The relationship between species replacement, dissimilarity derived from nestedness, and nestedness

ABSTRACT Aim Beta diversity can be partitioned into two components: dissimilarity due to species replacement and dissimilarity due to nestedness ( Baselga, 2010 , Global Ecology and Biogeography , 19 , 134–143). Several contributions have challenged this approach or proposed alternative frameworks. Here, I review the concepts and methods used in these recent contributions, with the aim of clarifying: (1) the rationale behind the partitioning of beta diversity into species replacement and nestedness‐resultant dissimilarity, (2) how, based on this rationale, numerators and denominators of indices have to match, and (3) how nestedness and nestedness‐resultant dissimilarity are related but different concepts.…