Work

Different facets of diversity reveal different patterns of fish assemblages in tropical rivers: The Buyuan River (China)

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Exploring the patterns of biodiversity across multiple facets of river ecosystems and their driving factors is crucial for biodiversity conservation. As the most important tributary of the lower Lancang River, the Buyuan River remains largely unexplored in terms of systematic research on its fish diversity patterns and driving factors. Here, we explored the fish taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity at both alpha and beta levels and their driving factors in the Buyuan River basin. Results showed that fish alpha and beta diversity across different facets in the Buyuan River basin exhibit distinct patterns, and the relationships among various facets of diversity had a degree of independence. Univariate Spearman correlation analysis with FDR correction showed that environmental variables and spatial variables jointly shaped the alpha diversity patterns of fish across three facets in the Buyuan River. Redundancy analysis and variation partitioning analysis indicated that the combined effects of spatial and environmental factors shaped the taxonomic and functional beta diversity patterns of fish in the Buyuan River. Specifically, environmental factors explained more of the variation in taxonomic beta diversity (adjusted R² = 0.364) and its turnover components (adjusted R² = 0.338) than did spatial factors (all adjusted R² values were close to 0), whereas environmental factors (adjusted R 2 = 0) explained less of the variation in the nestedness components of taxonomic beta diversity than did spatial factors (adjusted R 2 = 0.042). Similarly, functional beta diversity exhibited the same pattern. However, phylogenetic beta diversity (adjusted R 2 = 0) and its turnover (adjusted R 2 = 0.056) and nestedness (adjusted R 2 = 0) components were insensitive to both environmental and spatial factors. This study emphasizes the necessity of employing multifaceted diversity indicators in biodiversity assessments, as different facets of diversity provide complementary information.

Source: Global Ecology and Conservation

DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2026.e04477