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Loss of distinct functionality during fish community disassembly.

Songhao Ji^1,2,3, Yanling Li¹, Chengzhi Ding^2,4

¹School of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.

The Journal of Animal Ecology

|August 22, 2025

Summary

Native species loss due to environmental change is not compensated by non-native species (NNS) invasions, leading to persistent loss of unique ecosystem functions. Protecting functionally distinct native species is crucial for maintaining ecological integrity.

Keywords:

biological invasions extirpation fish communities functional ecology functional trait network invasive species

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Environmental Science
Conservation Biology

Background:

Human-induced environmental changes drive species turnover, involving native species extirpation and non-native species (NNS) invasions.
This turnover can lead to significant functional consequences in ecosystems due to varying species roles and incomplete compensation for losses.

Purpose of the Study:

To analyze changes in fish community functional roles over 75 years (1940-2015) in 15 southwest China lakes.
To assess whether NNS invasions compensate for functional diversity lost through native species extirpation.
To investigate the functional patterns of species extirpation and invasion.

Main Methods:

Utilized functional diversity indices and trait-based network analyses.
Examined fish species that persisted, were extirpated, or were newly established.
Analyzed data spanning 75 years in 15 lakes.

Main Results:

Species extirpation rates increased over time, with earlier extirpations causing greater losses in novel functional diversity.
Non-native species invasions did not functionally compensate for losses from native species extirpation.
Extirpations showed random or overdispersed patterns, while invasions were primarily random replacements.

Conclusions:

Distinct functional diversity loss persists due to incomplete functional replacement by NNS.
Prioritizing the protection of functionally unique native species is essential for preserving community integrity.
Trait-based network analysis offers a novel perspective for understanding species turnover and functional dynamics in ecological communities.