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Mayani-Parás F, Moreno CE, Escalona-Segura G, Botello F, Munguía-Carrara M, Sánchez-Cordero V. Classification and distribution of functional groups of birds and mammals in Mexico. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287036. [PMID: 37934744 PMCID: PMC10629651 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
There has been a recent exponential growth in the study of functional trait ecology. Nonetheless, the study of functional traits and functional groups has been limited for terrestrial vertebrates. We conducted a classification update of functional groups (FG) of birds and mammals in Mexico, and determined the distribution patterns of FG species richness in different ecosystems nationwide. We selected six functional traits (feeding habit, locomotion, feeding substrate and technique, activity period, seasonality, and body size) obtained for 987 and 496 species of birds and mammals, respectively. A cophenetic correlation analyses resulted in values of 0.82 for the bird species dendrogram, and 0.79 for the mammal species dendrogram showing that the structures adequately reflected the similarity between observations. We obtained 52 FG for birds, assembled into 9 broader groups based on their feeding habits (16 invertivores, 6 carnivores: 5 herbivores, 9 aquatic vertivore/invertivore, 5 granivores, 1 scavenger, 3 nectarivores, 4 frugivores, and 3 omnivores). We obtained 35 FG for mammals, assembled into 9 broader groups based on their feeding habits (4 granivores, 10 herbivores, 1 nectarivore, 4 frugivores, 8 invertivores, 3 omnivores, 2 aquatic vertivore/invertivore, 1 hematophagous, and 2 carnivores). Overall, the distribution of FG species richness for birds and mammals gradually increased from the Nearctic to the Neotropical region, following a typical latitudinal species richness pattern. Few FG of migratory birds, and FG of granivore and herbivore mammals showed more species in the Nearctic and in the transitional regions. Our study provides a baseline for identifying ecological functions of species of birds and mammals in different ecosystems in Mexico, and contributes to understand the relationship between species diversity, community structure and ecosystem functioning. Identifying spatial patterns of functional trait diversity is important as biodiversity loss has a negative impact on ecosystem functioning and provision of environmental services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Mayani-Parás
- Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Claudia E. Moreno
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico
| | - Griselda Escalona-Segura
- Departamento de Conservación de la Biodiversidad, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Campeche, Campeche, Mexico
| | - Francisco Botello
- Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mariana Munguía-Carrara
- Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad (CONABIO), Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Víctor Sánchez-Cordero
- Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Mexico City, Mexico
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Dai Q, Cao Y, Chu ML, Larson ER, Suski CD. Agricultural conservation may not help Midwestern US freshwater biodiversity in a changing climate. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 872:162143. [PMID: 36773923 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Global climate change and agricultural disturbance often drive freshwater biodiversity changes at the regional level, particularly in the Midwestern US. Agricultural conservation practices have been implemented to reduce sediment and nutrient loading (e.g., crop rotation, cover crops, reduced tillage, and modified fertilizer application) for long-term economic sustainability and environmental resilience. However, the effectiveness of these efforts on freshwater biodiversity is not conclusive. In this study, we used the Kaskaskia River Watershed, Illinois as an example to evaluate how agricultural conservation practices affects both taxonomic and functional diversity under climate changes. The measures of trait-based functional diversity provide mechanistic explanations of biological changes. In specific, we model and predict 1) species richness (SR), 2) functional dispersion (FDis), and 3) functional evenness (FEve). FDis and FEve were based on ecology (life history, habitat preference, and trophic level) and physiology (thermal preference, swimming preference, etc.). The best random-forest regression models showed that flow, temperature, nitrate, and the watershed area were among the top predictors of the three biodiversity measures. We then used the models to predict the changes of SR and FDis under RCP8.5 climate change scenarios. SR and FDis were predicted to decrease in most sites, up to 20 % and 4 % by 2099, respectively. When agricultural conservation practices were considered together with climate changes, the decreasing trends of SR and FDis remained, suggesting climate change outweighed potential agriculture conservation efforts. Thus, climate-change effects on temperature and flow regimes need to be incorporated into the design of agricultural practices for freshwater biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qihong Dai
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America.
| | - Yong Cao
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, United States of America
| | - Maria L Chu
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Eric R Larson
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
| | - Cory D Suski
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America; Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, United States of America
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Gonçalves‐Souza T, Chaves LS, Boldorini GX, Ferreira N, Gusmão RAF, Perônico PB, Sanders NJ, Teresa FB. Bringing light onto the Raunkiæran shortfall: A comprehensive review of traits used in functional animal ecology. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10016. [PMID: 37091571 PMCID: PMC10115901 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Trait-based approaches elucidate the mechanisms underlying biodiversity response to, or effects on, the environment. Nevertheless, the Raunkiæran shortfall-the dearth of knowledge on species traits and their functionality-presents a challenge in the application of these approaches. We conducted a systematic review to investigate the trends and gaps in trait-based animal ecology in terms of taxonomic resolution, trait selection, ecosystem type, and geographical region. In addition, we suggest a set of crucial steps to guide trait selection and aid future research to conduct within and cross-taxon comparisons. We identified 1655 articles using virtually all animal groups published from 1999 to 2020. Studies were concentrated in vertebrates, terrestrial habitats, the Palearctic realm, and mostly investigated trophic and habitat dimensions. Additionally, they focused on response traits (79.4%) and largely ignored intraspecific variation (94.6%). Almost 36% of the data sets did not provide the rationale behind the selection of morphological traits. The main limitations of trait-based animal ecology were the use of trait averages and a rare inclusion of intraspecific variability. Nearly one-fifth of the studies based only on response traits conclude that trait diversity impacts ecosystem processes or services without justifying the connection between them or measuring them. We propose a guide for standardizing trait collection that includes the following: (i) determining the type of trait and the mechanism linking the trait to the environment, ecosystem, or the correlation between the environment, trait, and ecosystem, (ii) using a "periodic table of niches" to select the appropriate niche dimension to support a mechanistic trait selection, and (iii) selecting the relevant traits for each retained niche dimension. By addressing these gaps, trait-based animal ecology can become more predictive. This implies that future research will likely focus on collaborating to understand how environmental changes impact animals and their capacity to provide ecosystem services and goods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiago Gonçalves‐Souza
- Department of Biology, Ecological Synthesis and Biodiversity Conservation LabFederal Rural University of PernambucoRecifeBrazil
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
- School for Environment and Sustainability, Institute for Global Change BiologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Leonardo S. Chaves
- Graduate Program in Ethnobiology and Nature Conservation, Department of BiologyFederal Rural University of PernambucoRecifeBrazil
- Escola de Educação e HumanidadesUniversidade Católica de PernambucoRecifeBrazil
| | - Gabriel X. Boldorini
- Department of Biology, Ecological Synthesis and Biodiversity Conservation LabFederal Rural University of PernambucoRecifeBrazil
- Graduate Program in Ethnobiology and Nature Conservation, Department of BiologyFederal Rural University of PernambucoRecifeBrazil
| | - Natália Ferreira
- Graduate Program in Biodiversity, Department of BiologyFederal Rural University of PernambucoRecifeBrazil
| | - Reginaldo A. F. Gusmão
- Department of Biology, Ecological Synthesis and Biodiversity Conservation LabFederal Rural University of PernambucoRecifeBrazil
- Graduate Program in Ethnobiology and Nature Conservation, Department of BiologyFederal Rural University of PernambucoRecifeBrazil
| | - Phamela Bernardes Perônico
- Graduate Program in Natural Resources of CerradoState University of GoiásAnápolisBrazil
- Biogeography and Aquatic Ecology LabState University of GoiásAnápolisBrazil
| | - Nathan J. Sanders
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Fabrício B. Teresa
- Graduate Program in Natural Resources of CerradoState University of GoiásAnápolisBrazil
- Biogeography and Aquatic Ecology LabState University of GoiásAnápolisBrazil
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Guo X, Zuo X, Medina-Roldán E, Guo A, Yue P, Zhao X, Qiao J, Li X, Chen M, Wei C, Yang T, Ke Y, Yu Q. Effects of multi-resource addition on grassland plant productivity and biodiversity along a resource gradient. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159367. [PMID: 36240924 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The change of plant biodiversity caused by resource-enhancing global changes has greatly affected grassland productivity. However, it remains unclear how multi-resource enrichment induces the effects of multifaceted biodiversity on grassland productivity under different site resource constraints. We conducted a multiple resource addition (MRA) experiment of water and nutrients at three sites located along a resource gradient in northern China. This allowed us to assess the response of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), species (species richness and plant density), functional (functional richness and community-weighted mean of traits) and phylogenetic (phylogenetic richness) diversity to increasing number of MRA. We used structural equation model (SEM) to examine the direct and indirect effects of MRA and multifaceted biodiversity on ANPP. The combined addition of the four resources increased ANPP at all three sites. But with increasing number of MRA, biodiversity varied at the three sites. At the high resource constraint site, species richness, plant density and leaf nitrogen concentration (LNC) increased. At the medium resource constraint site, plant height and LNC increased, leaf dry matter content (LDMC) decreased. At the low resource constraint site, species, functional and phylogenetic richness decreased, and height increased. The SEM showed that MRA increased ANPP directly at all three sites, and indirectly by increasing plant density at the high constraint site and height at the medium constraint site. Independent of MRA, ANPP was affected by height at the high resource constraint site and LNC at the low resource constraint site. Our results illustrate that multi-resource addition positively affects productivity, while affects biodiversity depending on site resource constraint. The study highlights that site resource constraint conditions need to be taken into consideration to better predict grassland structure and function, particularly under the future multifaceted global change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Guo
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Xiaoan Zuo
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Eduardo Medina-Roldán
- Institute of BioEconomy-National Research Council (IBE-NRC), 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Aixia Guo
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Ping Yue
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Xueyong Zhao
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Naiman Desertification Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Jingjuan Qiao
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiangyun Li
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Min Chen
- Urat Desert-grassland Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou 730000, China; Key Laboratory of Stress Physiology and Ecology in Cold and Arid Regions, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Cunzheng Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China.
| | - Tian Yang
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Yuguang Ke
- National Hulunber Grassland Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- School of Grassland Science, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
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Streit RP, Bellwood DR. To harness traits for ecology, let’s abandon ‘functionality’. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 38:402-411. [PMID: 36522192 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Traits are measurable features of organisms. Functional traits aspire to more. They quantify an organism's ecology and, ultimately, predict ecosystem functions based on local communities. Such predictions are useful, but only if 'functional' really means 'ecologically relevant'. Unfortunately, many 'functional' traits seem to be characterized primarily by availability and implied importance - not by their ecological information content. Better traits are needed, but a prevailing trend is to 'functionalize' existing traits. The key may be to invert the process, that is, to identify functions of interest first and then identify traits as quantifiable proxies. We propose two distinct, yet complementary, perspectives on traits and provide a 'taxonomy of traits', a conceptual compass to navigate the diverse applications of traits in ecology.
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Nervo B, Laini A, Roggero A, Fabbriciani F, Palestrini C, Rolando A. Interactions Between Individuals and Sex Rather Than Morphological Traits Drive Intraspecific Dung Removal in Two Dung Beetle Species. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.863669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dung beetle functional ecology has traditionally focused on studying the relation between traits and ecosystem functions in multispecies assemblages, often ignoring the contribution of behavioral interactions and trait variability within species. Here we focus on the factors that affect dung removal at an intraspecific level in two horned dung beetle species with dimorphic males (Onthophagus taurus and Onthophagus verticicornis). By setting treatments for each species with single individuals (one female, F; one major male, M; one minor male, m) or with pairs of individuals (MF, mF, MM, mm, FF), we examined the effect on dung removal of morphological traits (head, pronotum, leg, horn), sex, and interactions between individuals. Our results showed that dung removal at an intraspecific level depended more on sex and behavioral interactions than on the underlying morphological traits, whose effects on dung removal were negligible. Single females generally removed more dung than single males, which suggests that females are more effective than males. In both species, pairs with at least one female (MF, mF, FF) showed high dung removal efficiency, but did not perform differently from the sum of single treatments (M + F, m + f, F + F). This suggests an additive effect: males and females (or two females) join their efforts when they are together. The pairs with only males (MM and mm) removed less dung than the sum of the single individuals (M + M and m + m), which indicates a mutual inhibition of males. In both species, male morphs performed similarly as they removed the same amount of dung. Despite our results are limited to two Onthophagus species, we suggest that the intraspecific functional ecology of dung beetles might be more influenced by behavioral interactions and sex rather than by morphological traits.
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Karr JR, Larson ER, Chu EW. Ecological integrity is both real and valuable. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric R. Larson
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois Urbana Illinois USA
| | - Ellen W. Chu
- Ecologist and Editor Port Townsend Washington USA
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Pettorelli N, Graham NAJ, Seddon N, Maria da Cunha Bustamante M, Lowton MJ, Sutherland WJ, Koldewey HJ, Prentice HC, Barlow J. Time to integrate global climate change and biodiversity science‐policy agendas. J Appl Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nathalie Seddon
- Nature‐based Solutions Initiative Department of Zoology University of Oxford Oxford UK
| | | | | | - William J. Sutherland
- Department of Zoology Cambridge University Cambridge UK
- BioRISC (Biosecurity Research Initiative at St Catharine’s) St Catharine’s College Cambridge UK
| | - Heather J. Koldewey
- Conservation and Policy Zoological Society of London London UK
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn UK
| | | | - Jos Barlow
- Lancaster Environment Centre Lancaster University Lancaster UK
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Mammola S, Carmona CP, Guillerme T, Cardoso P. Concepts and applications in functional diversity. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Mammola
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe) Finnish Museum of Natural History (Luomus) University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
- Molecular Ecology Group (MEG) Water Research InstituteNational Research Council (CNR‐IRSA) Verbania Pallanza Italy
| | - Carlos P. Carmona
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences University of Tartu Tartu Estonia
| | - Thomas Guillerme
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences The University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe) Finnish Museum of Natural History (Luomus) University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
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Cazorla BP, Cabello J, Peñas J, Garcillán PP, Reyes A, Alcaraz-Segura D. Incorporating Ecosystem Functional Diversity into Geographic Conservation Priorities Using Remotely Sensed Ecosystem Functional Types. Ecosystems 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-020-00533-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Lajoie G, Kembel SW. Making the Most of Trait-Based Approaches for Microbial Ecology. Trends Microbiol 2019; 27:814-823. [PMID: 31296406 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2019.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
There is an increasing interest in applying trait-based approaches to microbial ecology, but the question of how and why to do it is still lagging behind. By anchoring our discussion of these questions in a framework derived from epistemology, we broaden the scope of trait-based approaches to microbial ecology from one oriented mostly around explanation towards one inclusive of the predictive and integrative potential of these approaches. We use case studies from macro-organismal ecology to concretely show how these goals for knowledge development can be fulfilled and propose clear directions, adapted to the biological reality of microbes, to make the most of recent advancements in the measurement of microbial phenotypes and traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geneviève Lajoie
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, 141 Avenue du Président-Kennedy, Montréal, Canada, H2X 1Y4.
| | - Steven W Kembel
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, 141 Avenue du Président-Kennedy, Montréal, Canada, H2X 1Y4
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