scholarly journals Mediterranean nekton traits: distribution, relationships and significance for marine ecology monitoring and management

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evangelos Tzanatos ◽  
Catherine Moukas ◽  
Martha Koutsidi
Keyword(s):  
Functional Groups ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Environmental Filtering ◽  
Marine Ecology ◽  
Biological Traits ◽  
Age At Maturity ◽  
Ecological Traits ◽  
Proportional Relationship ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Inference Tests

Biological traits are increasingly used in order to study aspects of ecology as they are related to the organisms’ fitness. Here we analyze a dataset of 23 traits regarding the life cycle, distribution, ecology and behavior of 235 nektonic species of the Mediterranean Sea in order to evaluate the distribution of traits, identify rare ones, detect relationships between trait pairs and identify species functional groups. Trait relationships were tested using correlation and non-linear regression for continuous traits, parametric and non-parametric inference tests for pairs of continuous-categorical traits and cooccurrence testing for categorical traits. The findings have significant implications concerning the potential effects of climate change (e.g., through the relationships of the trait of optimal temperature), fisheries or habitat loss (from the relationships of traits related to tolerance ranges). Furthermore, some unexpected relationships are documented, like the inversely proportional relationship between longevity and age at maturity as a percentage of life span. Associations between functional traits show affinities derived from phylogenetic constraints or life strategies; however, relationships among functional and ecological traits can indicate the potential environmental filtering that acts on functional traits. In total, 18 functional groups were identified by Hill-Smith ordination and hierarchical clustering and were characterized by their dominant traits. For the assessment of the results, we first evaluate the importance of each trait at the level of population, community, ecosystem and landscape and then propose the traits that should be monitored for the regulation and resilience of ecosystem functioning and the management of the marine ecosystems.

Identification of Freshwater Zooplankton Functional Groups Based on the Functional Traits of Species

2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 1849-1856
Author(s):  
D. E. Gavrilko ◽  
G. V. Shurganova ◽  
I. A. Kudrin ◽  
B. N. Yakimov
Keyword(s):  
Functional Groups ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Freshwater Zooplankton

scholarly journals Influence of individual biological traits on GPS fix-loss errors in wild bird tracking

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth García-Jiménez ◽  
Antoni Margalida ◽  
Juan M. Pérez-García
Keyword(s):  
Loss Rate ◽  
Satellite Telemetry ◽  
Foraging Strategy ◽  
Biological Traits ◽  
Ecological Traits ◽  
Location Data ◽  
Global Positioning ◽  
Satellite Transmitters ◽  
Technical Factors ◽  
Solar Powered

AbstractIn recent decades, global positioning system (GPS) location data and satellite telemetry systems for data transmission have become fundamental in the study of basic ecological traits in wildlife biology. Evaluating GPS location errors is essential in assessing detailed information about the behaviour of an animal species such as migration, habitat selection, species distribution or foraging strategy. While many studies of the influence of environmental and technical factors on the fix errors of solar-powered GPS transmitters have been published, few studies have focussed on the performance of GPS systems in relation to a species’ biological traits. Here, we evaluate the possible effects of the biological traits of a large raptor on the frequency of lost fixes—the fix-loss rate (FLR). We analysed 95,686 records obtained from 20 Bearded Vultures Gypaetus barbatus tracked with 17 solar-powered satellite transmitters in the Pyrenees (Spain, France and Andorra), between 2006 and 2019 to evaluate the influence of biological, technical, and environmental factors on the fix-loss rate of transmitters. We show that combined effects of technical factors and the biological traits of birds explained 23% of the deviance observed. As expected, the transmitter usage time significantly increased errors in the fix-loss rate, although the flight activity of birds revealed an unexpected trade-off: the greater the proportion of fixes recorded from perched birds, the lower the FLR. This finding seems related with the fact that territorial and breeding birds spend significantly more time flying than non-territorial individuals. The fix success rate is apparently due to the interactions between a complex of factors. Non-territorial adults and subadults, males, and breeding individuals showed a significantly lower FLR than juveniles-immatures females, territorial birds or non-breeding individuals. Animal telemetry tracking studies should include error analyses before reaching any ecological conclusions or hypotheses about spatial distribution.

scholarly journals Fish functional groups in a tropical wetland of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Córdova-Tapia ◽  
Luis Zambrano
Keyword(s):  
Functional Groups ◽  
Functional Group ◽  
Group Structure ◽  
Environmental Filtering ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Freshwater Wetland ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Major Step ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Niche Complementarity

ABSTRACT The characterization of species' functional traits is a major step in the understanding and description of communities in natural habitats. The classification of species into functional groups is a useful tool to identify redundancy and uniqueness. We studied the fish community of a pristine freshwater wetland in the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve by analysing two multidimensional functions: food acquisition and locomotion. We investigated changes in the functional group structure between habitats (permanent and temporary pools) and seasons (dry and wet). Six functional groups with different ecological characteristics were detected, two of which had high functional redundancy and three of them were represented by single species with unique ecological functions. In permanent pools during the dry season, functional group richness and diversity were lower, while evenness was higher. During the wet season, all functional groups were detected and similar functional group structure was found between habitats. These results suggest an effect of environmental filtering during the dry season and niche complementarity during the wet season.

Vertical dynamics in community functioning of biofilm-dwelling ciliates during the colonisation process in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea

2019 ◽  
Vol 70 (11) ◽  
pp. 1611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoyun Bai ◽  
Congcong Guo ◽  
Mamun Abdullah Al ◽  
Alan Warren ◽  
Henglong Xu
Keyword(s):  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Coastal Waters ◽  
Yellow Sea ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Diversity Indices ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
The Yellow Sea ◽  
Biological Traits ◽  
Trait Distribution

Multifunctional trait analysis is increasingly recognised as an effective tool for assessing ecosystem function and environmental quality. Here, a baseline study was performed at four depths (i.e. 1, 2, 3.5 and 5m) in Yellow Sea coastal waters of northern China in order to determine the optimal depth for bioassessment using biological traits of biofilm-dwelling ciliates. Community-weighted means (CWM) from functional traits system were used to summarise the trait distribution and functional diversity of ciliates among the four depths during a 1-month colonisation period. Functional trait distribution revealed a clear temporal variation among the four depths. In total, 3 of 17 functional traits (i.e. feeding type, body size and flexibility) showed significant temporal patterns. Bootstrapped averaging and permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) tests demonstrated that the colonisation pattern of biofilm-dwelling ciliates as expressed by CWM at 1 and 2m differed significantly from those at 3.5 and 5m. Functional diversity indices showed lower variability at 1 and 2m than at 3.5 and 5m. These results suggest that 1 and 2m are the preferred sampling depths for bioassessment of marine water quality using biological traits of biofilm-dwelling ciliates.

scholarly journals Bio-Ecological Traits of Western Tubenose Goby Proterorhinus semilunaris (Heckel, 1837): A Key to Understand Its Invasion Success

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gülşah Saç
Keyword(s):  
Standard Length ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Invasion Success ◽  
Biological Traits ◽  
Relative Importance ◽  
Ecological Traits ◽  
Tubenose Goby ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Index Of Relative Importance ◽  
Proterorhinus Semilunaris

This study aims to contribute to the limited knowledge on the bio-ecological traits of the native Western tubenose goby, Proterorhinus semilunaris, which is considered to invade many inland waters in Europe and North America. During monthly sampling surveys from March 2012 to June 2013, the species was collected from the four stations in the Istranca River (Turkey) by electrofishing. The standard length and body weight of 310 samples varied between 1.4–6.1 cm and 0.08–7.09 g, respectively. The sex ratio of female to male was found to be 1.7:1.0, with a significant difference. The values of the exponent b in the length–weight relationship were approximately 3 for females, males, and all individuals, indicating an isometric growth. The size at first sexual maturity was 2.44 cm standard length (SL) for females and 2.29 cm SL for males. Absolute fecundity ranged from 56 to 344 eggs with a mean of 164 eggs. The food composition of the species comprised of 8 major groups: Insecta (Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Odonata, Trichoptera, Coleoptera), Arachnida, Annelida, Gastropoda, Crustacea, Pisces, plant, and detritus. According to the results of modified index of relative importance (MI) and index of relative importance (IRI), insect and Diptera were the most prevalent prey for this fish. The present study has provided baseline information on the basic biological traits of the fish in its natural habitat for further understanding of this species success of invasion.

scholarly journals Fishing for function: the use of biological traits to evaluate the effects of multispecies fisheries on the functioning of fisheries assemblages

2016 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 1091-1103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha Koutsidi ◽  
Evangelos Tzanatos ◽  
Athanassios Machias ◽  
Vassiliki Vassilopoulou
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Fisheries Management ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Ecosystem Approach ◽  
Purse Seine ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Biological Traits ◽  
Multispecies Fisheries ◽  
Important Target ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract The Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management claims that fisheries management should take into account the ecosystem processes; in that context, it is useful to examine the functional traits of fisheries assemblages. This can be a challenge in multispecies fisheries. We used 21 biological traits of 86 species to investigate the relationship between-species and trait composition and to identify species with rare functional traits. Combining these traits with two catch datasets from the eastern Mediterranean (Patraikos Gulf: small-scale fleet, eastern Ionian Sea: entire multispecies fleet), we investigated whether certain fishing tactics or gears tend to remove specific traits, using multivariate methodologies. Species and traits composition of the catches were related, but an important part of trait variability was not explained by species composition. Rare traits and trait combinations were found for important target or bycatch species. Differences in the traits composition of fishing operations were revealed both between fishing tactics (Patraikos) as well as gears and areas (eastern Ionian); hierarchical clustering and MDS indicated the distinction of purse-seine catches at gear level. SIMPER analysis by trait indicated associations of certain trait categories mainly with purse-seines (at gear level) and longline métiers and a trammel-net métier (at métier level). The identification of rare traits or their combinations can have significant management implications as overfishing of the species with these traits could result in altering assemblage functioning. It seems that the multispecies character of the benthic fisheries results in a balanced trait removal, while management should regulate the effects of purse-seine fisheries on the fisheries assemblage functioning. Further investigation of the functions that fishing may remove from the ecosystem could contribute to understanding the effects of fishing and reveal overlooked aspects useful for the improvement of fisheries management.

scholarly journals Do Invasive Earthworms Affect the Functional Traits of Native Plants?

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lise Thouvenot ◽  
Olga Ferlian ◽  
Rémy Beugnon ◽  
Tom Künne ◽  
Alfred Lochner ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Groups ◽  
Plant Community ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
North American ◽  
Native Plants ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Earthworm Invasion ◽  
Invasive Earthworms ◽  
Community Changes

As ecosystem engineers, invasive earthworms are one of the main drivers of plant community changes in North American forests previously devoid of earthworms. One explanation for these community changes is the effects of earthworms on the reproduction, recruitment, and development of plant species. However, few studies have investigated functional trait responses of native plants to earthworm invasion to explain the mechanisms underlying community changes. In a mesocosm (Ecotron) experiment, we set up a plant community composed of two herb and two grass species commonly found in northern North American forests under two earthworm treatments (presence vs. absence). We measured earthworm effects on above- and belowground plant biomass and functional traits after 3 months of experiment. Our results showed that earthworm presence did not significantly affect plant community biomass and cover. Furthermore, only four out of the fifteen above- and belowground traits measured were affected by earthworm presence. While some traits, such as the production of ramets, the carbon and nitrogen content of leaves, responded similarly between and within functional groups in the presence or absence of earthworms, we observed opposite responses for other traits, such as height, specific leaf area, and root length within some functional groups in the presence of earthworms. Plant trait responses were thus species-specific, although the two grass species showed a more pronounced response to earthworm presence with changes in their leaf traits than herb species. Overall, earthworms affected some functional traits related to resource uptake abilities of plants and thus could change plant competition outcomes over time, which could be an explanation of plant community changes observed in invaded ecosystems.

scholarly journals Rivers affect the biovolume and functional traits of phytoplankton in floodplain lakes

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfonso Pineda ◽  
Geovani Arnhold Moresco ◽  
Aline Caroline Magro de Paula ◽  
Luciane Maria Nogueira ◽  
Patricia Iatskiu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Groups ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Paraná River ◽  
Floodplain Lakes ◽  
Phytoplankton Species ◽  
Parana River ◽  
Total Phytoplankton ◽  
Dammed River

Abstract Aim: We analyzed the temporal distribution (dry and rainy periods) of phytoplankton functional groups (biovolume) from lakes connected to dammed (S1 - Paraná River) and non-dammed rivers (S2 - Baia River and S3 - Ivinhema River) in the upper Paraná River floodplain, Brazil. We also determined the drivers of the phytoplankton community assemblage. Methods Phytoplankton and environmental variables samplings were performed quarterly in dry (2000 and 2001) and rainy (2010 and 2011) periods. We classified the phytoplankton species into seven morphological based functional groups (MBFG). We used analysis of variance to test differences in total phytoplankton biovolume and MBFGs biovolume between lakes and climatic periods. We also used redundancy analysis to determine the MBFGs-environment relation. Results The lake related to the dammed river (S1) presented the lowest species richness. The total phytoplankton biovolume presented differences among the lakes, but we did not register temporal differences associated with water level variation. The lake related to the non-dammed and semi-lentic river (S2) presented the highest biovolume, while S1 (related to the dammed river) and S3 (related to the non-dammed river) exhibited the lowest ones. Filamentous organisms (MBFG III) were associated with poor nutrient conditions and diatoms (MBFG VI) were favored in high water mixing sites. The flagellate groups MBFG II and MBFG V were related to deeper water and lower column mixing conditions, respectively. Conclusions Our results suggest that phytoplankton species with different functional traits drive the primary productivity in the dry and rainy periods. Hence, we highlight the importance of maintaining high functional diversity in lakes to ensure primary productivity. Therefore, we stress the importance of protecting the natural environment such as floodplain lakes because of its contribution to the regional biodiversity and the flow of energy.

scholarly journals Representing life in the Earth system with soil microbial functional traits in the MIMICS model

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 2011-2052 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. R. Wieder ◽  
A. S. Grandy ◽  
C. M. Kallenbach ◽  
P. G. Taylor ◽  
G. B. Bonan
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Change ◽  
Functional Groups ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Global Environmental Change ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Earth System ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Soil C ◽  
C Storage ◽  
N Enrichment

Abstract. Projecting biogeochemical responses to global environmental change requires multi-scaled perspectives that consider organismal diversity, ecosystem processes and global fluxes. However, microbes, the drivers of soil organic matter decomposition and stabilization, remain notably absent from models used to project carbon cycle–climate feedbacks. We used a microbial trait-based soil carbon (C) model, with two physiologically distinct microbial communities to improve current estimates of soil C storage and their likely response to perturbations. Drawing from the application of functional traits used to model other ecosystems, we incorporate copiotrophic and oligotrophic microbial functional groups in the MIcrobial-MIneral Carbon Stabilization (MIMICS) model, which incorporates oligotrophic and copiotrophic functional groups, akin to "gleaner" vs. "opportunist" plankton in the ocean, or r vs. K strategists in plant and animals communities. Here we compare MIMICS to a conventional soil C model, DAYCENT, in cross-site comparisons of nitrogen (N) enrichment effects on soil C dynamics. MIMICS more accurately simulates C responses to N enrichment; moreover, it raises important hypotheses involving the roles of substrate availability, community-level enzyme induction, and microbial physiological responses in explaining various soil biogeochemical responses to N enrichment. In global-scale analyses, we show that current projections from Earth system models likely overestimate the strength of the land C sink in response to increasing C inputs with elevated carbon dioxide (CO2). Our findings illustrate that tradeoffs between theory and utility can be overcome to develop soil biogeochemistry models that evaluate and advance our theoretical understanding of microbial dynamics and soil biogeochemical responses to environmental change.

Functional traits and environmental filtering drive community assembly in a species-rich tropical system

Ecology ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 386-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edwin Lebrija-Trejos ◽  
Eduardo A. Pérez-García ◽  
Jorge A. Meave ◽  
Frans Bongers ◽  
Lourens Poorter
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Community Assembly ◽  
Environmental Filtering ◽  
Tropical System
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document