Local environmental variables are key drivers of ant taxonomic and functional beta-diversity in a Mediterranean dryland

The decomposition of beta-diversity (β-diversity) into its replacement (β(repl)) and richness (β(rich)) components in combination with a taxonomic and functional approach, may help to identify processes driving community composition along environmental gradients. We aimed to understand which abiotic and spatial variables influence ant β-diversity and identify which processes may drive ant β-diversity patterns in Mediterranean drylands by measuring the percentage of variation in ant taxonomic and functional β-diversity explained by local environmental, regional climatic and spatial variables. We found that taxonomic and functional replacement (β(repl)) primarily drove patterns in overall β-diversity (β(tot)). Variation partitioning analysis showed that respectively 16.8%, 12.9% and 21.6% of taxonomic β(tot), β(repl) and β(rich) variation were mainly explained by local environmental variables. Local environmental variables were also the main determinants of functional β-diversity, explaining 20.4%, 17.9% and 23.2% of β(tot), β(repl) and β(rich) variation, respectively. Findings suggest that niche-based processes drive changes in ant β-diversity, as local environmental variables may act as environmental filters on species and trait composition. While we found that local environmental variables were important predictors of ant β-diversity, further analysis should address the contribution of other mechanisms, e.g. competitive exclusion and resource partitioning, on ant β-diversity.