Vertebrate metacommunity structure along an extensive elevational gradient in the tropics: a comparison of bats, rodents and birds

(Uploaded by Plazi for the Bat Literature Project) Aim We evaluated the structure of metacommunities for each of three vertebrate orders (Chiroptera, Rodentia and Passeriformes) along an extensive elevational gradient. Using elevation as a proxy for variation in abiotic characteristics and the known elevational distributions of habitat types, we assessed the extent to which variation in those factors may structure each metacommunity based on taxonspecific characteristics.