A bird in the hand: Global‐scale morphological trait datasets open new frontiers of ecology, evolution and ecosystem science

Tobias, Joe

doi:10.1111/ele.13960

Cited by 11 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 99 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Ecologists and biogeographers strive to generalize understanding from one ecosystem to another and from small to large spatial scales using functional traits (Violle et al, 2014). The accurate identification of such generalities requires the availability of global trait datasets, ideally with a high level of species coverage (Tobias, 2022). Recent progress in the availability of global trait datasets (Griffith et al, 2023; Pincheira‐Donoso et al, 2023; Tobias et al, 2022) provides the basis for testing long‐standing questions on global biodiversity patterns with trait‐based approaches.…”

Section: Question 2 Upscaling Understanding From Small To Large Spati...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, trait‐based analyses can be used to infer the intensity of competitive interactions between species and test whether trait divergence differs across ecological communities globally (Crouch & Jablonski, 2023). These first steps on the new terrain of functional biogeography are promising (Violle et al, 2014) and call for intensified efforts in the compilation of comprehensive global trait data for many more taxonomic groups (Gallagher et al, 2020; Tobias, 2022). It will be exciting to see how these ongoing efforts will further advance understanding of the mechanisms underlying global biodiversity patterns.…”

Section: Question 2 Upscaling Understanding From Small To Large Spati...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We are currently entering a new era of Open Science, providing access to trait data with rapidly increasing coverage within and across taxonomic groups (Gallagher et al, 2020; Tobias, 2022). Given this upsurge of data, trait‐based approaches have the potential to be a game‐changer in ecosystem science offering new mechanistic insights into the form and function of ecological communities and networks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Animal functional traits: Towards a trait‐based ecology for whole ecosystems

2023

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

1. Functional traits and associated trait-based concepts have driven rapid innovation in ecology over recent years, with most progress based on insights from plants. However, plants are almost entirely restricted to a single trophic level, and an over-reliance on plant traits therefore neglects the complexity and importance of biotic interactions across trophic levels. 2. The need to expand the focus of trait-based ecology to account for trophic complexity has led to an upsurge in attention on animal functional traits and the emergence of new concepts relevant to community ecology, macroecology and ecosystem science. Recent progress in the compilation of global trait datasets for some animal taxa has opened up new possibilities for testing ecological theory. 3. In this Special Focus, we explore how trait-based ecology can expand the scope of investigation from single to multiple trophic levels, how insights from these investigations can be used to upscale understanding from local communities to biogeographical patterns and how this can ultimately help to predict the impacts of global change on ecosystem functions. To address these key questions, we showcase studies on diverse animal taxa ranging in size from springtails to crocodiles and spanning multiple trophic levels from primary consumers to apex predators. 4. This collection of studies shows how precise measurements of morphological or physiological traits can increase mechanistic understanding of community assembly across trophic levels, particularly of the mechanisms underpinning large-scale biodiversity patterns. Furthermore, a clearer picture is emerging of systematic animal responses to environmental change that shape the trait composition of ecological communities and affect ecosystem functioning. 5. The articles in this volume highlight the need to move trait-based ecology beyond the limits of taxonomic boundaries. The integration of trait data and concepts across trophic levels opens up new possibilities for identifying general ecological mechanisms that shape patterns and processes operating at different scales. The identification of key functional traits and their interplay across trophic levels can underpin the development of a trait-based ecology for whole | 5

show abstract

Section: Question 2 Upscaling Understanding From Small To Large Spati...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Question 2 Upscaling Understanding From Small To Large Spati...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Animal functional traits: Towards a trait‐based ecology for whole ecosystems

2023

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Here, we focus on the spatial patterns of three key dimensions of raptor diversity: taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional. Furthermore, our study tests specific hypotheses related to phylogenetic diversity and different subsets of ecological traits that go beyond bird morphology (Table 1), adding new perspectives to recent studies on global‐scale avian diversity (e.g., Hughes, Edwards, Bright, et al, 2022; Tobias, 2022; Voskamp et al, 2017). Based on classic and recent literature on the processes determining avian assemblages, we postulate that four main drivers shape the spatial patterns of raptor diversity: historical climate, current environmental conditions, geomorphology and anthropogenic disturbances.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 85%

“…Examining multiple dimensions of diversity is essential for understanding processes shaping the distribution of extant biota and conserving biodiversity in a rapidly changing world (Brum et al, 2017; Mazel et al, 2018). Recently, an extensive body of research on global bird diversity focused on functional and phylogenetic diversity (e.g., Tobias, 2022; Voskamp et al, 2017) has helped to restructure our understanding of the evolutionary origins of birds and the role of historical and current ecological drivers in shaping bird assemblages (Tobias et al, 2020) and how these patterns might change in response to current and future threats (Hughes, Edwards, & Thomas, 2022; Liang et al, 2019; Stewart et al, 2022), informing bird conservation strategies (Weeks et al, 2022). Among birds, raptors are an important group because of their role as top predators and their status as one of the most threatened vertebrate groups (Ceballos et al, 2020), with several taxa experiencing dramatic population declines in the last decades (McClure et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global patterns and drivers of raptor phylogenetic and functional diversity

Montaño‐Centellas

Baiser

McGrew

et al. 2022

Global Ecol Biogeogr

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim Raptors, a highly threatened but ecologically important group of birds, have been recognized as a good proxy for overall biodiversity in conservation planning. However, previous work on raptor diversity focused predominantly on taxonomic diversity. Here, we assess the global patterns of raptor taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity and their association with current and historical environmental factors. Location Global. Time period Present day. Major taxa studied Raptors. Methods We compiled information from distribution maps, global trait datasets and avian phylogenies for all extant raptors. We used generalized least squares (GLS) to assess the relationship between historical and contemporary environmental predictors and species richness, phylogenetic diversity [Faith's phylogenetic diversity index (Faith's PD), mean pairwise distance (MPD) and mean nearest taxon distance (MNTD)] and functional diversity of traits related to raptor morphology, lifestyles, diet, foraging and vagility, while controlling for spatial autocorrelation. Results Raptor taxonomic diversity peaked in tropical regions and nearby mountain ranges. After controlling for species richness, species‐poor assemblages in high latitudes and deserts were more phylogenetically and functionally diverse than expected by chance. In species‐rich assemblages, diet and foraging traits had greater variation, whereas morphological traits had less variation than expected, suggesting that species packing promoted adaptive radiation in these assemblages. Historical climate influenced phylogenetic diversity and functional diversity of morphological, foraging and diet traits, leaving a signal of evolutionary history on modern assemblages. Human footprint was also an important driver of MPD and of niche and vagility trait functional diversity, with higher phylogenetic diversity in disturbed areas and with higher functional diversity in regions with intermediate levels of disturbance. Main conclusions Both palaeoclimate and contemporary environmental conditions are important drivers of raptor phylogenetic and functional diversity. We found large mismatches among taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity, demonstrating how different processes filter lineages and species traits shaping raptor assemblages. Our results highlight the need to consider multiple dimensions of diversity to inform conservation planning better when using raptors as umbrella species.

show abstract