Data from: Quantifying the role of colonization history and biotic interactions in shaping communities –a community transplant approach

The role of colonization history and subsequent biotic interactions in
determining the species composition in communities has long been the
subject of debate in ecology. While one narrative has emphasized
deterministic assembly rules, another has emphasized historical
contingency. One problem lies in approach: community studies are typically
either manipulative but somewhat unnatural, or observational but lacking
manipulation. Furthermore, while most ecologists now recognize that both
historical and biotic factors shape communities, too few studies have
moved beyond qualitative descriptions of their roles. Here we use a
manipulative approach that leverages natural variation to provide
quantitative estimates of the relative contributions of colonization
history and the subsequent biotic interactions. 384 communities were
developed on artificial substrata in a homogeneous environment before
undergoing reciprocal transplantation. We then compare community structure
before and after transplantation as proxies for colonization history and
biotic interactions. We found that the importance of history and the
ensuing biotic environment differed at different times in community
development. Early transplantations resulted in the local environment
modifying community history faster compared to postponed transplantations.
With a four-week difference in age, colonization history explained 20%
more of the variation in older communities than in younger communities.
Biotic interactions were able to modify colonization history at the age of
16 weeks, but older communities showed more resistance to the changing
biotic environment. Our method provides a manipulative and quantitative
approach for understanding the relative contributions of colonization
history and biotic interactions to community in natural systems.