A latitudinal cline in the taxonomic structure of eelgrass epifaunal communities is associated with plant genetic diversity

Biogenic structural complexity increases mobile animal diversity and abundance at local, regional, and global scales. Yet taxa vary in their response to complexity, and when these taxa functionally differ, variation in structure created by foundation species may affect ecosystem function. We characterized global patterns of epifaunal mesograzers in eelgrass beds that varied in structural and genetic composition across 30° latitude. Total mesograzer richness decreased with latitude, but this was accompanied by a taxonomic shift from peracarid to gastropod dominance. Greater eelgrass genetic diversity was strongly correlated with both richness and abundance of peracarids, but less so for gastropods. These two taxa exhibited complementary functional traits, creating an association between genetic diversity and animal functional traits at the site level across the eelgrass range. Our results add to a growing body of literature that suggests genetic variation in plant traits influences the s..., , , # Data from: A latitudinal cline in the taxonomic structure of eelgrass epifaunal communities is associated with plant genetic diversity

---

## Description of the data and file structure

Environmental, species abundance and trait data were collected from 50 sites in the Zostera Experimental Network (ZEN) in 2014.

This dataset consists of 5 data files:

1. Bug_traits.csv, created February 21, 2023.
Trait data for peracarid crustaceans found in epifaunal community samples.
\* eat.microalgae, eat.macroalgae, eat.seagrass, eat.seagrass.detritus, suspension.feeder, detritivore.deposit.feeder, carnivore.parasite.scavenger: Binary feeding traits. Does the animal eat the specified food source or feed in the specified way?
* broadcast.spawner.brooder.lays.egg.case: Parental care traits. Is the animal a broadcast spawner, brooder, or does it create an egg case?
* lecithotrophic.planktotrophic.direct.development: Developmental mode. Does the animal have lecithotrophic or planktotro...

生物成因结构复杂度在局地、区域乃至全球尺度上均可提升移动动物的多样性与丰度。然而不同类群对结构复杂度的响应存在差异，当这些类群具有功能分化时，由建群种（foundation species）塑造的结构变异可能会影响生态系统功能。本研究对横跨30个纬度梯度、结构与遗传组成存在差异的鳗草（eelgrass）床中的附生中型植食者（epifaunal mesograzers）全球分布模式进行了表征。随纬度升高，中型植食者的总物种丰富度呈下降趋势，同时伴随类群组成的转变：从以囊虾类（peracarid）占主导逐渐变为以腹足类（gastropod）占主导。更高的鳗草遗传多样性与囊虾类的物种丰富度及个体丰度均呈显著正相关，但与腹足类的相关性较弱。这两类群展现出互补的功能性状，使得在鳗草分布范围内的各采样点尺度上，遗传多样性与动物功能性状之间建立起关联。本研究结果进一步佐证了日益增多的相关文献结论——植物性状的遗传变异会影响……
# 数据来源：鳗草底栖群落类群结构的纬度梯度与植物遗传多样性相关

## 数据与文件结构说明
本数据集的环境数据、物种丰度数据及性状数据采集自2014年大叶藻实验网络（Zostera Experimental Network, ZEN）的50个采样点。
本数据集包含5个数据文件：
1. Bug_traits.csv，创建于2023年2月21日。
该文件包含底栖群落样本中采集到的囊虾类甲壳动物（peracarid crustaceans）的性状数据。
* eat.microalgae、eat.macroalgae、eat.seagrass、eat.seagrass.detritus、suspension.feeder、detritivore.deposit.feeder、carnivore.parasite.scavenger：二元摄食性状，用于表征该动物是否以指定食物为食或采用指定取食方式。
* broadcast.spawner.brooder.lays.egg.case：育幼相关性状，用于表征该动物为散产卵者、育幼者，还是会产卵囊的类群。
* lecithotrophic.planktotrophic.direct.development：发育模式性状，用于表征该动物为卵黄营养型、浮游营养型或直接发育……