Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40897706›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Plants with higher dispersal capabilities follow 'abundant-centre' distributions but such patterns remain rare in animals.

Connor T Panter, Stephan Kambach, Steven P Bachman, Oliver Baines, Helge Bruelheide, Maria Sporbert, Georg J A Hähn, Richard Field, Franziska Schrodt

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Connor T PanterSchool of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK. connorpanter1301@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4017-158X
Stephan KambachInstitute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3585-5837
Steven P BachmanRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1085-6075
Oliver BainesSchool of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Helge BruelheideInstitute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3135-0356
Maria SporbertInstitute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
Georg J A HähnDepartment of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3733-1498
Richard FieldSchool of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Franziska SchrodtSchool of Geography, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9053-8872

Funding

RCUK | Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) NE/S007423/1 2436183
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The 'abundant-centre' hypothesis posits that a species' abundance is highest at its range centre and declines towards its range edge. Recently, the hypothesis has been much debated, with supporting empirical evidence remaining limited. Here, we test the hypothesis on 3660 species using 5,703,589 abundance observations. We summarise species-level patterns and test the effects of dispersal-related species traits and phylogeny on abundance-distance relationships. Support for the hypothesis is dependent on taxonomic group, with abundant-centre patterns being more pronounced for plants but non-significant when summarised across all animals. Dispersal capability does not explain abundance-distance relationships in animals but likely explains abundance patterns in non-woody plants. Phylogeny improves models of abundance-distance patterns for plants but not for animals. Despite this, controlling for phylogeny yields non-significant group-level results for plants, suggesting that only certain, phylogenetically clustered plant groups may conform to abundant-centre patterns. Overall, we demonstrate that abundant-centre patterns are not a general ecological phenomenon; they tend to not apply to animals but can manifest in certain plant groups, depending on dispersal capabilities and evolutionary histories. Leveraging species' traits that account for dispersal improves models of abundant-centre patterns across geographic space.

Indexed as

Plant DispersalPlantsAnimalsBiodiversityEcosystemPhylogenySpecies Specificity

Identifiers

PMID40897706
PMCPMC12405579

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.