Trait-Based Community Ecology of Phytoplankton

Abstract

Trait-based approaches are increasingly used in ecology. Phytoplankton communities, with a rich history as model systems in community ecology, are ideally suited for applying and further developing these concepts. Here we summarize the essential components of trait-based approaches and review their historical and potential application to illuminating phytoplankton community ecology. Major ecological axes relevant to phytoplankton include light and nutrient acquisition and use, natural enemy interactions, morphological variation, temperature sensitivity, and modes of reproduction. Trade-offs between these traits play key roles in determining community structure. Freshwater and marine environments may select for a different suite of traits owing to their different physical and chemical properties. We describe mathematical techniques for integrating traits into measures of growth and fitness and predicting how community structure varies along environmental gradients. Finally, we outline challenges and future directions for the application of trait-based approaches to phytoplankton ecology.

Assessing triclosan-induced ecological and trans-generational effects in natural phytoplankton communities: a trait-based field method

“…Examples of key traits include cell size, shape and coloniality (which influence sensitivity to toxicants and nutrient uptake through surface/volume ratio), and photosynthetic pigment type and concentration (which relates to photosynthetic performance and acclimation) (Litchman and Klausmeier 2008). Recently, scanning-flow cytometry has been used to derive quantitative phytoplankton traits and group individual phytoplankton particles into morphofunctional categories, whose dynamics and trait-environment relationships reflect the structural and functional changes in natural phytoplankton communities under natural dynamics (Pomati et al 2011.…”

“…5, S3) as a consequence of competitive interactions (Collins and Gardner 2009;Collins 2011). This component of community change may highlight the fact that small organisms (although more sensitive from a physiological point of view) are favoured in a stressed environment by their high surface/volume ratio, which allows more efficient harvesting of nutrients (Litchman and Klausmeier 2008). Physiology and ecology therefore acted in opposing forces, with ecological component being stronger and suggesting limited support to the hypothesis that community change is attributable to the elimination of phytoplankton groups more sensitive to TCS.…”

Growth form defines physiological photoprotective capacity in intertidal benthic diatoms

“…Functional trait-based approaches are increasingly adopted to explain and understand the distribution and diversity of phytoplankton communities (Litchman and Klausmeier, 2008;Barton et al, 2013;Edwards et al, 2013). Various morphological and physiological traits have been shown to define the ecological niches of phytoplankton species, including size, temperature response and resource acquisition and utilization traits.…”

Intra- and interspecific interactions and environmental factors determine spatial–temporal species assemblages of rodents in arid grasslands

“…Understanding contemporary trait differences of coexisting species within a phylogenetic or taxonomic framework certainly contributes to a broader understanding of the role of niche differentiation in structuring communities (Webb et al 2002;Losos et al 2003). Functional group traits of phylogenetic or taxonomic groups may lead to improved mechanistic linkages between environmental drivers and the species composition of communities (McGill et al 2006;Litchman and Klausmeier 2008;Edwards et al 2013). A phylogenetic or taxonomic approach to studying community structure provides a new perspective on the role of competition in the maintenance of community diversity by highlighting the similarities of co-occurring species as well as the differences (Losos 1996;McPeek and Brown 2000;Silvertown et al 2001;Webb et al 2002).…”