How functional is functional?Ecological groupings in terrestrial animal ecology - towards an animal functional type approach
- Understanding mechanisms to predict changes in plant and animal communities is a key challenge in ecology. The need to transfer knowledge gained from single species to a more generalized approach has led to the development of categorization systems where species' similarities in life strategies and traits are classified into ecological groups (EGs) like functional groups/types or guilds. While approaches in plant ecology undergo a steady improvement and refinement of methodologies, progression in animal ecology is lagging behind. With this review, we aim to initiate a further development of functional classification systems in animal ecology, comparable to recent developments in plant ecology. We here (i) give an overview of terms and definitions of EGs in animal ecology, (ii) discuss existing classification systems, methods and application areas of EGs (focusing on terrestrial vertebrates), and (iii) provide a "roadmap towards an animal functional type approach" for improving the application of EGs and classifications in animalUnderstanding mechanisms to predict changes in plant and animal communities is a key challenge in ecology. The need to transfer knowledge gained from single species to a more generalized approach has led to the development of categorization systems where species' similarities in life strategies and traits are classified into ecological groups (EGs) like functional groups/types or guilds. While approaches in plant ecology undergo a steady improvement and refinement of methodologies, progression in animal ecology is lagging behind. With this review, we aim to initiate a further development of functional classification systems in animal ecology, comparable to recent developments in plant ecology. We here (i) give an overview of terms and definitions of EGs in animal ecology, (ii) discuss existing classification systems, methods and application areas of EGs (focusing on terrestrial vertebrates), and (iii) provide a "roadmap towards an animal functional type approach" for improving the application of EGs and classifications in animal ecology. We found that an animal functional type approach requires: (i) the identification of core traits describing species' dependency on their habitat and life history traits, (ii) an optimization of trait selection by clustering traits into hierarchies, (iii) the assessment of "soft traits" as substitute for hardly measurable traits, e.g. body size for dispersal ability, and (iv) testing of delineated groups for validation including experiments.…
Verfasserangaben: | Niels BlaumORCiDGND, Eva Mosner, Monika Schwager, Florian JeltschORCiDGND |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-011-9995-1 |
ISSN: | 0960-3115 |
Titel des übergeordneten Werks (Englisch): | Biodiversity and conservation |
Verlag: | Springer |
Verlagsort: | Dordrecht |
Publikationstyp: | Rezension |
Sprache: | Englisch |
Jahr der Erstveröffentlichung: | 2011 |
Erscheinungsjahr: | 2011 |
Datum der Freischaltung: | 26.03.2017 |
Freies Schlagwort / Tag: | Ecological classification; Effect group; Environmental relationships; Functional trait; Functional type; Guild; Response group; Trait selection |
Band: | 20 |
Ausgabe: | 11 |
Seitenanzahl: | 13 |
Erste Seite: | 2333 |
Letzte Seite: | 2345 |
Fördernde Institution: | German Ministry of Education and Research in the framework of BIOTA Southern Africa [01LC0624I] |
Organisationseinheiten: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Biochemie und Biologie |
Peer Review: | Referiert |