In a recent publication, Presley et al. (2009) expanded the approach of Leibold and Mikkelson (2002) to include multiple axis of variation to more adequately assess metacommunity structure in Paraguayan bats, which are know to respond to multiple environmental gradients.  Among other conclusions, Presley et al. (2009) determined patterns of species distribution for aerial insectivores were dependent on axis of variation, showing Gleasonian distributions when ordinated according to the primary axis of variation and Clementsian distributions when ordinated according to the secondary axis.  Their results suggest analysis of metacommunities for multiple axes of variation can provide a more complete picture of environmental variable that mold patterns of species distribution.

• See the Metacommunity Structure website at the University of Connecticut for more information

• Elements of Metacommunity Structure Library (last updated on 9/23/2008)

% METACOMMUNITY:  This function quantifies coherence, species turnover, and boundary clumping

%   within a site-by-species incidence matrix.  Based on these measures, one can indentify which

%   type of meta-community pattern (e.g., Checkerboards, Nested subsets, Clementsian, Gleasonian,

%   Evenly spaced gradients, or Random) is most prevalent.

%

%   USAGE: [Abs,Apr,MA,SA,Re,Rpr,MR,SR,M,Mpr] = metacommunity(X,ord,model,Comm,iter,ax)

%

%       X = [sites x species] incidence matrix

%       ord = optional, specifies how to ordinate the data matrix

%           0 = no ordination is performed

%           1 = reciprocal averaging {default}

%           2 = maximally packed as in nestedness calculator

%           3 = species richness and occurrence totals

%       model = optional, specifies which null model to use

%           1 = Species richness per site is equiprobable and species occurrence is equiprobable

%           2 = Species richness per site is equiprobable and species occurrence is fixed

%           3 = Species richness per site is fixed & species occurrence is equiprobable

%           4 = Species richness per site is proportional & species occurrence is fixed

%           5 = Species richness per site is fixed & species occurrence is proportional {default}

%           6 = Species richness per site is proportional & species occurrence is equiprobable

%           7 = Species richness per site is equiprobable & species occurrence is proportional

%           8 = Species richness per site is proportional & species occurrence is proportional

%           9 = Species richness per site is fixed & species occurrence is fixed

%           10 = RANDNEST null model (Jonsson 2001), relaxes constraints of fill and fixed row totals

%       Comm = optional, specifies whether to look at the Community (1) or Range (0 - default) perspective

%       iter = optional, specifies how many iterations to perform {default = 200}

%       ax = optional, specifies which axis of correspondence to use in ordination {default = 1)

%       ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

%       Abs = the number of embedded absences in a given ordinated matrix

%       Apr = pvalue associated with embedded absences

%       MA = mean number of embedded absences base on null models

%       SA = standard deviation of number of embedded absences based on null models

%       Re = number of replacements (checkerboard)

%       Rpr = pvalue associated with replacements

%       MR = mean number of replacements base on null models

%       SR = standard deviation of number of replacements based on null models

%       M = Morisita Community index value

%       Mpr = pvalue associated with Morisita index

%

%   Leibold,M.A. and Mikkelson,G.M.  2002.  Coherence, species turnover, and boundary clumping:

%       elements of meta-community structure.  Oikos 97: 237-250.

%

%   CHRIS L. HIGGINS 4/27/2005

%

Next, you should copy the usage statement : [Abs,Apr,MA,SA,Re,Rpr,MR,SR,M,Mpr] = metacommunity(X,ord,model,Comm,iter,ax) and paste it into the Matlab command window.  Supply the necessary input arguments, and away you go!!!!

References

Clements FE (1916) Plant succession: an analysis of the development of vegetation. Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, DC

Diamond JM (1975) Assembly of species communities. In: Cody ML, Diamond JM (eds)  Ecology and evolution of communities. Harvard University Press,342-444

Gleason HA (1926) The individualistic concept of the plant association. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 53:7-26

Gotelli NJ, Graves GR (1996) Null models in ecology. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C.

Leibold MA, Mikkelson GM (2002) Coherence, species turnover, and boundary clumping: elements of meta-community structure. Oikos 97:237-250

Patterson BD, Atmar W (1986) Nested subsets and the structure of insular mammalian faunas and archipelagos. Biological Journal of the Linnaean Society 28:65-82

Presley SJ, Higgins CL, Lopez-Gonzalez C, Stevens RD (2009) Elements of metacommunity structure of Paraguayan bats: multiple gradients require analysis of multiple ordination axes. Oecologia -- in press

Simberloff D (1983) Competition theory, hypothesis testing, and other community ecological buzzwords. American Naturalist 122:626-635

Tilman D (1982) Resource competitions and community structure. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ