@article{WrightAmesMitchelll2016,
  author    = {Wright, Justin P. and Ames, Gregory M. and Mitchelll, Rachel M.},
  title     = {The more things change, the more they stay the same? When is trait variability important for stability of ecosystem function in a changing environment},
  series = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London : B, Biological sciences},
  volume    = {371},
  journal   = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London : B, Biological sciences},
  publisher = {Royal Society},
  address   = {London},
  issn      = {0962-8436},
  doi       = {10.1098/rstb.2015.0272},
  pages     = {7},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {The importance of intraspecific trait variability for community dynamics and ecosystem functioning has been underappreciated. There are theoretical reasons for predicting that species that differ in intraspecific trait variability will also differ in their effects on ecosystem functioning, particularly in variable environments. We discuss whether species with greater trait variability are likely to exhibit greater temporal stability in their population dynamics, and under which conditions this might lead to stability in ecosystem functioning. Resolving this requires us to consider several questions. First, are species with high levels of variation for one trait equally variable in others? In particular, is variability in response and effects traits typically correlated? Second, what is the relative contribution of local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity to trait variability? If local adaptation dominates, then stability in function requires one of two conditions: (i) individuals of appropriate phenotypes present in the environment at high enough frequencies to allow for populations to respond rapidly to the changing environment, and (ii) high levels of dispersal and gene flow. While we currently lack sufficient information on the causes and distribution of variability in functional traits, filling in these key data gaps should increase our ability to predict how changing biodiversity will alter ecosystem functioning.},
  language  = {en}
}
@misc{KrauseLeRouxNiklausetal.2014,
  author    = {Krause, Sascha and Le Roux, Xavier and Niklaus, Pascal A. and Van Bodegom, Peter M. and Lennon, Jay T. and Bertilsson, Stefan and Grossart, Hans-Peter and Philippot, Laurent and Bodelier, Paul L. E.},
  title     = {Trait-based approaches for understanding microbial biodiversity and ecosystem functioning},
  series = {Frontiers in microbiology},
  volume    = {5},
  journal   = {Frontiers in microbiology},
  publisher = {Frontiers Research Foundation},
  address   = {Lausanne},
  issn      = {1664-302X},
  doi       = {10.3389/fmicb.2014.00251},
  pages     = {10},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {In ecology, biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEE) research has seen a shift in perspective from taxonomy to function in the last two decades, with successful application of trait-based approaches. This shift offers opportunities for a deeper mechanistic understanding of the role of biodiversity in maintaining multiple ecosystem processes and services. In this paper, we highlight studies that have focused on BEE of microbial communities with an emphasis on integrating trait-based approaches to microbial ecology. In doing so, we explore some of the inherent challenges and opportunities of understanding BEE using microbial systems. For example, microbial biologists characterize communities using gene phylogenies that are often unable to resolve functional traits. Additionally, experimental designs of existing microbial BEE studies are often inadequate to unravel BEE relationships. We argue that combining eco-physiological studies with contemporary molecular tools in a trait-based framework can reinforce our ability to link microbial diversity to ecosystem processes. We conclude that such trait-based approaches are a promising framework to increase the understanding of microbial BEE relationships and thus generating systematic principles in microbial ecology and more generally ecology.},
  language  = {en}
}