Understanding community assembly is a key goal in community ecology. Environmental filtering influences community assembly by excluding ill-adapted species, resulting in communities with similar functional traits. An RLQ (a four-way ordination) analysis incorporating spatial data was run on a data set of 642 species of cheilostomes (Bryozoa) from 779 New Zealand sites, and results were compared to trends in other sessile, epibenthic taxa. This revealed environmental filtering of colony form: encrusting-cemented taxa were predominant in shallow environments with hard substrata (<200 m), while erect-rooted taxa characterized deeper environments with soft substrata (>200 m). Furthermore, erect taxa found in shallow environments with high current speeds were typically jointed. Polymorphism also followed environmental gradients. External ovicells (brood chambers) were more common in deeper, low-oxygen water than immersed and internal ovicells. This may reflect the oxygen needs of the embryo or increased predation intensity in shallow environments. Bryozoans with costae tended to be found in deeper water as well, while bryozoans with calcified frontal shields were found in shallow environments with a higher concentration of CaCO3 . Avicularia did not appear to be related to environmental conditions, and changes in pivot bar structure with depth likely represent a phylogenetic signal. The importance of substratum type as a strict environmental filter suggests that anchoring structures, like rootlets, may be "key innovations" for other sessile, epibenthic taxa like sponges and ascidians.

中文翻译：

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模块化生物中的群落组装：环境过滤对苔藓虫群落形式和多态性的影响

了解社区集会是社区生态学的一个关键目标。环境过滤通过排除适应不良的物种来影响群落组装，从而产生具有相似功能特征的群落。对来自新西兰 779 个地点的 642 种口唇动物（苔藓虫）的数据集进行了包含空间数据的 RLQ（四向排序）分析，并将结果与​​其他无柄、底栖类群的趋势进行了比较。这揭示了菌落形式的环境过滤：结壳胶结类群在具有坚硬基质（<200 m）的浅层环境中占主导地位，而直根类群以具有软基质（> 200 m）的较深环境为特征。此外，在具有高流速的浅层环境中发现的直立类群通常是连接的。多态性也遵循环境梯度。外部卵细胞（育雏室）在更深、低氧的水中比浸入和内部卵细胞更常见。这可能反映了胚胎的氧气需求或浅层环境中捕食强度的增加。带有肋骨的苔藓动物也往往出现在较深的水中，而带有钙化额盾的苔藓动物则出现在 CaCO3 浓度较高的浅水环境中。Avicularia 似乎与环境条件无关，枢轴杆结构随深度的变化可能代表系统发育信号。基质类型作为严格的环境过滤器的重要性表明，锚定结构（如根）可能是其他无柄、底栖类群（如海绵和海鞘）的“关键创新”。低氧水比浸泡和内部卵细胞。这可能反映了胚胎的氧气需求或浅层环境中捕食强度的增加。带有肋骨的苔藓动物也往往出现在较深的水中，而带有钙化额盾的苔藓动物则出现在 CaCO3 浓度较高的浅水环境中。Avicularia 似乎与环境条件无关，枢轴杆结构随深度的变化可能代表系统发育信号。基质类型作为严格的环境过滤器的重要性表明，锚定结构（如根）可能是其他无柄、底栖类群（如海绵和海鞘）的“关键创新”。低氧水比浸泡和内部卵细胞。这可能反映了胚胎的氧气需求或浅层环境中捕食强度的增加。带有肋骨的苔藓动物也往往出现在较深的水中，而带有钙化额盾的苔藓动物则出现在 CaCO3 浓度较高的浅水环境中。Avicularia 似乎与环境条件无关，枢轴杆结构随深度的变化可能代表系统发育信号。基质类型作为严格的环境过滤器的重要性表明，锚定结构（如根）可能是其他无柄、底栖类群（如海绵和海鞘）的“关键创新”。带有肋骨的苔藓动物也往往出现在较深的水中，而带有钙化额盾的苔藓动物则出现在 CaCO3 浓度较高的浅水环境中。Avicularia 似乎与环境条件无关，枢轴杆结构随深度的变化可能代表系统发育信号。基质类型作为严格的环境过滤器的重要性表明，锚定结构（如根）可能是其他无柄、底栖类群（如海绵和海鞘）的“关键创新”。带有肋骨的苔藓动物也往往出现在较深的水中，而带有钙化额盾的苔藓动物则出现在 CaCO3 浓度较高的浅水环境中。Avicularia 似乎与环境条件无关，枢轴杆结构随深度的变化可能代表系统发育信号。基质类型作为严格的环境过滤器的重要性表明，锚定结构（如根）可能是其他无柄、底栖类群（如海绵和海鞘）的“关键创新”。枢轴杆结构随深度的变化可能代表系统发育信号。基质类型作为严格的环境过滤器的重要性表明，锚定结构（如根）可能是其他无柄、底栖类群（如海绵和海鞘）的“关键创新”。枢轴杆结构随深度的变化可能代表系统发育信号。基质类型作为严格的环境过滤器的重要性表明，锚定结构（如根）可能是其他无柄、底栖类群（如海绵和海鞘）的“关键创新”。