Figure 3. Summary of the results regardingHypothesis 2 on differences in species traits. A.Representation of the results of the fourth-corner analysis showing the
significant relationship between functional traits (represented as the
axis of the Gower matrix) and the selected abiotic environmental
variables representing beach level (subtidal, shoaling, and swash) and
the only two variables affecting species richness. B. Graphical
representation of the variance partitioning analysis, showing the amount
variance explained uniquely by environmental and geographical
differences and by their combination, in addition to the unexplained
residual variance. C-E. Relationship between geographical
distances and beta diversity calculated for each pair of stations in
each beach level. R and p-values shown are from the Mantel test
analyses.