Evaluation of Conceptual Synthesis Model through Trait Beta Diversity

Abstract

Assembly processes are a phenomenon observed throughout taxonomic groups and are capable of exerting evolutionary forces. Due to the ubiquity and diverse biological implications of community assembly theory, the underpinnings of these processes have been, and are, a fundamental question of ecology. The purpose of this study was to illuminate the conditions that promote neutral and/or niche-based assembly processes by utilizing the conceptual synthesis model combined with quantification of communities through species and traits. Ultimately, this study sought to understand the underlying mechanisms that dictate where, when, and why species occur.