Community assembly, coexistence and the environmental filtering metaphor

Functional Ecology, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 29(5), P. 592 - 599

Published: Sept. 16, 2014

Summary One of the most pervasive concepts in study community assembly is metaphor environmental filter, which refers to abiotic factors that prevent establishment or persistence species a particular location. The has its origins change during succession and plant dynamics, although it gained considerable attention recently as part surge interest functional trait phylogenetic‐based approaches communities. While filtering clear utility some circumstances, been challenging reconcile concept with recent developments ecological theory related coexistence. These advances suggest evidence used many studies assess insufficient distinguish from outcome biotic interactions. We re‐examine perspective coexistence theory. In an effort move discussion forward, we present simple framework for considering role environment shaping membership, review literature document typically highlight research challenges address coming years. current usage term empirical likely overstates tolerances play structure. recommend ‘environmental filtering’ only be refer cases where prevents absence interactions, 15% our presented such evidence. Finally, urge ecologists consider additional mechanisms aside by can shape pattern.

Language: Английский

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Revisiting the Holy Grail: using plant functional traits to understand ecological processes

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 92(2), P. 1156 - 1173

Published: April 22, 2016

ABSTRACT One of ecology's grand challenges is developing general rules to explain and predict highly complex systems. Understanding predicting ecological processes from species' traits has been considered a ‘ H oly G rail’ in ecology. Plant functional are increasingly being used develop mechanistic models that can how communities will respond abiotic biotic perturbations species affect ecosystem function services rapidly changing world; however, significant remain. In this review, we highlight recent work outstanding questions three areas: ( i ) selecting relevant traits; ii describing intraspecific trait variation incorporating into models; iii scaling data community‐ ecosystem‐level processes. Over the past decade, there have advances characterization plant strategies based on relationships, integration multivariate indices community function. However, utility trait‐based approaches ecology benefit efforts demonstrate these influence organismal, community, across vegetation types, which may be achieved through meta‐analysis enhancement databases. Additionally, interactions need incorporated predictive using tools such as Bayesian hierarchical modelling. Finally, existing linking empirically tested for their applicability realized.

Language: Английский

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Global trait–environment relationships of plant communities

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2018, Volume and Issue: 2(12), P. 1906 - 1917

Published: Oct. 31, 2018

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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Coupling carbon and nitrogen cycles for environmentally sustainable intensification of grasslands and crop-livestock systems

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: 190, P. 9 - 17

Published: Nov. 16, 2013

Language: Английский

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Functional diversity enhances the resistance of ecosystem multifunctionality to aridity in Mediterranean drylands

New Phytologist, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 206(2), P. 660 - 671

Published: Jan. 23, 2015

Summary We used a functional trait‐based approach to assess the impacts of aridity and shrub encroachment on structure Mediterranean dryland communities (functional diversity ( FD ) community‐weighted mean trait values CWM )), evaluate how these attributes ultimately affect multifunctionality (i.e. provision several ecosystem functions simultaneously). Shrub (the increase in abundance/cover shrubs) is major land cover change that taking place grasslands worldwide. Studies conducted drylands have reported positive or negative depending traits sprouting nonsprouting species considered. were equally important as drivers responses both encroachment. Size (e.g. vegetative height lateral spread) leaf specific area dry matter content) captured effect with relative high accuracy r 2 = 0.63). also improved resistance along gradient studied. Maintaining enhancing plant may help buffer effects ongoing global environmental multifunctionality.

Language: Английский

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Testing the environmental filtering concept in global drylands

Journal of Ecology, Journal Year: 2017, Volume and Issue: 105(4), P. 1058 - 1069

Published: Jan. 10, 2017

1. The environmental filtering hypothesis predicts that the abiotic environment selects species with similar trait values within communities. Testing this along multiple - and interacting gradients of climate soil variables constitutes a great opportunity to better understand predict responses plant communities ongoing changes. 2. Based on two key traits, maximum height specific leaf area (SLA), we assessed effects (mean annual temperature precipitation, precipitation seasonality), characteristics (soil pH, sand content total phosphorus) all potential interactions functional structure diversity 124 dryland spread over globe. were quantified using mean, variance, skewness kurtosis distributions. 3. models accurately explained observed variations in across studied. All included among factors, i.e. (9% explanatory power), (24% power) (5% power). Precipitation seasonality was main driver height, interacted mean precipitation. Soil pH mediated SLA. Our results also revealed characterized by low variance can exhibit values, indicating functionally contrasting co-occur even narrow ranges values. 4. Synthesis We identified particular set conditions under which operates drylands worldwide. findings indicate strategies still locally, prevailing filtering. Interactions between sources stress should be therefore global trait-based studies, as will help further anticipate where impact change.

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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Molecular ecology of microbial mats

FEMS Microbiology Ecology, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Nov. 1, 2014

Phototrophic microbial mats are ideal model systems for ecological and evolutionary analysis of highly diverse communities. Microbial small-scale, nearly closed, self-sustaining benthic ecosystems that comprise the major element cycles, trophic levels, food webs. The steep fluctuating physicochemical microgradients, result ever changing environmental conditions microorganisms' own activities, give rise to a plethora potential niches resulting in formation one most known date. For several decades, have been studied extensively more recently molecular biological techniques introduced allowed assessing investigating diversity functioning these systems. These investigations also involved metagenomics analyses using high-throughput DNA RNA sequencing. Here, we summarize some latest developments metagenomic three representative phototrophic mat types (coastal, hot spring, hypersaline). We present comparison available data sets from emphasizing differences between them as well elucidating overlap overall community composition. This minireview describes compare

Language: Английский

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Linking nitrogen acquisition and use with species abundance along a hydrological gradient in a subtropical sedge-dominated riparian ecosystem

CATENA, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 250, P. 108757 - 108757

Published: Jan. 25, 2025

Language: Английский

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