AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 25(3), P. 581 - 597

Published: Feb. 24, 2022

Functional traits offer a rich quantitative framework for developing and testing theories in evolutionary biology, ecology ecosystem science. However, the potential of functional to drive theoretical advances refine models global change can only be fully realised when species-level information is complete. Here we present AVONET dataset containing comprehensive trait data all birds, including six ecological variables, 11 continuous morphological traits, on range size location. Raw measurements are presented from 90,020 individuals 11,009 extant bird species sampled 181 countries. These also summarised as averages three taxonomic formats, allowing integration with phylogeny, geographical maps, IUCN Red List eBird citizen science database. The provides most detailed picture variation any major radiation organisms, offering template hypotheses exploring origins, structure functioning biodiversity.

Language: Английский

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Root traits as drivers of plant and ecosystem functioning: current understanding, pitfalls and future research needs

New Phytologist, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 232(3), P. 1123 - 1158

Published: Nov. 7, 2020

Summary The effects of plants on the biosphere, atmosphere and geosphere are key determinants terrestrial ecosystem functioning. However, despite substantial progress made regarding plant belowground components, we still only beginning to explore complex relationships between root traits functions. Drawing literature in physiology, ecophysiology, ecology, agronomy soil science, reviewed 24 aspects functioning their with a number system traits, including architecture, morphology, anatomy, chemistry, biomechanics biotic interactions. Based this assessment, critically evaluated current strengths gaps our knowledge, identify future research challenges field ecology. Most importantly, found that broadest importance not those most commonly measured. Also, estimation trait relative for requires us consider more comprehensive range functionally relevant from diverse species, across environments over time series. We also advocate establishing causal hierarchical links among will provide hypothesis‐based framework parsimonious sets strongest functions, link genotypes

Language: Английский

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Functional trait diversity maximizes ecosystem multifunctionality

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 1(5)

Published: April 18, 2017

Language: Английский

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A research agenda for seed‐trait functional ecology

New Phytologist, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 221(4), P. 1764 - 1775

Published: Sept. 30, 2018

Summary Trait‐based approaches have improved our understanding of plant evolution, community assembly and ecosystem functioning. A major challenge for the upcoming decades is to understand functions evolution early life‐history traits, across levels organization ecological strategies. Although a variety seed traits are critical dispersal, persistence, germination timing seedling establishment, only mass has been considered systematically. Here we suggest broadening range morphological, physiological biochemical add new on niches, population dynamics assembly. The diversity provides an important that will require international collaboration in three areas research. First, present conceptual framework spectrum builds upon current niches. We then lay foundation seed‐trait functional network, establishment which underpin facilitate trait‐based inferences. Finally, anticipate novel insights challenges associated with incorporating diverse into predictive evolutionary ecology, ecology applied ecology. If invests standardized collection implementation rigorous databases, strides can be made at this exciting frontier

Language: Английский

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Adjustments and coordination of hydraulic, leaf and stem traits along a water availability gradient

New Phytologist, Journal Year: 2019, Volume and Issue: 223(2), P. 632 - 646

Published: Jan. 13, 2019

Trait variability in space and time allows plants to adjust changing environmental conditions. However, we know little about how this is distributed coordinated at different organizational levels. For six dominant tree species northeastern Spain (three Fagaceae three Pinaceae) quantified the inter- intraspecific of a set traits along water availability gradient. We measured leaf mass per area (LMA), nitrogen (N) concentration, carbon isotope composition leaves (δ13 C), stem wood density, Huber value (Hv, ratio cross-sectional sapwood area), sapwood-specific leaf-specific hydraulic conductivity, vulnerability xylem embolism (P50 ) turgor loss point (Ptlp ). Differences between families explained largest amount for most traits, although was also relevant. Species occupying wetter sites showed higher N, P50 Ptlp , lower LMA, δ13 C Hv. when trait relationships with were assessed within they held only Hv . Overall, our results indicate that adjustments gradient relied primarily on changes resource allocation relations.

Language: Английский

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Storm impacts on phytoplankton community dynamics in lakes

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 26(5), P. 2756 - 2784

Published: March 5, 2020

Abstract In many regions across the globe, extreme weather events such as storms have increased in frequency, intensity, and duration due to climate change. Ecological theory predicts that should large impacts on ecosystem structure function. High winds precipitation associated with can affect lakes via short‐term runoff from watersheds physical mixing of water column. addition, connected rivers streams will also experience flushing high flow rates. Although we a well‐developed understanding how wind alter lake processes some aspects biogeochemical cycling, our mechanistic emergent responses phytoplankton communities is poor. Here provide comprehensive synthesis identifies interact watershed attributes their antecedent conditions generate changes chemical environments. Such restructure dynamics, well result altered ecological function (e.g., carbon, nutrient energy cycling) short‐ long‐term. We summarize current storm‐induced identify knowledge gaps systematic review literature, suggest future research directions gradient types environmental conditions.

Language: Английский

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Niche Breadth: Causes and Consequences for Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation

The Quarterly Review of Biology, Journal Year: 2020, Volume and Issue: 95(3), P. 179 - 214

Published: Sept. 1, 2020

Niche breadth is a unifying concept spanning diverse aspects of ecology, evolution, and conservation biology. usually refers to the diversity resources used or environments tolerated by an individual, population, species, clade. Here we review key research in biology light niche breadth. Namely, explore role shaping geographic distributions species richness from local landscape scales, how evolves influences lineage diversification, its use for understanding invasions, responses climate change, vulnerability extinction, ecosystem functioning. This literature informs agenda that identifies focused needs further progress: testing hierarchical nature (e.g., individuals, populations, species); quantifying correlations among different axes environmental drivers organismal constraints generating these correlations; evaluating factors decouple fundamental realized niches. We describe this could help unify disparate subdisciplines shed on questions conservation.

Language: Английский

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Trait‐based ecology of terrestrial arthropods

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 94(3), P. 999 - 1022

Published: Dec. 13, 2018

In focusing on how organisms' generalizable functional properties (traits) interact mechanistically with environments across spatial scales and levels of biological organization, trait-based approaches provide a powerful framework for attaining synthesis, generality prediction. Trait-based research has considerably improved understanding the assembly, structure functioning plant communities. Further advances in ecology may be achieved by exploring trait-environment relationships non-sessile, heterotrophic organisms such as terrestrial arthropods, which are geographically ubiquitous, ecologically diverse, often important components ecosystems. studies trait databases have recently been compiled groups ants, bees, beetles, butterflies, spiders many others; however, explicit justification, conceptual framework, primary-evidence base burgeoning field 'terrestrial arthropod ecology' not well established. Consequently, there is some confusion over scope relevance this field, tendency to overlook assumptions approach. Here we aim broad accessible overview arthropods. We first define illustrate foundational concepts respect justify application study their ecology. Next, review community where used elucidate assembly processes communities influenced niche filtering along environmental gradients (e.g. climatic, structural, land-use gradients) abiotic biotic disturbances fire, floods, invasions). also ecosystem investigate biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships: diversity relates host functions services that they mediate, decomposition, pollination predation. then suggest future work can address fundamental limitations investigating functionality effects intraspecific variation, assessing potential sampling methods bias traits values observed, enhancing quality consolidation information databases. A roadmap guide observational presented. Lastly, highlight new areas arthropods positioned advance ecological application. These include examining roles competitive, non-competitive (multi-)trophic interactions shaping coexistence, macro-scaling explain predict patterns biodiversity space time. hope will spur applications insights from most diverse eukaryotic Earth.

Language: Английский

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Climate shapes and shifts functional biodiversity in forests worldwide

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 116(2), P. 587 - 592

Published: Dec. 24, 2018

Much ecological research aims to explain how climate impacts biodiversity and ecosystem-level processes through functional traits that link environment with individual performance. However, the specific climatic drivers of diversity across space time remain unclear due largely limitations in availability paired trait data. We compile analyze a global forest dataset using method based on abundance-weighted moments assess influences shapes whole-community distributions. Our approach combines metrics diverse factors produce comprehensive catalog trait-climate relationships differ dramatically-27% significant results change sign 71% disagree sign, significance, or both-from traditional species-weighted methods. find (i) generally declines increasing latitude elevation, (ii) temperature variability vapor pressure are strongest geographic shifts composition strategies, (iii) may currently be shifting over rapid warming. analysis demonstrates strongly governs provides essential information needed predict ecosystem function will respond change.

Language: Английский

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Intraspecific Trait Variation and Phenotypic Plasticity Mediate Alpine Plant Species Response to Climate Change

Frontiers in Plant Science, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 9

Published: Nov. 13, 2018

In a rapidly changing climate, alpine plants may persist by adapting to new conditions. However, the rate at which climate is might exceed of adaptation through evolutionary processes in long-lived plants. Persistence depend on phenotypic plasticity morphology and physiology. Here we investigated patterns leaf trait variation including area, thickness, specific dry matter content, nutrients (C, N, P) isotopes (δ13C δ15N) across an elevation gradient Gongga Mountain, Sichuan Province, China. We quantified inter- intra-specific traits selected species experimental warming cooling using reciprocal transplantation approach. found substantial most functional where δ15N, P showed greatest plasticity. These did not correspond with largest amount intraspecific variation. Plasticity tended enable plant populations shift their values toward mean transplanted plants' destination community, but only if that population started very different values. results suggest important mechanism for enabling within communities better tolerate environmental conditions under change.

Language: Английский

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