Data from: Restored tallgrass prairies have reduced phylogenetic diversity compared with remnants

Ecological restoration is critical for mitigating habitat loss and providing ecosystem services. However, restorations often have lower diversity than remnant, reference sites. Phylogenetic diversity is an important component of biodiversity and ecosystem function that has only recently been used to evaluate restoration outcomes. To move towards prediction in the restoration of biodiversity, it is necessary to understand how phylogenetic diversity of restorations compares with that of reference sites, and where deficits are found, to evaluate factors constraining phylogenetic diversity. We quantified plant taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity in eastern tallgrass prairie, one of the most endangered ecosystems on earth. We measured diversity at large (site) and small (plot) scales in 19 restored prairies and compared patterns with those from 41 remnant prairies. To evaluate how environmental conditions and management actions influence outcomes, we tested the effects of soil properties and seed mix composition on diversity of restorations. Restored prairies were less phylogenetically diverse than remnants at both spatial scales. On the other hand, the total species richness of remnant and restored prairies did not significantly differ, but remnants had higher native richness. Restored communities were taxonomically and phylogenetically distinct from remnants. Soil properties (moisture and pH) influenced phylogenetic diversity and composition. There were positive relationships between the taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of seed mixes and resulting diversity of planted assemblages (excluding volunteer species). Species in seed mixes were more closely related than expected by chance, and several clades found in remnant prairies were missing from seed mixes. Synthesis and applications. Restored tallgrass prairies had lower phylogenetic diversity than remnant prairies, which may contribute to the widely observed phenomenon of restorations not being functionally equivalent to reference sites. It is encouraging for restoration efforts that seed mix phylogenetic diversity predicted phylogenetic diversity of planted assemblages. This indicates that designing phylogenetically diverse seed mixes for restoration is beneficial. In addition, clades found in reference sites that are missing from restoration seed mixes could be added to new or existing restorations to reduce gaps in phylogenetic diversity. Further work on the effects of management on phylogenetic diversity is needed to advance restoration of biodiversity.生态恢复（ecological restoration）对于缓解栖息地丧失、提供生态系统服务至关重要。然而，恢复生境的生物多样性往往低于遗留的参照样地。系统发育多样性（phylogenetic diversity）是生物多样性与生态系统功能的重要组成部分，直至近年才被用于评估恢复成效。若要实现生物多样性恢复的可预测性，我们亟需明确恢复生境的系统发育多样性与参照样地的差异，并在存在多样性不足的情形下，剖析限制恢复生境系统发育多样性的因素。 我们针对地球上最濒危的生态系统之一——东部高草草原（eastern tallgrass prairie），量化了其植物的分类学与系统发育多样性。我们在19个恢复草原的大尺度（样地整体）与小尺度（样方）两个维度测定了多样性，并将其与41个遗留草原的多样性模式进行对比。为评估环境条件与管理措施对恢复成效的影响，我们检验了土壤特性与种子混合物组成对恢复生境多样性的作用。 在两个空间尺度下，恢复草原的系统发育多样性均低于遗留草原。另一方面，遗留草原与恢复草原的总物种丰富度并无显著差异，但遗留草原的本土物种丰富度更高。恢复群落的分类学与系统发育特征均与遗留群落存在显著差异。 土壤特性（土壤含水量与pH值）会影响系统发育多样性与群落组成。种子混合物的分类学与系统发育多样性，与其人工定植群落（排除自发定植物种）的多样性呈正相关关系。种子混合物中的物种亲缘关系较随机预期更为紧密，且遗留草原中存在的多个演化支并未出现在种子混合物中。 综合与应用。恢复高草草原的系统发育多样性低于遗留草原，这或许可解释学界广泛观测到的现象：恢复生境无法在功能上与参照样地等价。值得欣慰的是，种子混合物的系统发育多样性可预测人工定植群落的系统发育多样性，这表明设计具备高系统发育多样性的种子混合物用于生态恢复是有益的。此外，可将参照样地中缺失于恢复用种子混合物的演化支添加至新的或已有的恢复生境中，以缩小系统发育多样性的差距。未来仍需进一步探究管理措施对系统发育多样性的影响，以推动生物多样性恢复工作的发展。