Linking biotic homogenisation with large-scale changes of species' associations

<p><span><span>This is the dataset used for the manuscript</span></span><em> Linking biotic homogenisation with large-scalechanges of species' associations</em></p> <p><span><span><b>Aim: </b><span>The impact of global change on biodiversity is commonly assessed in terms of changes in species distributions, community richness and community composition. Whether and how much associations between species, </span><i><span>i.e.</span></i><span> the degree of correlation in their spatial co-occurrence, </span><span>are also </span><span>chang</span><span>ing</span><span> is much less documented and mostly limited to local studies of ecological networks. </span><span>Here, we propose to quantify the large-scale patterns and changes of species' associations in bird communities</span><span> in relation to modifications in species composition</span><span>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><b>Location:</b><span> France.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><b>Time period:</b><span> 2001-2017.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><b>Major taxa studied:</b><span> Common breeding birds.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><b>Methods: </b><span>We use network approaches to build three community-aggregated indices reflecting complementary aspects of species' associations. We characterise the spatio-temporal heterogeneity and dynamics of these indices using a large</span><span>-</span><span>scale</span><span> and high-resolution dataset of bird co-abundances of more than 100 species</span><span> monitored</span><span> for 17 years (2001-2017) from 1,969 sites across France. We </span><span>finally</span><span> test whether spatial and temporal changes in species association networks are related to species homogenisation estimated as the spatio-temporal dynamics of β-diversity</span><span>.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><b>Results: </b><span>We document non-random spatial distribution of both structure and temporal changes in species association networks.</span><span> W</span><span>e </span><span>also </span><span>report a</span><span> directional change in </span><span>association-based</span><span> indices </span><span>with</span><span> β-diversity </span><span>modifications </span><span>in space and time, suggesting a hitherto overlooked aspect of biotic homogenisation affecting species' associations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><b>Main Conclusions: </b><span>Although species association networks are only approximations of species</span><span>'</span><span> interactions, our study highlights that</span><span> the modifications of</span><span> species association networ</span><span>ks </span><span>have to be considered</span><span>,</span><span> in addition to species </span><span>turnover</span><span>,</span><span> as biodiversity</span><span> fac</span><span>es </span><span>global change.</span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><b>Keywords:</b> Avifauna, β-diversity, homogenisation, community, interaction network, species' association.</span></span></span></p>