Beta diversity is currently a hot topic but has been applied more at small scales, specifically, microbial studies or sample scales, but the distribution and driving mechanisms of beta diversity at large scales are unclear for now.
I opened the topic in the hope that some general patterns could be drawn from the discussion.
"An emerging consensus suggests dispersal, demographic stochasticity, speciation (encompassed by neutral theory) and deterministic (niche) processes collectively contribute to patterns of community assembly(Vellend,2010; Vellend et al.,2014). Thereby shifting the focus towards the relative importance of these processes (Alonso et al.,2006; Thompson & Townsend,2006; Vellend et al.,2014)." But the strength of these processes is likely to vary in communities based on a variety of factors. There are differences in community responses that might be expected with broad scale differences in body size for instance (e.g. bacteria, algae, invertebrates, and fish). Varying niche preferences, abundances, growth rates, reproductive strategies, trophic positions and dispersal abilities of communities are likely to result in differences in the relative importance of niche drivers, and neutral effects (Allen et al.,2006; Sweetman et al.,2010; Farjalla et al.,2012; Soininen,2014). Similarly, the scale of observation is likely to influence the perceived strength of these processes (as is implicit in the question perhaps? Jonathan Chase discusses this (Chase,2014)).
These thoughts come from a paper of mine written and published a little while ago, and identified that broad scale patterns may be less applicable to microorganisms (freshwater algae), because of weakened niche effects (by comparison to freshwater macroinvertebrates), and the high rates of dispersal in algae. The everything is everywhere hypothesis (Bass Becking; Farjalla et al introduced this idea to me). There are obviously issues with this point also, such difficulties in actually determining beta diversity across landscapes in microorganisms. Also how we collect the data, are we collecting data that is appropriate to the questions asked, the scale of observation, niche drivers of the community, and is it appropriate to then compare?
Keen to hear updates, or counter arguments?! Also, and I'm sure you already have, but work by, Chase, Vellend, Anderson, Soinnen, are obviously well worth reading. There is also one by Farjalla, and one by Sweetman that may help also. Oh and Jenny Davis wrote one recently, using DNA and examined similar questions to the paper I wrote.
Beta diversity studies at large scales are also common, there are some nice studies relating beta diversity to latitude by Qian et al. Also, we have found some nice relationship of beta diversity and spatial scale, latitude, gamma diversity, body size and a couple of other variables. I would suggest you to take a look at our latest preprint. We discuss beta diversity in more detail there. Then if you would like to comments something it is also welcome, as we are still a preprint. :)
Caio Graco Roza Good to know you have done a great job regaring beta diversity. I will read your paper carefully.
Wei Chen this one: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.03.17.435827v1.full .
However, it is still a preprint currently under review.
This preprint entitled "Quaternary climate change explains global patterns of tree beta-diversity" (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.11.14.382846v1.full) also worth reading.
You can look at this paper
Article Beta diversity and latitude in North American mammals: Testi...
For turnover and nestedness components alone, see:
Article A meta-analysis of nestedness and turnover components of bet...
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