A novel framework for linking functional diversity of plants with other trophic levels for the quantification of ecosystem services

Abstract

A novel conceptual framework is presented that proposes to apply trait‐based approaches to predicting the impact of environmental change on ecosystem service delivery by multi‐trophic systems. Development of the framework was based on an extension of the response–effect trait approach to capture functional relationships that drive trophic interactions. The framework was populated with worked examples to demonstrate its flexibility and value for linking disparate data sources, identifying knowledge gaps and generating hypotheses for quantitative models.

Functional traits in agriculture: agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services

“…A trophic, trait-based framework of ecosystem functioning requires quantifying the traits involved in the responses of species to the abiotic environment, effects of species on the environment, and the effects of species on, and their responses to, the presence and activity of species at other trophic levels [63]. Within a given trophic level, traits determine (i) the effect of that trophic level on an ecosystem process and/or service; (ii) the response of that trophic level to higher trophic levels; and (iii) the effect of that trophic level on lower trophic levels [63].…”

“…Within a given trophic level, traits determine (i) the effect of that trophic level on an ecosystem process and/or service; (ii) the response of that trophic level to higher trophic levels; and (iii) the effect of that trophic level on lower trophic levels [63]. These latter two types of trait (i.e., 'trophic traits') can inform how trait interactions across trophic scales might improve inference about the relation between agrobiodiversity and ecosystem services.…”

How to implement biodiversity-based agriculture to enhance ecosystem services: a review

“…For example, soil food-web features can be indirectly assessed through plant functional types considered as proxies . A trait-based approach was recently applied to multitrophic systems composed of plants and pollinators (Lavorel et al 2013). However, studies linking environmental perturbations or stresses, ecological groups, and ecosystem services are based on descriptive statistics, and cropping system models that simulate such interactions are still in their infancy.…”

Functional Rarity: The Ecology of Outliers

“…Complementing this, quantifying functional rarity must include the extent to which species traits, used as proxies to represent functions, trophic links and niche axes [42][43][44][45][46][47], are more or less distinct or redundant within local communities or larger-scale species assemblages [40,48,49] (Box 1).…”