Analysis Of Functional Traits Research Articles

Mixed evidence for the small‐island effect in a replicated colonisation experiment

AbstractAimPlant species richness increases with island/patch area, but the effect of spatial scale on the shape of the species‒area relationship remains debatable. We asked whether the small‐island effect (SIE; i.e. different relationship between island area and species richness on smaller compared to larger plots) occurs in plants naturally colonising extremely small de novo plots.LocationNorthern Europe.MethodsWe established 16 experimental plots with bare ground (two plots of each of eight sizes, from 2 to 0.01 m2) in each of four localities, and monitored colonisation of these plots by vascular plants from 2008 to 2010. We modelled species‒area relationships in these plots by linear and breakpoint regressions, and we analysed plant functional traits with respect to plot size.ResultsSmall‐seeded plants were over‐represented among the primary colonisers, and plant functional traits changed with plot size. On average, the number of plant species was six times greater in our largest (2 m2) than in our smallest (0.01 m2) plots. The SIE was observed in half of our analyses; the semi‐log models identified SIE more often than the log‐log models did (71.1% and 28.9% of all analyses respectively).ConclusionsThe evidence for the small‐island effect in boreal forest plants colonising patches of bare ground is mixed. Despite extremely small patch size and habitat uniformity, half of our data showed a “classic” species‒area relationship. Our findings hint that the probability of SIE occurrence increases with decreases in the species pool of primary colonisers and with decreases in the time from the beginning of colonisation. We suggest that the analysis of plant functional traits in study systems where SIE does occur be conducted to uncover the drivers of this interesting biogeographical phenomenon.

中国植被地理学:从传统植被地理学到功能植被地理学

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 中国植被地理学:从传统植被地理学到功能植被地理学 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202201270262 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家自然科学基金项目（31870462）；浙江省"万人计划"项目（2018R52014） Vegetation geography in China: from traditional vegetation geography to functional vegetation geography Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:本文回顾总结了我国植被地理学发展的历史，展望了其从传统植被地理学到功能地理学的未来研究趋势。作为研究植被地理分布规律的一门科学，植被地理学在我国经历了与社会经济发展密切相关的四个阶段：早期起步阶段，主要是新中国成立前（1920年代-1949）的植物地理学和植被地理学的零星工作；初期成长阶段，主要是新中国成立后至改革开放前（1949-1980）的传统植被地理学研究；中期迅速发展阶段，主要包括改革开放后至经济迅速发展时期（1980-2000），在全球气候变化国际研究背景下的植被地理学研究；近期转型与拓展阶段，主要是国民经济平稳发展及信息时代（2000-至今），面向全球环境变化的植被地理学研究的纵深发展。经过近百年的发展，在植被综合区划与生态功能区划、中国植被分类系统订正、中国植被图与植被志编纂、古植被地理学、植被地理模拟预测与情景分析、植物功能性状和生态化学计量学的功能植被地理学等6个方面取得了可喜成果。今后，需要在以下4个方面开展更广泛的精细与纵深研究：加强更多精细化的植被地理学研究，编纂新一代中国植被图与中国植被志；深入开展人类干扰的植被地理学研究；以植物性状研究为契机，拓展宏观功能植被地理学研究；交叉融合谱系植物地理学，开展长期功能植被地理学研究。 Abstract:This paper looked back and summarized the history of the vegetation geography development in China, and looked forward its future research tendencies from traditional vegetation geography to functional vegetation geography. As a science of studying the geographical distribution of vegetation, the China's vegetation geography underwent four phases closely related to the country's socioeconomic development. The first phase is an early stage of start-up before the establishment of the new China (1920s-1949). The main works were a small amount of investigations of plant geography and vegetation geography. The second phase is an initial stage of new growth after the buildup of new China and before the reform and open of the country (1949-1980). During this stage the traditional studies of vegetation geography were still the major contents. The third phase is a mid-term development after the reform and open to the eve of the rapid economic progress (1980-2000). In this stage ecologists focused on some new vegetation geographical research under the global climate change. The last phase is the recent stage of transformation and prolongation in an information era with steady development of the national economy (2000-present). China's vegetation geography came into a new stage of deep growth facing the worldwide environmental changes. During the nearly 100 years, we have gained fascinating achievements in six aspects:the comprehensive vegetation regionalization and ecological function division; revision of vegetation classification of the Chinese vegetation; compilation of vegetation map and vegegraphy of China; palaeovegetation geography; simulation, prediction and scenario analysis of vegetation pattern; and functional vegetation geography based on analyses of plant functional traits and ecological stoichiometry. Hereafter, more finer and deeper research in the following four aspects needs to be paid more attention:strengthening more detailed and elaborated studies on classic vegetation geography; compiling the next-generation vegetation atlas and vegegraphy of China; carrying out the intensive study of anthropogenic vegetation geography; enhancing the investigation of functional vegetation macro-geography taking the plant trait study as an opportunity; and launching the long-term study of functional vegetation geography along with phylogeography in ways of intersection and fusion. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Structural adjustment of Schwartzia brasiliensis (Marcgraviaceae) in two restinga formations

Abstract This study investigated the foliar plasticity in Schwartzia brasiliensis in restinga formations (shrub and shrub-tree restinga) in southern Brazil. In each area, 10 individuals were selected and leaves in sunlight were collected for an analysis of functional leaf traits, including: fresh and dry leaf mass, leaf area, specific leaf area, succulence, stem diameter, plant height and tissue thickness. Environmental variables were measured considering soil mineral nutrition, water availability and photosynthetically active radiation. Phenotypic plasticity index was calculated for studied attribute. We compared means with a Student’s t-test and the weight of environmental variables with a PCA. Results showed that the main leaf traits that differentiated the populations were leaf dry mass, specific leaf area, lamina thickness and plant height, while the main predictor environmental variables were gravimetric humidity, solar radiation, soil CEC, phosphorus content and salinity. In the shrub restinga, there is greater investment in mechanical support as a water saving strategy due to greater exposure to solar radiation. In the shrub-tree restinga, there is greater investment in photosynthetic production, since the shade provided by the treetops of other species attenuates the radiation effect. Despite the low plastic potential, the populations present structural adjustments that respond to the environmental heterogeneity.

Towards a functional phytosociology: the functional ecology of woody diagnostic species and their vegetation classes in Northern Italy

Vegetation is often classified through phytosociology, which defines floristically and ecologically coherent units identified by diagnostic species. Since species- and community-environment relations are regulated by plant functional traits, it is likely that phytosociology has a strong functional underpinning, although the past and current phytosociology does not explicitly tackle this issue. Here we provide an analysis of functional traits of 221 woody species from Northern Italy, diagnostic of 21 European woody vegetation classes (including alien dominated ones). We assessed whether the functional space occupied by selected species corresponds to the physiognomy and ecology of the vegetation they represent, and whether this could help to evaluate major threats, such as invasion by alien species. For each species we collected from Authors’ datasets leaf trait data (leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, carbon to nitrogen ratio, leaf nitrogen content) and whole plant (plant height, seed mass) traits, and calculated Competitor, Stress-tolerant, Ruderal (CSR) scores. We identified the multidimensional functional trait space of diagnostic species and clustered classes according to their scores in the functional space, to check whether their physiognomy was coherently represented and mirrored in the CSR space. Lastly, we tested for differences between native and neophyte species and their overlap with classes. Diagnostic species mirrored the global spectrum of plant form and function, and classes showed a functional pattern coherent with their physiognomy and ecology. Evergreen dominated classes showed a similar convergence toward conservative characteristics and the stress-tolerant strategy, as opposed to deciduous forest classes that showed a tendency toward the competitive strategy. None of the classes showed a marked ruderal strategy, thus abiotic stress and biotic competition are the main ecological drivers affecting woody vegetation. Neophyte woody species exhibited relatively more competitive strategies compared to natives, and their invasion could be facilitated in resource-limited or mildly disturbed environments, should climate warming or increased nutrient availability occur. We demonstrated that plant traits and CSR strategies of woody diagnostic species reliably indicate the structure and functions of the phytosociological classes they represent, opening the way to the development of a “functional phytosociology”.

Analysis of Functional Traits of Non-woody Native and Naturalized Plant Species Living in a Riparian Park Area near the Hapcheon-Changyeong Weir in Nakdong River

Analysis of Functional Traits of Non-woody Native and Naturalized Plant Species Living in a Riparian Park Area near the Hapcheon-Changyeong Weir in Nakdong River

Clinical evidence in the phenomenon of Alien Abduction

Purpose: Starting from the classic definition of “alien abduction”, the present research, starting from the study published in 2020 on the proposed clinical classification of this particular phenomenon, is aimed at confirming the theoretical assumption of psychopathological origin. Methods: Clinical interview, based on narrative-anamnestic and documentary evidence and the basis of the Perrotta Human Emotions Model (PHEM) concerning their emotional and perceptual-reactive experience, and administration of the battery of psychometric tests published in international scientific journals by the author of this work: 1) Perrotta Integrative Clinical Interviews (PICI-2), to investigate functional and dysfunctional personality traits; 2) Perrotta Individual Sexual Matrix Questionnaire (PSM-Q), to investigate the individual sexual matrix; 3) Perrotta Affective Dependence Questionnaire (PAD-Q), to investigate the profiles of affective and relational dependence; 4) Perrotta Human Defense Mechanisms Questionnaire (PDM-Q), to investigate the defence mechanisms of the Ego. Results: Preliminary results from the interviews and the anamnestic form would suggest that the phenomenon of alien abductions has a greater tendency to occur in the female group, in the adult and mature group (and tends to diminish but not disappear with advancing age) and in the group geographically originating in central-northern Italy (due to lower religious influences but greater openness to the typical contents of ufological and mystery narratives). Moreover, the subsequent results would lead us to deduce with almost total certainty, concerning the selected sample, that the phenomenon of alien abductions has an absolute prevalence in the believing population concerning the existence of paranormal phenomena per se, even in the absence of objective and/or scientific evidence. It is a phenomenon that is almost completely linked (110/112, 98.2%) to a medium-low or not fully educated cultural level. Based on the PICI-2 it emerged that the primary emerging disorder is alternatively the delusional disorder, the dissociative disorder and the narcissistic disorder; followed, as secondary disorders, by the delusional disorder (if it is not considered as primary disorder), the schizoid disorder, the borderline disorder, the obsessive disorder and the psychopathic disorder. The analysis of functional traits also reported the marked dysfunctional tendency of the classes referring to self-control, sensitivity, Ego-Es comparison, emotionality, ego stability, security and relational functionality, confirming here too the marked dysfunctional tendency of the clinical population. According to the PSM-Q, almost 2/3 of the participants (73/112, 65.2%) present a dysfunctional tendency to sexual behaviour and a marked tendency to chronicle feelings of shame in avoidance behaviour or hyposexuality. Furthermore, 100% of the sample of the population surveyed report having suffered significant or serious psychological or physical abuse at a young age, or intra-parental relational imbalances, or in any case a sexual upbringing that was not open and lacking in free communication. According to the PDM-Q, 27.7% (31/112) are affected by affective dependency, with greater emphasis on types I (neurotic), VI (covert narcissist), V (borderline) and III (histrionic), in that order of descent. Finally, the PDM-Q reveals the widespread psychopathological tendency of the functional ego framework for the mechanisms of isolation, denial, regression, reactive formation, denial, projection, removal, withdrawal, instinct, repression and idealisation. Conclusion: This research confirms the psychopathological nature of the alien abduction phenomenon, which deserves to be treated using a psychotherapeutic approach (preferably cognitive-behavioural and/or strategic) and possibly also pharmacological in serious cases, depending on the symptoms manifested and the severity of the morbid condition.

Reduced rank analysis of morphometric and functional traits in Campolina horses.

Multitrait models can increase the accuracy of breeding value prediction and reduce bias due to selection by using traits measured before and after it has occurred. However, as the number of traits grows, a similar trend is expected for the number of parameters to be estimated, which directly affects the computing power and the amount of data required. The aim of the present study was to apply reduced rank (principal components model-PCM) and factor analytical models (FAM), to estimate (co)variance components for nineteen traits, jointly evaluated in a single analysis in Campolina horses. A total of 18 morphometric traits (MT) and one gait visual score (GtS), along with genealogical records of 48,806 horses, were analysed under a restricted maximum likelihood framework. Nine PCM, nine FAM and one standard multitrait model (MTM) were fitted to the data and compared to find the best suitable model. Based on Bayesian information criterion, the best model was the FAM option, considering five common factors (FAM5). After performing an intraclass analysis, none of MT were genetically negatively correlated, whereas GtS was negatively related to all MT, except for the genetic correlations among GtS and BLL, and between GtS and BLLBL (0.01 and 0.10 respectively). From all MT, two traits were derived computing ratios involving other traits, those had negative correlations with others MT, but all favourable for selection. Similar patterns were observed between the genetic parameters obtained from MTM and FAM5 respectively. The heritability estimates ranged from 0.09 (head width) to 0.47 (height at withers). Our results indicated that FAM was efficient to reduce the multitrait analysis dimensionality, and therefore, traits can be combined based on the first three eigenvectors from the additive genetic (co)variance matrix. In addition, there was sufficient genetic variation for selection, benefiting its potential implementation in a breeding program.

Ecological Impacts of Megaprojects: Species Succession and Functional Composition.

Land-use changes have huge impacts on natural vegetation, especially megaprojects, as the vegetation layer is destroyed in the course of construction works affecting the plant community composition and functionality. This large-scale disturbance might be a gateway for the establishment of invasive plant species, which can outcompete the natural flora. In contrast, species occurring in the area before the construction are not able to re-establish. In this study, we analyzed the impact of a pipeline construction on a wetland nature reserve located in northern Egypt. Therefore, we analyzed the plant species occurrence and abundance and measured each plant species’ traits before the construction in 2017 as well as on multiple occasions up to 2 years after the construction had finished on altogether five sampling events. We found that the construction activity led to the establishment of an invasive species which previously did not occur in the area, namely, Imperata cylindrica, whereas five species (Ipomoea carnea, Pluchea dioscoridis, Polygonum equisetiforme, Tamarix nilotica, and Typha domingensis) could not re-establish after the disturbance. The functionality of ecosystems assessed via the analysis of plant functional traits (plant height, specific leaf area, and leaf dry matter content) changed within species over all sampling events and within the community showing a tendency to approximate pre-construction values. Functional dispersion and Rao’s quadratic diversity were higher after the megaproject than before. These findings are important to capture possible re-establishment and recovery of natural vegetation after construction and raise awareness to the impact of megaprojects, especially in areas which are high priority for conservation.

Rasgos funcionales de la especie invasora Thunbergia alata (Acanthaceae) y su importancia en la adaptación a bosques andinos

Antecedentes y Objetivos: Thunbergia alata es una de las diez especies de plantas invasoras más problemáticas de Colombia. Su rápida colonización y adaptación a los bosques andinos ha afectado la composición y estructura de las comunidades vegetales nativas. En esta investigación se realizó un análisis de rasgos funcionales, generando nueva información que podría explicar la rápida colonización, adaptación y potencial invasor de T. alata en este tipo de ambientes andinos. Métodos: Para obtener esta información se realizó una serie de observaciones sobre la morfología y anatomía de raíces, tallos, hojas, flores, frutos y semillas. Asimismo, se realizó una caracterización de sus visitantes florales y de las relaciones simbióticas con los microorganismos del suelo. Resultados clave: Se determinó que tanto los rasgos morfológicos como los fenómenos de interacción favorecen la adaptabilidad de T. alata en los bosques andinos y podrían contribuir en mayor medida a su colonización activa en este tipo de ambientes. Se encontró una asociación activa de T. alata con diferentes especies de visitantes florales nativos e introducidos, con un total de 2266 visitas florales realizadas durante nuestro estudio por siete especies de insectos pertenecientes a los órdenes Coleoptera e Hymenoptera. En todos los sitios de muestreo se encontraron esporas de hongos micorrizógenos asociadas a las poblaciones de T. alata. El número de esporas por 100 g de suelo variaba entre 300 y 424. Todas las raíces de T. alata, sin excepción, presentaban una alta colonización por hongos micorrizógenos arbusculares. Conclusiones: Creemos que la información obtenida en esta investigación contribuirá a la generación de estrategias integrales y efectivas para el control de esta especie en los bosques andinos.

Clinical evidence in the phenomenon of Demonic Possession

Purpose: Starting from the classic definition of “demonic possession” (as a psychophysical condition in which a person becomes the victim of a supernatural being of demonic origin), the present research, starting from the study published in 2019 on the proposed clinical classification of this particular phenomenon, is aimed at confirming the theoretical assumption of psychopathological origin, refuting the assumptions of the most significant analytical orientations, such as the ethnopsychiatric, the socio-anthropological, the cultural, the religious and the esoteric, to reaffirm the accuracy of the theoretical approach of the multifactorial model proposed in the previous research. Methods: Clinical interview, based on narrative-anamnestic and documentary evidence and the basis of the Perrotta Human Emotions Model (PHEM) concerning their emotional and perceptual-reactive experience, and administration of the battery of psychometric tests published in international scientific journals by the author of this work: 1) Perrotta Integrative Clinical Interviews (PICI-2), to investigate functional and dysfunctional personality traits; 2) Perrotta Individual Sexual Matrix Questionnaire (PSM-Q), to investigate the individual sexual matrix; 3) Perrotta Affective Dependence Questionnaire (PAD-Q), to investigate the profiles of affective and relational dependence; 4) Perrotta Human Defense Mechanisms Questionnaire (PDM-Q), to investigate the defence mechanisms of the Ego. Results: The preliminary results of the interviews and the anamnestic form would suggest that the phenomenon of demonic possession has a greater tendency to manifest itself in the female group, in the juvenile group (and tends to decrease but not to disappear with the advancement of age) and in the group geographically originating in the centre-south of Italy (due to greater religious influences, popular beliefs and ancestral fideistic representations). Moreover, the subsequent findings would lead to deduce with almost total certainty, concerning the selected sample, that the phenomenon of demonic possession has an absolute prevalence in the believing population, faithful or in any case trusting in the existence of paranormal phenomena per se, even in the absence of objective and/or scientific evidence. Based on the PICI-2 it emerged that the primary emerging disorder turns out to be alternatively the delusional disorder, the dissociative disorder and the obsessive disorder; followed, as secondary disorders, by the delusional disorder (if it is not considered as primary disorder), the schizoid disorder, the borderline disorder and the psychopathic disorder. Even the analysis of functional traits has reported the marked dysfunctional tendency of the classes that refer to self-control, sensitivity, Ego-ID comparison, emotionality, ego stability, security and relational functionality, reaffirming here too the marked dysfunctional tendency of the clinical population. According to the PSM-Q, more than 1/4 of participants present a lack of acceptance of their sexual orientation and a marked tendency to chronicle feelings of shame into dysfunctional sexual behaviours of avoidance or hypersexuality. Still, nine in ten reports having experienced severe psychological or physical abuse at a young age, or intraparental relational imbalance, or otherwise a sexual upbringing that was not open and lacked free communication. According to the PDM-Q, 37.2% are affected by affective dependence, with a greater emphasis on types I (neurotic), V (borderline), III (histrionic), and VII (psychotic) in that order of descent. Finally, the PDM-Q reveals the widespread psychopathological tendency of the ego function framework for the mechanisms of isolation, denial, regression, reactive formation, denial, projection, removal, withdrawal, instinct, repression, and idealization. Conclusions: The present research demonstrates beyond any reasonable doubt the psychopathological nature of the phenomenon of demonic possession, which deserves to be treated pharmacologically and with a psychotherapeutic approach (preferably cognitive-behavioural and/or strategic), according to the symptoms manifested and the severity of the morbid condition.

Dynamics of Ecological Communities Following Current Retreat of Glaciers

Glaciers are retreating globally, and the resulting ice-free areas provide an experimental system for understanding species colonization patterns, community formation, and dynamics. The last several years have seen crucial advances in our understanding of biotic colonization after glacier retreats, resulting from the integration of methodological innovations and ecological theories. Recent empirical studies have demonstrated how multiple factors can speed up or slow down the velocity of colonization and have helped scientists develop theoretical models that describe spatiotemporalchanges in community structure. There is a growing awareness of how different processes (e.g., time since glacier retreat, onset or interruption of surface processes, abiotic factors, dispersal, biotic interactions) interact to shape community formation and, ultimately, their functional structure through succession. Here, we examine how these studies address key theoretical questions about community dynamics and show how classical approaches are increasingly being combined with environmental DNA metabarcoding and functional trait analysis to document the formation of multitrophic communities, revolutionizing our understanding of the biotic processes that occur following glacier retreat.

A new approach to quantify weed suppression, crop tolerance and weed‐free yield in cereal variety trials without weed‐free plots

AbstractCereal varieties are commonly tested in the presence of weeds in organic agriculture, and a variety of test programmes with weeds are relevant in relation to fields containing herbicide‐resistant weeds. However, the interpretation of results from variety trials with weeds is complex because different levels of weed pressure affect the yield differently. Crop yield is a result of the combined effect of weed suppression, crop tolerance and the weed‐free yield. Until now, there has been no attempt to separate weed suppression, crop tolerance and weed‐free yield in ordinary variety trials without weed‐free plots. This study applied a new approach based on the combination of functional trait analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA). A total of 16 variety trials were analysed with early crop coverage, final canopy height and disease severity as functional traits. The main objectives were to quantify weed suppression, crop tolerance and weed‐free yield in spring barley varieties, and to evaluate the importance of the trade‐off between weed suppression and weed‐free yield. Results showed that early crop coverage and final canopy height both increased weed suppression, and taller cultivars tolerated weeds better than shorter cultivars. However, a trade‐off between canopy height and weed‐free yield made it difficult to justify the selection of tall varieties unless the weed pressure was at its maximum level in the trials. Large early crop coverage was an advantage in terms of weed suppression and weed‐free yield, making early coverage a better selection criterion than final canopy height under the condition that early coverage is a result of genotypic variation. Future studies have to show how well genotypic and phenotypic variations are related in terms of early coverage and final canopy height.

Perrotta Integrative Clinical Interviews (PICI-2): Innovations to the first model, the study on the new modality of personological investigation, trait diagnosis and state diagnosis, and the analysis of functional and dysfunctional personality traits. An integrated study of the dynamic, behavioural, cognitive and constructivist models in psychopathological diagnosis. Research

As a result of clinical findings it is necessary to make some changes to the previous model, the first version. The second version of the PICI model (Perrotta Integrative Clinical Interviews) improves the previous version by introducing some interpretative corrections,

Root Functional Trait and Soil Microbial Coordination: Implications for Soil Respiration in Riparian Agroecosystems.

Predicting respiration from roots and soil microbes is important in agricultural landscapes where net flux of carbon from the soil to the atmosphere is of large concern. Yet, in riparian agroecosystems that buffer aquatic environments from agricultural fields, little is known on the differential contribution of CO2 sources nor the systematic patterns in root and microbial communities that relate to these emissions. We deployed a field-based root exclusion experiment to measure heterotrophic and autotrophic-rhizospheric respiration across riparian buffer types in an agricultural landscape in southern Ontario, Canada. We paired bi-weekly measurements of in-field CO2 flux with analysis of soil properties and fine root functional traits. We quantified soil microbial community structure using qPCR to estimate bacterial and fungal abundance and characterized microbial diversity using high-throughput sequencing. Mean daytime total soil respiration rates in the growing season were 186.1 ± 26.7, 188.7 ± 23.0, 278.6 ± 30.0, and 503.4 ± 31.3 mg CO2-C m–2 h–1 in remnant coniferous and mixed forest, and rehabilitated forest and grass buffers, respectively. Contributions of autotrophic-rhizospheric respiration to total soil CO2 fluxes ranged widely between 14 and 63% across the buffers. Covariation in root traits aligned roots of higher specific root length and nitrogen content with higher specific root respiration rates, while microbial abundance in rhizosphere soil coorindated with roots that were thicker in diameter and higher in carbon to nitrogen ratio. Variation in autotrophic-rhizospheric respiration on a soil area basis was explained by soil temperature, fine root length density, and covariation in root traits. Heterotrophic respiration was strongly explained by soil moisture, temperature, and soil carbon, while multiple factor analysis revealed a positive correlation with soil microbial diversity. This is a first in-field study to quantify root and soil respiration in relation to trade-offs in root trait expression and to determine interactions between root traits and soil microbial community structure to predict soil respiration.

What can intraspecific trait variability tell us about fungal communities and adaptations?

Analyses of species functional traits are suitable to better understand the coexistence of species in a given environment. Trait information can be applied to investigate diversity patterns along environmental gradients and subsequently to predict and mitigate threats associated with climate change and land use. Species traits are used to calculate community trait means, which can be related to environmental gradients. However, while species traits can provide insights into the mechanisms underlying community assembly, they can lead to erroneous inferences if mean trait values are used. An alternative is to incorporate intraspecific trait variability (ITV) into calculating the community trait means. This approach gains increasing acceptance in plant studies. For macrofungi, functional traits have recently been applied to examine their community ecology but, to our knowledge, ITV has yet to be incorporated within the framework of community trait means. Here, we present a conceptual summary of the use of ITV to investigate the community ecology of macrofungi, including the underlying ecological theory. Inferences regarding community trait means with or without the inclusion of ITV along environmental gradients are compared. Finally, an existing study is reconsidered to highlight the variety of possible outcomes when ITV is considered. We hope this Opinion will increase awareness of the potential for within-species trait variability and its importance for statistical inferences, interpretations, and predictions of the mechanisms structuring communities of macro- and other fungi.

Can soil invertebrates indicate soil biological quality on well pads reclaimed back to cultivated lands?

Integrating soil physico-chemical properties and soil invertebrate bioindicators could prove a practical and robust method for assessing reclamation and soil biological quality of cultivated lands disturbed by oil and natural gas activities. Until the current study, there have been no data or analyses showing these relationships in cultivated lands. We examined a fine line between two types of disturbance (i.e., cropland, oil & gas reclaimed cropland) and the invertebrates that could tolerate these disturbed conditions. We aimed to determine 1) if crop type, age class, reclamation criteria, soil type, disturbance history (reclaimed wellsite) or a combination of these factors, influenced invertebrate abundance; 2) if invertebrate community abundance correlated with soil physico-chemical properties or with the presence of major mesofauna taxa, and 3) if reclamation efforts, plus the additional yearly cultivation activities, ameliorate the biological effects of oil and gas disturbance. Although we identified a clear trend in the densities and abundances of major mesofauna taxa, they did not differ significantly between groups. Reclaimed sites appeared more susceptible to crop pests (Psocoptera and Hemiptera), especially on younger sites, which could have been driven by higher bulk density (low aeration). There were clear differences in soil physico-chemical properties bulk density, pH, and total organic carbon (TOC), which were not reflected in the Acari:Collembola (A:C) ratios, invertebrate density or community results. There were some correlations between physico-chemical properties and specific invertebrate groups. Oribatida were positively correlated with electrical conductivity; Astigmata, Oribatida, and Symphyla were negatively correlated with bulk density; Prostigmata, Collembola, and Mesostigmata were negatively correlated with pH, and Mesostigmata were positively correlated with TOC. The site age results indicate that cultivation activities may reset mesofauna community succession each year, creating densities and abundances similar to that of adjacent cultivated fields and masking long-term industrial effects. For these reasons, neither broad invertebrate taxa nor A:C ratios should be used as indicators of reclamation quality or biological recovery on industrially reclaimed, cultivated sites if the comparable references are also cultivated. We foresee expansions of this research with functional trait analysis, as well as exploring differences at a finer taxonomic level within invertebrates.

Insights into the taxonomic and functional characterization of agricultural crop core rhizobiomes and their potential microbial drivers

While our understanding of plant–microbe interactions in the rhizosphere microbiome (rhizobiome) has increased, there is still limited information on which taxa and functions drive these rhizobiome interactions. Focusing on the core rhizobiome (members common to two or more microbial assemblages) of crops may reduce the number of targets for determining these interactions, as they are expected to have greater influence on soil nutrient cycling and plant growth than the rest of the rhizobiome. Here, we examined whether the characterization of a core rhizobiome on the basis of only taxonomic or functional traits rather than the combined analysis of taxonomic and functional traits provides a different assessment of the core rhizobiome of agricultural crops. Sequences of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene from six globally important crops were analyzed using two different approaches in order to identify and characterize the taxonomic and functional core rhizobiome. For all crops examined, we found significant differences in the taxonomic and functional composition between the core rhizobiomes, and different phyla, genera, and predicted microbial functions were dominant depending on the core rhizobiome type. Network analysis indicated potentially important taxa were present in both taxonomic and functional core rhizobiomes. A subset of genera and predicted functions were exclusively or predominately present in only one type of core rhizobiome while others were detected in both core rhizobiomes. These results highlight the necessity of including both taxonomy and function when assessing the core rhizobiome, as this will enhance our understanding of the relationships between microbial taxa and soil health, plant growth, and agricultural sustainability.

Functional Traits in Lichen Ecology: A Review of Challenge and Opportunity.

Community ecology has experienced a major transition, from a focus on patterns in taxonomic composition, to revealing the processes underlying community assembly through the analysis of species functional traits. The power of the functional trait approach is its generality, predictive capacity such as with respect to environmental change, and, through linkage of response and effect traits, the synthesis of community assembly with ecosystem function and services. Lichens are a potentially rich source of information about how traits govern community structure and function, thereby creating opportunity to better integrate lichens into ‘mainstream’ ecological studies, while lichen ecology and conservation can also benefit from using the trait approach as an investigative tool. This paper brings together a range of author perspectives to review the use of traits in lichenology, particularly with respect to European ecosystems from the Mediterranean to the Arctic-Alpine. It emphasizes the types of traits that lichenologists have used in their studies, both response and effect, the bundling of traits towards the evolution of life-history strategies, and the critical importance of scale (both spatial and temporal) in functional trait ecology.

Salud ambiental de playas rocosas en distintos partidos de la Provincia de Buenos Aires

Seas and oceans are impacted by multiple human activities such as urban spills, maritime transport and tourism, among others. These human-generated pressures are directly impacting marine ecosystems, generating pollution, loss of habitat or introduction of exotic species. The objective of this work was to evaluate the environmental health of different beaches belonging to four coastal districts of the Province of Buenos Aires: Necochea, General Alvarado, General Pueyrredón and Mar Chiquita. The study was approached from the variability in the community structure (richness, evenness and diversity), as well as characterizing this structure from the analysis of functional traits and functional diversity indexes (functional features and indexes of functional diversity: functional richness, functional evenness, functional divergence, functional dispersion, functional specialization and quadratic entropy) and environmental quality indexes (AMBI and M-AMBI) in response to different pollution scenarios due to anthropogenic impact (sewage effluent, streams, submarine outfall and beaches for recreational use with no contribution from other sources). Results showed that both the structure and composition of the species assemblage varied significantly between sites. The AMBI and M-AMBI index reflected good environmental health at all beaches, categorizing all sites as ‘good’ (or slightly disturbed), except Quequén site which was categorized as ‘poor’ (or heavily disturbed). This site also presented a composition of the assembly of functional features characteristic of areas that present contamination by organic matter (low relative mobility, deposit feeders, tubular and/or gallery inhabitants and 1st order opportunistic species). The traditional approach reflected the differences in the community structure of the different beaches and the functional approach complemented this result by showing that the functional traits covered by the different species of the benthic communities are mainly related to the contribution of organic matter that each beach receives (streams, rainwater, effluents or submarine emissaries).

Drought, fire and grazing precursors to large‐scale pine forest decline

AbstractAimTemperate forests are currently facing multiple stresses due to climate change, biological invasions, habitat fragmentation and fire regime change. How these stressors interact with each other influences how, when and whether ecosystems recover, or whether they adapt or transition to a different ecological state. Because forest recovery or collapse may take longer than a human lifetime, predicting the outcomes of different stressor combinations remains difficult. A clearer vision of future forest trajectories in a changing world may be gained by examining collapses of forests in the past. Here, we use long‐term ecological data to conduct a post‐mortem examination of the decline of maritime pine forests (Pinus pinaster Ait.) on the SW Iberian Peninsula 7000–6500 years ago.LocationPortugal and Spain.MethodsWe compared four palaeoecological records—two with pine declines and two without—using a multiproxy approach. Bioclimatic differences between the four sites were explored. Proxies for past vegetation and disturbance (fire and grazing) were compared with independent palaeoclimatic records. We performed functional traits analysis and used phase plots to examine the causes of pine decline.ResultsThe pine decline represents a critical transition in SW Iberia, which lies close to maritime pine's bioclimatic limits. Prolonged drought likely killed trees and suppressed the fires that normally stimulate pine germination and pinewood recovery. Increased grazing pressure facilitated the rapid spread of resprouter shrubs. These competed with pine trees and ultimately replaced them. Our data highlight complex interactions between climate, fire, grazing and forest resilience.Main ConclusionsThe pine decline occurred at least a century after post‐fire resprouters overtook obligate seeders in the vegetation, constituting an early‐warning signal of forest loss. Fire suppression, resprouter encroachment and grazing may threaten the persistence of Mediterranean forests as droughts become more frequent and extreme.