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BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Global plant trait datasets commonly identify trait relationships that are interpreted to reflect fundamental trade-offs associated with plant strategies, but often these trait relationships are not identified when evaluating them at smaller taxonomic and spatial scales. In this study we evaluate trait relationships measured on individual plants for five widespread Protea species in South Africa to determine whether broad-scale patterns of structural trait (e.g. leaf area) and physiological trait (e.g. photosynthetic rates) relationships can be detected within natural populations, and if these traits are themselves related to plant fitness. METHODS: We evaluated the variance structure (i.e. the proportional intraspecific trait variation relative to among-species variation) for nine structural traits and six physiological traits measured in wild populations. We used a multivariate path model to evaluate the relationships between structural traits and physiological traits, and the relationship between these traits and plant size and reproductive effort. KEY RESULTS: While intraspecific trait variation is relatively low for structural traits, it accounts for between 50 and 100 % of the variation in physiological traits. Furthermore, we identified few trait associations between any one structural trait and physiological trait, but multivariate regressions revealed clear associations between combinations of structural traits and physiological performance (R2 = 0.37-0.64), and almost all traits had detectable associations with plant fitness. CONCLUSIONS: Intraspecific variation in structural traits leads to predictable differences in individual-level physiological performance in a multivariate framework, even though the relationship of any particular structural trait to physiological performance may be weak or undetectable. Furthermore, intraspecific variation in both structural and physiological traits leads to differences in plant size and fitness. These results demonstrate the importance of considering measurements of multivariate phenotypes on individual plants when evaluating trait relationships and how trait variation influences predictions of ecological and evolutionary outcomes.
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Proteaceae , Evolución Biológica , Fenotipo , Hojas de la Planta , Proteaceae/genética , SudáfricaRESUMEN
CONTEXT: Understanding natural temporal changes in Mediterranean rivers with contrasting flow regimes in relation to those of temperate rivers may prove helpful in predicting effects of climate change on aquatic biodiversity. GOAL: We aimed to compare temporal variability in taxonomic and trait compositions of nearly natural rivers in two climatic regions with varying flow regimes to address the effects of future climate changes on aquatic biodiversity in reference conditions. METHODS: We analysed taxonomic and biological trait compositions using the Foucard multivariate method to compare within-site temporal variability levels and the evolution of within-date spatial variability patterns. In addition, we assessed the effects of temporal variability levels on taxonomic and functional diversity and on community specialization. RESULTS: Our results reveal (i) highly fluctuating environments of the Mediterranean region, particularly in intermittent rivers, which lead to higher levels of temporal variability in both taxonomic and trait compositions of benthic invertebrate assemblages, with marked synchrony in Mediterranean streams linked to contrasting flow characteristics; (ii) higher degrees of taxonomic richness associated with higher levels of functional diversity in Mediterranean rivers relative to temperate rivers, (iii) higher temporal stability for functional diversity and trait compositions of benthic invertebrate assemblages than for taxonomic richness and compositions; and (iv) a recovery of all diversity metrics following drying events in intermittent sites. CONCLUSION: This study offers insight into a rarely addressed question concerning the temporal variability of trait compositions in benthic invertebrate assemblages among rivers differing in terms of flow regimes. It suggests that temperate rivers will experience higher levels of temporal variability in terms of taxonomic and trait compositions under future climatic change scenarios, even in sites that will remain perennial, resulting in higher levels of taxonomic and functional diversity. This lack of temporal stability in least-disturbed situations should be taken into account when developing bioassessment tools based on reference conditions.
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Biodiversidad , Cambio Climático , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Invertebrados/clasificación , Ríos , Animales , Región Mediterránea , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
CONTEXT: Multiple stressors constitute a serious threat to aquatic ecosystems, particularly in the Mediterranean region where water scarcity is likely to interact with other anthropogenic stressors. Biological traits potentially allow the unravelling of the effects of multiple stressors. However, thus far, trait-based approaches have failed to fully deliver on their promise and still lack strong predictive power when multiple stressors are present. GOAL: We aimed to quantify specific community tolerances against six anthropogenic stressors and investigate the responses of the underlying macroinvertebrate biological traits and their combinations. METHODS: We built and calibrated boosted regression tree models to predict community tolerances using multiple biological traits with a priori hypotheses regarding their individual responses to specific stressors. We analysed the combinations of traits underlying community tolerance and the effect of trait association on this tolerance. RESULTS: Our results validated the following three hypotheses: (i) the community tolerance models efficiently and robustly related trait combinations to stressor intensities and, to a lesser extent, to stressors related to the presence of dams and insecticides; (ii) the effects of traits on community tolerance not only depended on trait identity but also on the trait associations emerging at the community level from the co-occurrence of different traits in species; and (iii) the community tolerances and the underlying trait combinations were specific to the different stressors. CONCLUSION: This study takes a further step towards predictive tools in community ecology that consider combinations and associations of traits as the basis of stressor tolerance. Additionally, the community tolerance concept has potential application to help stream managers in the decision process regarding management options.