Habitat filtering not dispersal limitation shapes oceanic island floras: species assembly of the Galápagos archipelago

Habitat filtering, not dispersal limitation, primarily shapes the species composition of oceanic island floras, including those in the Galápagos archipelago. This counterintuitive finding emerges from a comprehensive analysis of ~39,000 plant species, their phylogeny, dispersal strategies, and climatic suitability. The study suggests that only a subset of continental species, with specific niche requirements, can establish themselves on remote islands, which may explain the prevalence of adaptive radiation in such environments. This challenges the long-held assumption that dispersal limitation is the dominant factor in species assembly on oceanic islands.

Carvajal‐Endara, S., Hendry, A. P., Emery, N. C., & Davies, T. J. (2017). Habitat filtering not dispersal limitation shapes oceanic island floras: species assembly of the Galápagos archipelago. Ecology Letters, 20(4), 495–504. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12753