Ecological and evolutionary processes shape below?ground springtail communities along an elevational gradient

Aim Both ecological and evolutionary processes shape biological communities along elevational gradients. Compared to above-ground taxa, patterns of below-ground animals are little studied. Here, we investigated how environmental gradients across elevation may affect species divergence in the past act as filters contemporary assembly soil detritivores via traits. We asked: (1) Are filtering due elevation, vegetation or microhabitat-related factors driving isotomid springtail community elevation; (2) did divergences occur after mountain uplift; (3) there related past. Location Changbai Mountain, north-east China. Taxon Isotomidae, Collembola. Methods collected springtails from 800 2150 m above sea level reconstructed phylogeny using mitochondrial genome sequencing. inspected body length, number ommatidia pigmentation, determined their patterns. then derived parameters trait-based metacommunity phylogenetic approaches used linear mixed-effects models identify variables that allow predicting trait parameters. Results Isotomid differed more traits when co-occurring environments with lower nitrogen, typically at higher elevations. Most exhibited clustering, but this pattern was not any variables. These mainly diverged Mesozoic some events associated N pH, well other covarying gradient The current comprised old lineages possessing have undergone drift. Main conclusions While for detritivores, evolution preconditions assembly. Species likely resulted resembling present day. Below-ground diversity Mountain is based on persistence lineages, while recent speciation importance.