The biogeography of the Amazonian tree flora
We describe the geographical variation in tree species composition across Amazonian forests and show how environmental conditions are associated with species turnover. Our analyses are based on 2023 forest inventory plots (1 ha) that provide abundance data for a total of 5188 tree species. Within-plot species composition reflected both local environmental conditions (especially soil nutrients and hydrology) and geographical regions. A broader-scale view of species turnover was obtained by interpolating the relative tree species abundances over Amazonia into 47,441 0.1-degree grid cells. Two main dimensions of spatial change in tree species composition were identified. The first was a gradient between western Amazonia at the Andean forelands (with young geology and relatively nutrient-rich soils) and central-eastern Amazonia associated with the Guiana and Brazilian Shields (with more ancient geology and poor soils). The second gradient was between the wet forests of the northwest and the drier forests in southern Amazonia. Isolines linking cells of similar composition crossed major Amazonian rivers, suggesting that tree species distributions are not limited by rivers. Even though some areas of relatively sharp species turnover were identified, mostly the tree species composition changed gradually over large extents, which does not support delimiting clear discrete biogeographic regions within Amazonia.
Authors
- Kenneth J. Feeley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3618-1144)
- Yennie K. Bredin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8055-9888)
- David Neill (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5143-9430)
- Ademir Roberto Ruschel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0352-5238)
- Marcelo Fragomeni Simon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5732-1716)
- Walter A. Palacios (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0350-0399)
- Wegliane Campelo
- Olaf Bánki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6197-9951)
- Jochen Schöngart (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7696-9657)
- Mariana Victória Irume (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1590-3013)
- Gisele Biem Mori (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6825-9508)
- Adeilza Felipe Sampaio (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9907-4741)
- Torbjørn Haugaasen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0901-5324)
- Milena Holmgren (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5963-5527)
- Layon Oreste Demarchi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8441-2106)
- Italo Mesones (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7665-7015)
- Ted R. Feldpausch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6631-7962)
- Caroline da Cruz Vasconcelos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7850-6672)
- Tony Mori Vargas
- Gerardo A. Aymard C.
- Joseph E. Hawes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0053-2018)
- Flávia Machado Durgante (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5517-8821)
- William Frederick Laurance (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4430-9408)
- Charles E. Zartman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8481-9782)
- Susan G. W. Laurance (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2831-2933)
- María Teresa Fernández Piedade (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7320-0498)
- Germaine Alexander Parada (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5062-8934)
- Jos Barlow (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4992-2594)
- Guido Pardo Molina
- Bente Klitgaard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8509-0556)
- Aline Lopes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5771-4643)
- Luisa Fernanda Casas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6327-9163)
- Marcos Ríos Paredes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4379-7745)
- Flávia R. C. Costa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9600-4625)
- Yadvinder Malhi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3503-4783)
- Katia Regina Casula (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1362-5192)
- Doug Daly
- Ligia Estela Urrego Giraldo
- André Braga Junqueira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3681-1705)
- J. Sebastián Tello
- William Milliken (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3926-6661)
- Agustín Rudas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9070-2588)
- Jean‐François Molino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8853-7133)
- Sasha Cárdenas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2470-5633)
- Marcos Silveira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0485-7872)
- José Renan da Silva Guimarães (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2055-7642)
- Domingos de Jesus Rodrigues (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8360-2036)
- Patricio von Hildebrand (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3635-4199)
- José Júlio de Toledo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1778-0117)
- R. Toby Pennington (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8196-288X)
- Karina García‐Cabrera (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8535-5086)
- Luiz de Souza Coêlho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6710-7660)
- Dário Dantas do Amaral (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3546-5719)
- James A. Comiskey (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6710-1269)
- Carolina V. Castilho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1064-2758)
- Marcelo Trindade Nascimento (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4492-3344)
- Bruno Garcia Luize (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8384-8386)
- Vincent Antoine Vos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0388-8530)
- Beatriz Schwantes Marimon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3105-2914)
- Corine Vriesendorp (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2119-6797)
- Gonzalo Rivas‐Torres (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2704-8288)
- Luis Torres Montenegro (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5756-2827)
- Gabriel Damasco (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9768-520X)
- Carolina Levis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8425-9479)
- Roderick Zagt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4351-2490)
- Juan David Cardenas Revilla (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8277-5023)
- Nigel C. A. Pitman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9211-2880)
- Oliver Lawrence Phillips (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8993-6168)
- Rogério Gribel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0850-5578)
- William Farfán-Ríos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3196-0317)
- Ima Célia Guimarães Vieira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1233-318X)
- Daniel Villarroel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8794-4121)
- Maihyra Marina Pombo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0329-9736)
- José Ferreira Ramos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1580-3370)
- Susamar Pansini
- Carlos A. Peres (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1588-8765)
- Lionel Hernández (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7279-1003)
- Alberto Vicentini (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5906-9358)
- Ángela Cano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5090-7730)
- María Natalia Umaña (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5876-7720)
- Rainiellen de Sá Carpanedo
- Hernán Castellanos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5039-9097)
- Helder Lima de Queiroz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4425-3208)
- Alfonso Alonso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6860-8432)
- Eduardo Martins Venticinque (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3455-9107)
- Michelle Kalamandeen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5385-7444)
- Daniela Pauletto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1855-6077)
- Miguel N. Alexiades (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5674-5341)
- John Terborgh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8238-4583)
- Frederick C. Draper (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7568-0838)
- Rafael P. Salomão (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0947-0132)
- Adriano Costa Quaresma (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3684-2635)
- Clarisse Palma‐Silva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0192-5489)
- José Luís Camargo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0370-9878)
- Cláudia Baider (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2203-2076)
- Evlyn Márcia Leão de Moraes Novo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1223-9276)
- Florian Wittmann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9180-356X)
- Henrique Eduardo Mendonça Nascimento (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3476-401X)
- Marina Hirota (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1958-3651)
- David Galbraith (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5555-4823)
- Jérôme Chave (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7766-1347)
- Hanna Tuomisto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1640-490X)
- Joost F. Duivenvoorden
- Maria Pires Martins (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8094-1879)
- Veridiana Vizoni Scudeller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7649-5818)
- Nállarett Dávila (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0826-7167)
- Rodolfo Vásquez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2282-5009)
- Iêda Leão do Amaral (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2645-4380)
- Izaias Brasil da Silva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6975-3460)
- Renato Richard Hilário (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0346-0921)
- Julien Engel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8078-9309)
- Francisco Dallmeier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8240-1315)
- Bernardo M. Flores (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4555-5598)
- Paul V. A. Fine (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0550-5628)
- Christopher Baraloto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7322-8581)
- Juliana Stropp (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2831-4066)
- Manuel Augusto Ahuite Reategui
- Daniel Sabatier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0883-1530)
- E. Jiménez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8610-1771)
- Francisca Dionízia de Almeida Matos (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3030-8968)
- Thaiane R. Sousa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0598-4996)
- Fernanda Antunes Carvalho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3485-0797)
- Terry W. Henkel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9760-8837)
- Diego F. Correa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6510-4906)
- Kyle Graham Dexter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9232-5221)
- Daniel P. P. de Aguiar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2373-4763)
- Edmar Almeida de Oliveira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6446-3376)
- Emilio Vilanova (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6289-5127)
- Maria Julia Ferreira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2065-6229)
- Bruno Barçante Ladvocat Cintra (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5116-2654)
- Boris Eduardo Villa Zegarra
- Joice Ferreira (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4008-2341)
- Stanford Zent (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5197-1638)
- Ana Andrade (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8550-1127)
- Anthony Di Fiore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8893-9052)
- José Rafael Lozada
- Henrik Balslev (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7101-7120)
- Pablo R. Stevenson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2394-447X)
- Diógenes de Andrade Lima Filho (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7729-9790)
- Hans ter Steege (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8738-2659)
- Nicolás Castaño Arboleda (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2892-1074)
- Guilherme Lobo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0909-9639)
- Érika Berenguer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8157-8792)
- Bianca Weiss Albuquerque (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6398-9045)
- María‐José Endara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8805-1456)
- Ângelo Gilberto Manzatto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6414-8966)
- Juliana Schietti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1687-4373)
- Tinde van Andel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4951-1894)
- Eurídice N. Honorio Coronado (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2314-590X)
- César I. A. Vela (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7177-8352)
- Vitor H. F. Gomes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3855-5584)
- Maira Rocha (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8587-5943)
- Ben Hur Marimon-Junior (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6359-6281)
- Geertje van der Heijden (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2110-5173)
- Eglée L. Zent
- Janaina Barbosa Pedrosa Costa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6289-202X)
- William Balée (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4046-5147)
- Riley P. Fortier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4032-7676)
- José Leonardo Lima Magalhães (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7498-5189)
- John Ethan Householder (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5959-3504)
- Roel Brienen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5397-5755)
- Thiago Sanna Freire Silva (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8174-0489)
- José Luís Marcelo Peña (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0095-4643)
- Juan Ernesto Guevara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5433-6218)
- Hugo F. Mogollón (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4516-9462)
- Ires Paula de Andrade Miranda
- Leandro Valle Ferreira
- Janaína Costa Noronha
- Juan Carlos Licona
- Juan Carlos Montero
- George Pepe Gallardo Gonzales
- María Cristina Peñuela Mora (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9611-1359)
- Edelcílio Marques Barbosa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1331-8563)
- Timothy R. Baker (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3251-1679)
- Therany Gonzales (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1885-2362)
- Reynaldo Linares‐Palomino (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7631-5549)
- Juan Fernando Phillips (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7361-771X)
- Alexandre A. Oliveira
- Marcelino Carneiro Guedes
- Ricardo Zárate Gómez
- William E. Magnusson
- Hilda Paulette Dávila Doza
- Timothy J. Killeen
- Bonifacio Mostacedo
- Miles R. Silman
- Hirma Ramírez‐Angulo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6007-9978)
- Elvis H. Valderrama Sandoval (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7587-1941)
- Cid Ferreira
- John J. Pipoly (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7977-9496)
- Raquel Thomas
- Luzmila Arroyo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2203-2882)
- Armando Torres-Lezama
- Émile Fonty
- Rafael L. Assis
- Marcelo Petratti Pansonato
- Yuri Oliveira Feitosa
- Pascal Pétronelli
- Roosevelt García-Villacorta
- Robin Ekelschot
- Luis Valenzuela Gamarra
- Carlos Cerón
- Luciana de Oliveira Pereira
- Linder Felipe Mozombite Pinto
- Natalino Silva
- Emanuelle de Sousa Farias
- Alejandro Araujo‐Murakami
- Abel Monteagudo Mendoza
- Luiz Carlos de Matos Bonates
- Adriana Prieto
- Fernanda Coelho de Souza
- Marcelo de Jesus Veiga Carim
- Freddy Ramírez Arévalo
- Alfredo Fuentes
- Casimiro Mendoza
- Bruce Hoffman
- Lorena Maniguaje Rincón
- Neidiane Farias Costa Reis
- Maria Aparecida Lopes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6296-5487)
- Marcelo Brilhante de Medeiros
- Isau Huamantupa-Chuquimaco
- Flávia Rodrigues Barbosa
- Percy Núñez Vargas
- Yrma Andreina Carrero Márquez
- Dairon Cárdenas López
- Fernando Cornejo Valverde
Institutions
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (DE)
- Gabriel René Moreno Autonomous University (BO)
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (BR)
- University of East Anglia (GB)
- Tulane University (US)
- University of Stirling (GB)
- Universidad Mayor de San Andrés (BO)
- Universidade Federal de Rondônia (BR)
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ES)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center (NL)
- National Park Service (US)
- University of Leeds (GB)
- Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (FR)
- Amazon (United States) (US)
- Florida Museum of Natural History (US)
- Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará (BR)
- Universidade Federal do Acre (BR)
- California Department of Parks and Recreation (US)
- Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (BR)
- Wildlife Conservation Society (US)
- Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (FR)
- Central University of Ecuador (EC)
- University of Nottingham (GB)
- University of Miami (US)
- University of Liverpool (GB)
- University of Turku (FI)
- Universidad de Los Andes (CO)
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (GB)
- University of St Andrews (GB)
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP) (BR)
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (BR)
- Universidad El Bosque (CO)
- Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (VE)
- Universidad de Jaén (ES)
- Florida International University (US)
- Université de Montpellier (FR)
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (BR)
- Universidad de Los Andes (VE)
- Aarhus University (DK)
- University of Kent (GB)
- University of Missouri–St. Louis (US)
- AgroParisTech (FR)
- University of Exeter (GB)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- University of Michigan (US)
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (GB)
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (US)
- University of French Guiana (GF)
- Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden (US)
- Field Museum of Natural History (US)
- New York Botanical Garden (US)
- Missouri Botanical Garden (US)
- Instituto Sinchi (CO)
- Universidade do Estado de Mato Grosso (BR)
- Centro Universitário Cesumar (BR)
- State University of Norte Fluminense (BR)
- Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana (PE)
- Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia (BR)
- National University of Saint Anthony the Abbot in Cuzco (PE)
- Universidad Mayor de San Simón (BO)
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (BR)
- University of Florida (US)
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (BR)
- Universidad de Antioquia (CO)
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia (CO)
- Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development (GY)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (BR)
- Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado (BO)
- Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR)
- Ministério da Justiça (PT)
- Amazon National University of Madre de Dios (PE)
- Universidad Nacional Experimental de Guayana (VE)
- Bridge University (SS)
- Universidade Cidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonía Peruana (PE)
- Centro Universitário do Pará (BR)
- Universidad de Las Américas (EC)
- Fundación para la Educación y el Desarrollo Social (CO)
- Tierra (BO)
- Universidad Estatal Amazónica (EC)
- Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security (MU)
- Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (ES)
- Fundación PROINPA (BO)
- UMR Botanique et Modélisation de l’Architecture des Plantes et des végétations (FR)
- Evolution et Diversité Biologique (FR)
- Bolivian Forest Research Institute (BO)
- Universidad Técnica del Norte (EC)
- Universidade Estadual de Roraima (BR)
- Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá (CO)
- Universidade Federal do Amapá (BR)
- Instituto Florestal (BR)
- Universidad Autónoma del Beni (BO)
- Instituto Maria e Joao Aleixo (BR)
- Universidad Nacional Experimental de los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora (VE)
- Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas (BR)
- Universidad de Los Andes (BO)
- Universidade Federal de Roraima (BR)
- Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá (BR)
- Ecologie des Forêts de Guyane (GF)
- Universidad Nacional del Oriente (BO)
- Vale Technological Institute (BR)
- Universidad Regional Amazónica IKIAM (EC)
- Mauritius Sugarcane Industry Research Institute (MU)
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR)
- Wake Forest University (US)
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NO)
- University of Turin (IT)
- Universidade Federal do Pará (BR)
- Universidade Federal do Amazonas (BR)
- Lancaster University (GB)
- Universidad San Francisco de Quito (EC)
- University of Birmingham (GB)
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (BR)
- James Cook University (AU)
- The University of Texas at Austin (US)
- University of Gothenburg (SE)
- University of Amsterdam (NL)
- Wageningen University & Research (NL)
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- California State Polytechnic University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Communications Biology
- Published
- 2024-10-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06937-5
- Citations
- 11
- Primary Topic
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 7.60
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
- Sight Research UK
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Danmarks Grundforskningsfond
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
- Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad
- Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação
- Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Mato Grosso
- Natural Environment Research Council