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To harness traits for ecology, let's abandon 'functionality'.

Robert P Streit1, David R Bellwood1

  • 1Research Hub for Coral Reef Ecosystem Functions, Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, and College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Ecologically relevant traits are crucial for predicting ecosystem functions. This study proposes identifying functions first, then finding traits, to improve ecological predictions and develop a trait taxonomy.

Keywords:
ecosystem functionfunctional traitglobal changeresiliencetrait ecology

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Trait-based ecology
  • Ecosystem function

Background:

  • Organism traits are measurable features quantifying ecology.
  • Functional traits aim to predict ecosystem functions from local communities.
  • Current functional traits often lack clear ecological relevance, prioritizing availability over information content.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To address the need for more ecologically relevant traits.
  • To propose an inverted approach: identify functions first, then find traits as proxies.
  • To introduce a 'taxonomy of traits' for navigating trait applications in ecology.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis of trait-based ecology.
  • Proposal of two complementary perspectives on traits.
  • Development of a trait taxonomy.

Main Results:

  • Identified limitations in current functional trait usage.
  • Proposed a framework for selecting ecologically relevant traits.
  • Introduced a conceptual taxonomy to guide trait research.

Conclusions:

  • A shift towards function-first trait identification is needed for robust ecological predictions.
  • The proposed trait taxonomy offers a structured approach to trait selection and application.
  • This work aims to enhance the predictive power of trait-based ecology.