A trait-based framework for seagrass ecology: Trends and prospects

Area of Science:

• Marine ecology
• Trait-based ecology
• Ecosystem function

Background:

• Trait-based approaches offer mechanistic links between environmental drivers, organism traits, and ecosystem functions.
• Seagrasses are vital marine angiosperms forming productive, threatened coastal ecosystems globally.
• Previous research in seagrass ecology has not been comprehensively synthesized using trait-based frameworks.

Approach:

• Compiled a comprehensive trait-based response-effect framework (TBF) for ecological research.
• Applied the TBF to the global seagrass literature via a systematic review.
• Identified strengths, gaps, and opportunities in seagrass trait research.

Key Points:

• Seagrass trait research predominantly focuses on environmental drivers' effects on traits (72%), termed 'environmental filtering'.
• Links between seagrass traits and ecosystem functions are less explored (26.9%).
• Trait-based frameworks (TBFs) are infrequently applied in seagrass studies (15%), with limited exploration of assembly processes and trait influence on functions.

Conclusions:

• Significant knowledge gaps exist in understanding seagrass trait-ecosystem function relationships.
• Further research is needed to explore niche vs. neutral assembly processes and trait dominance/complementarity.
• Understanding seagrass traits is crucial for linking them to the vital ecosystem services they provide.