Functional diversity is an integrative approach to better understand biodiversity across space and time. In the present study, we investigated the spatiotemporal patterns (i.e., elevation and season) and environmental determinants of anuran functional diversity on Tianping Mountain, northwest Hunan, China. Specifically, 10 transects were established from low (300 m a.s.l.) to high (1 492 m a.s.l.) elevations, and anuran communities were sampled in spring, early summer, midsummer, and autumn in 2017. Four functional diversity indices were computed for each transect in each season using ecomorphological functional traits. Our results demonstrated that these indices had contrasting responses to increasing elevations. However, they did not differ significantly among seasons in terms of temporal patterns. Interestingly, the unique spatiotemporal functional diversity patterns were impacted by distinct environmental variables, such as leaf litter cover, water temperature, number of trees, and water conductivity.
解析生物多样性的时空分布格局对了解物种共存和群落构建机制有重要作用。功能多样性是生物多样性的重要组成部分，因为其能更为综合的反映生物多样性在时间和空间尺度上的变动。该研究以湖南省桑植县天平山为研究区域，探究了山地森林中无尾两栖类功能多样性的时空（季节与海拔）格局及其环境决定因子。具体来说，我们从低海拔到高海拔（300-1492 m）设置了10条样线，于2017年4月（春季）、6月（初夏）、8月（盛夏）和10月（秋季）对样线内的无尾两栖类和微生境环境因子分别进行了野外调查，并计算了每一条样线无尾两栖类在不同季节的四个功能多样性指数。结果表明，在空间尺度上，功能丰富度和海拔之间存在显著的倒钟形响应，功能均匀度和海拔之间存在显著的驼峰形响应，功能趋异度和功能特化度随着海拔的增加呈现出显著上升的趋势。而在时间尺度上，四个功能多样性指数在不同季节不存在显著差异。此外，我们还发现每个功能多样性指数都由不同的微生境环境因子所决定，如凋落叶覆盖率、水体温度、树木数量和电导率等。总体而言，该研究揭示了温带山地森林生态系统中无尾类两栖类独特的功能多样性格局，为了解两栖动物功能多样性格局的普适性提供了参考。更为重要的是，该研究还强调了微生境环境特征对维持两栖动物多样性的重要作用。未来的研究可以进一步探讨两栖动物功能多样性格局对食物网和生态系统功能的影响。.
Keywords: Anuran; Community assembly; Functional diversity; Functional traits; Microhabitat features.