ecology to explain.
Details
- Title
- Analogous Environments Across the Tropics Have Similar Levels of Tree Species Αlpha Diversity
- Authors
- Shu-Mei Xiao - Chinese Academy of SciencesJonathan Adams - Nanjing UniversityShu-Feng Li - Joining and Welding Research InstituteFerry Slik - Universiti Brunei DarussalamDaniel Griffith - Universidad Técnica Particular de LojaAdriano Quaresma - Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da AmazôniaAisha Sultana - University of DelhiAndes Hamuraby RozakAndres Avella MuñozAndrew Marshall - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Forest Research InstituteArellano Gabriel - University of MichiganAshaq Ahmad Dar - Pondicherry UniversityAsyraf Mansor - Universiti Sains MalaysiaAyyappan Narayanan - Institut FrançaisBruno Herault - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le DéveloppementCarlos Alfredo Joly - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP)Daniel Piotto - Universidade Federal do Sul da BahiaDavid Harris - Royal Botanic Garden EdinburghDonald Drake - University of Hawaiʻi at MānoaDouglas Sheil - Wageningen University & ResearchDiogo RochaEddie Lenza de Oliveira - Universidade do Estado de Mato GrossoEddy Nurtjahya - University of Bangka BelitungEduardo van den Berg - Universidade Federal de LavrasEdward Webb - Tropical Resources InstituteFaridah Hanum Ibrahim - Universiti Putra MalaysiaFelipe Zamborlini Saiter - Instituto Federal do Espírito SantoFlorian Wittmann - Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyFrancisco Mora ArdilaGiselda DuriganGopal Shukla - North Eastern Hill UniversityGuillermo Ibarra-Manríquez - Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoHidetoshi Nagamasu - Kyoto UniversityIda Theilade - University of CopenhagenIrie Casimir Zo-Bi - Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-BoignyIsau Huamantupa-Chuquimaco - Amazon National University of Madre de DiosJ Orlando Rangel-ChJames Grogan - Smith CollegeJavid Ahmad Dar - SRM University, Andhra PradeshJochen SchöngartJohn Herbohn - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research CentreJohn Poulsen - The Nature ConservancyJohn Williams - University of California, DavisJon Lovett - University of LeedsJose Don de Alban - Fauna and Flora InternationalJosé Rafael Lozada - University of the AndesJosé Roberto Rodrigues Pinto - Universidade de BrasíliaJuan Ernesto Guevara-Andino - Universidad de las AméricasJurgi Cristóbal-Azkarate - University of the Basque CountryJürgen HomeierKatrin Böhning-Gaese - Goethe University FrankfurtKhalid Rehman Hakeem - King Abdulaziz UniversityKenneth Feeley - University of MiamiKyle Tomlinson - Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical GardenLadan Rasingam - Botanical Survey of IndiaLayon Oreste Demarchi - Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da AmazôniaLaumonier Yves - Center for International Forestry ResearchLuciana Alves - University of California, Los AngelesLuis Torres Montenegro - Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía PeruanaManichanh Satdichanh - University of Hawaiʻi at MānoaManuel Macía - Universidad Autónoma de MadridMarcelo Tabarelli - Universidade Federal de PernambucoMarcio Seiji Suganuma - Universidade Federal de Santa CatarinaMarcos Antonio Ríos Paredes - Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía PeruanaMaria Teresa Fernandez Piedade - Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da AmazôniaMark SchulzeMattheas van de BultMeredith Bastian - Duke UniversityMohammed Latif Khan - Dr. Hari Singh Gour UniversityMohammad Shah Hussain - University of DelhiMichael Kessler - University of ZurichMichael Lawes - University of KwaZulu-NatalMiguel Munguía-Rosas - Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico NacionalNarayanaswamy Parthasarathy - Pondicherry UniversityNaret SeuaturianNaveen Babu Kanda - Institut FrançaisNaveenkumar Jagadeesan - Tropical Resources InstituteNigel PitmanOnrizal Onrizal - Universitas Sumatera UtaraOle Vetaas - University of BergenPantaleo Munishi - Sokoine University of AgriculturePhourin Chhang - Cambodia Development Resource InstitutePolyanna da Conceição Bispo - University of ManchesterRahmad Zakaria - Universiti Sains MalaysiaRahayu Sukmaria Sukri - Universiti Brunei DarussalamRajkumar MuthuRama Chandra PrasadRamachandran V SRhett HarrisonRizza Karen Veridiano - Fauna and Flora InternationalRobert SteinmetzRobin Chazdon - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research CentreRoven Tumaneng - Fauna and Flora InternationalSamir Gonçalves Rolim - Universidade Federal do Sul da BahiaS Garkoti - Jawaharlal Nehru UniversitySelene Báez - National Polytechnic SchoolSerge Wich - Liverpool John Moores UniversitySharif Mukul - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research CentreShijo Joseph - Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean StudiesSimone Aparecida Vieira - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP)See article text for complete list of remaining 15 authors (Author)
- Publication details
- National Science Review, Vol.13(2), pp.1-16
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Date published
- 2026
- DOI
- 10.1093/nsr/nwaf465
- ISSN
- 2053-714X
- PMID
- 41623561; PMC12860206
- Copyright note
- © The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of China Science Publishing & Media Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
- Organisation Unit
- Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; Tropical Forests and People Research Centre; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991181427702621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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