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3D habitat structure drives avian functional and trait diversity across North America
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  • Colin Sweeney,
  • William Peterman,
  • Kaiguang Zhao,
  • Karen Goodell,
  • Benjamin Zuckerberg,
  • Marta Jarzyna
Colin Sweeney
The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences

Corresponding Author:sweeney.316@osu.edu

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William Peterman
The Ohio State University
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Kaiguang Zhao
The Ohio State University College of Food Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
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Karen Goodell
The Ohio State University College of Arts and Sciences
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Benjamin Zuckerberg
University of Wisconsin
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Marta Jarzyna
The Ohio State University
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Abstract

Understanding how 3D habitat structure drives biodiversity patterns is key to predicting how habitat alteration and loss will affect species and community-level patterns in the future. To date, few studies have contrasted the effects of three-dimensional (3D) habitat composition with those of 3D habitat configuration on biodiversity, with existing investigations often limited to measures of taxonomic diversity (i.e., species richness). Here, we examined the influence of Light Detecting and Ranging (LiDAR)-derived 3D habitat structure–both its composition and configuration–on multiple facets of bird diversity. Specifically, we used data from the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) to test the associations between eleven measures of 3D habitat structure and avian species richness, functional and trait diversity, and phylogenetic diversity. We found that 3D habitat structure was the most consistent predictor of avian functional and trait diversity, with little to no effect on species richness or phylogenetic diversity. Functional diversity and individual trait characteristics were strongly associated with both 3D habitat composition and configuration, but the magnitude and the direction of the effects varied across the canopy, subcanopy, midstory, and understory vertical strata. Our findings suggest that 3D habitat structure influences avian diversity through its effects on traits. By examining the effects of multiple aspects of habitat structure on multiple facets of avian diversity, we provide a broader framework for future investigations on habitat structure.