Data from: The edaphic control of plant diversity

BACKGROUND: The central thesis of plant ecology is that climate determines
the distribution of global vegetation. Within a vegetation type, however,
finer-scale environmental features such as the physical and chemical
properties of soil (edaphic variation) control plant distributions and
diversity patterns. AIMS: Here, we review the literature to provide a
mechanistic framework for the edaphic control of plant diversity. First,
we review three examples where soils have known, prevalent effects on
plant diversity: during soil formation, on unusual soils, and in regions
with high edaphic heterogeneity. Second, we synthesize how edaphic factors
mediate the relative importance of the four key processes of community
assembly (speciation, ecological drift, dispersal, and niche selection).
Third, we review the potential effects of climate change in edaphically
heterogeneous regions. Finally, we outline key knowledge gaps for
understanding the edaphic control of plant diversity. In our review, we
emphasize floras of unusual edaphic areas (i.e., serpentine, limestone,
granite), as these areas disproportionately contribute to the world’s
biodiversity hotspots. TAXA: Terrestrial plants LOCATION: Global
CONCLUSION: Edaphic variation is a key driver of biodiversity patterns and
influences the relative importance of speciation, dispersal, ecological
drift, niche selection, and interactions among these processes. Research
is still needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms by which
edaphic variation influences these community assembly processes, and
unusual soils provide excellent natural systems for such tests.
Furthermore, incorporating edaphic variation into climate change research
will help increase the predictive power of species distribution models,
help identify potential climate refugia, and help identify species with
adaptations that buffer them from climate change.