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Data from: Leaf metabolic traits reveal hidden dimensions of plant form and function

In this study, we interpreted leaf metabolome variation among 457 tropical and 339 temperate plant species to understand how the metabolome contributes to macroecological variation in plant functioning. Metabolome data were generated using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, annotated with compound names (where possible), and cross-referenced against chemoinformatics databases to derive metabolite chemical properties. We then compared variation in leaf metabolite chemical properties among species with variation in classical plant functional traits.

FIG. 4 in Lichen community assemblages and functional traits as indicators of vegetation types in central Mexico, based on herbarium specimens

FIG. 4. — Community weighted mean proportions of functional traits for each vegetation type: A, growth forms; B, substrate; C, reproductive structure types; D, photobionts.

FIG. 3 in Lichen community assemblages and functional traits as indicators of vegetation types in central Mexico, based on herbarium specimens

FIG. 3. — Ordination and clustering of lichen communities from the different vegetation types: A, non-parametric multidimensional scaling (NDMS); B, cluster analysis dendrogram. The sites Cerro el Capulín and Cerro Juan el Grande show different affinities in both analyses (part of the xerophytic shrubland in the NDMS, but more similar to the Quercus L. forest in the dendrogram, labeled as the Xerophytic-Quercus group in the latter).

FIG. 5 in Lichen community assemblages and functional traits as indicators of vegetation types in central Mexico, based on herbarium specimens

FIG. 5. — Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling analysis of lichen community functional traits and environmental variables in three vegetation types. * (p <0.05) and ** (p <0.005) represent the significance of functional traits related to the Xerophytic shrubland (X), Subtropical shrubland (S), and Quercus L. forest (Q).

FIG. 1 in Lichen community assemblages and functional traits as indicators of vegetation types in central Mexico, based on herbarium specimens

FIG. 1. — Amplitude and mean values of alpha diversity (species richness) per vegetation type. Symbols: black dot, outlier; white dots, mean values.

FIG. 6 in Lichen community assemblages and functional traits as indicators of vegetation types in central Mexico, based on herbarium specimens

FIG. 6. — Correlation of lichen community functional traits and environmental variables in three vegetation types.

FIG. 2 in Lichen community assemblages and functional traits as indicators of vegetation types in central Mexico, based on herbarium specimens

FIG. 2. — Beta diversity and shared species per vegetation type: A, pairwise comparisons of the different elements of beta diversity (Xerophytic, xerophytic shrubland; Quercus, Quercus forest; Subtropical, subtropical shrubland); B, Venn diagram showing exclusive and shared species among the vegetation types included in this study.

opencc-by-3.0-usAug 2023View details →

Foliar functional trait maps for six sites along the Western Ghats of India

Maps of seven key foliar functional traits for six sites along the Western Ghats of India, derived using field-sampled data and hyperspectral images acquired by NASA's Airborne Visible/ Infrared Imaging Spectrometer-Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG). Traits in this dataset include:  Leaf mass per area (LMA) in g/m2, foliar nitrogen in % dry mass (%dm), foliar fiber (%dm), foliar lignin (%dm), foliar sugars (%dm), foliar calcium (%dm), and total phenolics (%dm).

opencc-zeroAug 2023View details →

Geology constrains biomineralization expression and functional trait distribution in the Mountainsnails (Oreohelix)

Aim: Geographic variation in metabolic resources necessary for functional trait expression can set limits on species distributions. For species that need to produce and maintain biomineralized traits for survival, spatial variation in mineral macronutrients may constrain species' distributions by limiting the expression of biomineralized traits. Here, we examine whether threatened, heavily biomineralized Oreohelix land snails are restricted to CaCO3 rock regions, if they incorporate greater amounts of CaCO3 rock carbon in their shell than less biomineralized smooth forms, and if ornamentation increases shell strength. Location: Western United States Methods: We used random forest (RF) classification models at multiple spatial resolutions to evaluate the contribution of topographic, vegetation, climate, and geologic variables in predicting the presence of heavily biomineralized shell ornaments. We then measured and compared shell biometric variables, 14C/12C ratios, and peak force for fracture for ornamented and smooth forms from calcareous and non-calcareous substrates. Results: Distance to CaCO3 rock was the most important variable in all trait distribution models and was highly associated with local ornamentation classification and forecasted distribution. Pairwise comparisons of 14C/12C ratios in closely occurring ornamented vs. smooth population pairs revealed ornamented forms incorporate greater CaCO3 rock carbon than smooth forms. Ornamented types measured in this study were generally heavier and required greater peak force for fracture than smooth snails, except when compared to smooth forms sampled from CaCO3 rock. Main conclusions: Biomineralization expression, species distribution, and trait function appear to be constrained by mineral supply in a highly diverse group of land snails. This trait-environment relationship suggests similar CaCO3 macronutrient constraints may modulate biomineralization expression and restrict species distribution in other terrestrial molluscs and has a direct impact on the management of Oreohelix species.

opencc-zeroDec 2022View details →

Data from: Environmental modulation of plant mycorrhizal traits in the global flora

Mycorrhizal symbioses are known to strongly influence plant performance, structure plant communities and shape ecosystem dynamics. Plant mycorrhizal traits, such as those characterizing mycorrhizal type (arbuscular (AM), ecto-, ericoid, or orchid mycorrhiza) and status (obligately (OM), facultatively (FM), or non-mycorrhizal) offer valuable insight into plant belowground functionality. Here, we compile available plant mycorrhizal trait information and global occurrence data (~100 million records) for 11,770 vascular plant species. Using a plant phylogenetic mega-tree and high-resolution climatic and edaphic data layers, we assess phylogenetic and environmental correlates of plant mycorrhizal traits. We find that plant mycorrhizal type is more phylogenetically conserved than plant mycorrhizal status, while environmental variables (both climatic and edaphic; notably soil texture) explain more variation in mycorrhizal status, especially FM. The previously underestimated role of environmental conditions has far-reaching implications for our understanding of ecosystem functioning under changing climatic and soil conditions.

Functional traits of young seedlings predict trade-offs in seedling performance in three neotropical forests

<ol> <li>Understanding the mechanisms that promote the coexistence of hundreds of species over small areas in tropical forest remains a challenge. Many tropical tree species are presumed to be functionally equivalent shade-tolerant species that differ in performance trade-offs between survival in shade and the ability to quickly grow in sunlight.</li> <li>Variation in plant functional traits related to resource acquisition is thought to predict variation in performance among species, perhaps explaining community assembly across habitats with gradients in resource availability. Many studies have found low predictive power, however, when linking trait measurements to species demographic rates.</li> <li>Seedlings face different challenges recruiting on the forest floor and may exhibit different traits and/or performance trade-offs than older individuals face in the eventual adult niche. Seed mass is the typical proxy for seedling success, but species also differ in cotyledon strategy (reserve vs photosynthetic) or other seedling traits. These can cause species with the same average seed mass to have divergent performance in the same habitat.</li> <li>We combined long-term studies of seedling dynamics with functional trait data collected at a standard developmental stage in three diverse neotropical forests to ask whether variation in coordinated suites of traits predicts variation among species in demographic performance.</li> <li>Across hundreds of species in Ecuador, Panama, and Puerto Rico, we found seedlings displayed correlated suites of leaf, stem, and root traits, which strongly correlated with seed mass and cotyledon strategy. Variation among species in seedling functional traits, seed mass, and cotyledon strategy were strong predictors of trade-offs in seedling growth and survival.</li> <li>Our findings highlight the importance of cotyledon strategy in addition to seed mass as a key component of seed and seedling biology. These results also underscore the importance of matching the ontogenetic stage of the trait measurement to the stage of demographic dynamics.</li> <li> Synthesis: With strikingly consistent patterns across three tropical forests, we find strong evidence for the promise of functional traits to provide mechanistic links between seedling form and demographic performance. </li> </ol>

Data from: The sequential direct and indirect effects of mountain uplift, climatic niche and floral trait evolution on diversification dynamics in an Andean plant clade

Why and how organismal lineages radiate is commonly studied through either assessing abiotic factors (biogeography, geomorphological processes, climate) or biotic factors (traits, interactions). Despite increasing awareness that both abiotic and biotic processes may have important joint effects on diversification dynamics, few attempts have been made to quantify the relative importance and timing of these factors, and their potentially interlinked direct and indirect effects, on lineage diversification. We here combine assessments of historical biogeography, geomorphology, climatic niche, vegetative and floral trait evolution to test whether these factors jointly, or in isolation, explain diversification dynamics of a Neotropical plant clade (Merianieae, Melastomataceae). After estimating ancestral areas and disparification over time in climate and trait space, we employ Phylogenetic Path Analyses as a synthesis tool to test eleven hypotheses on the individual direct and indirect effects of these factors on diversification rates. We find strongest support for interlinked effects of colonization of the uplifting Andes during the mid-Miocene and rapid abiotic climatic niche evolution in explaining a burst in diversification rate in Merianieae. Within Andean habitats, later disparification in floral trait space allowed for the exploitation of wider pollination niches (i.e., shifts from bee to vertebrate pollinators), but did not affect diversification rates. Our approach of including both vegetative and floral trait evolution, rare in assessments of plant diversification in general, highlights important pre-adaptations to mountain colonization, specifically woody habit and larger flowers. Overall, and in concert with the idea that ecological opportunity is a key element of evolutionary radiations, our results suggest that a combination of rapid niche evolution and pre-adapted traits were critical for the exploitation of newly available niche space in the Andes in the mid-Miocene. Further, our results emphasize the importance of incorporating both abiotic and biotic factors into the same analytical framework if we aim to quantify the relative and interlinked effects of these processes on diversification.

Data from: Species-specific ecological traits, phylogeny, and geography underpin vulnerability to population declines for North American birds

Species declines and extinctions characterize the Anthropocene. Determining species vulnerability to decline, and where and how to mitigate threats, are paramount for effective conservation. We hypothesized that species with shared ecological traits also share threats, and therefore may experience similar population trends. Here, we used a Bayesian modeling framework to test whether phylogeny, geography, and 22 ecological traits predict regional population trends for 380 North American bird species. Groups like blackbirds, warblers, and shorebirds, as well as species occupying Bird Conservation Regions at more extreme latitudes in North America, exhibited negative population trends, while groups such as ducks, raptors, and waders, as well as species occupying more inland Bird Conservation Regions, exhibited positive trends. Specifically, we found that in addition to phylogeny and breeding geography, multiple ecological traits contributed to explaining variation in regional population trends for North American birds. Furthermore, we found that regional trends and the relative effects of migration distance, phylogeny, and geography differ between shorebirds, songbirds, and waterbirds. Our work provides evidence that multiple ecological traits correlate with North American bird population trends, but that the individual effects of these ecological traits in predicting population trends often vary between different groups of birds. Moreover, our results reinforce the notion that variation in avian population trends is controlled by more than phylogeny and geography, where closely-related species within one region can show unique population trends due to differences in their ecological traits. We recommend that regional conservation plans, i.e. one-size-fits-all plans, be implemented only for bird groups with population trends under strong phylogenetic or geographic controls. We underscore the need to develop species-specific research and management strategies for other groups, like songbirds, that exhibit high variation in their population trends and are influenced by multiple ecological traits.

opencc-by-4.0Sep 2023View details →

Data from: Alternative measures of trait-niche relationships: a test on dispersal traits in saproxylic beetles (Ecology and Evolution)

Data from: Alternative measures of trait-niche relationships: a test on dispersal traits in saproxylic beetles (Ecology and Evolution) DATA DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8322080 Associated article DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10588 Ryan C. Burner, Jorg Stephan, Juha Siitonen, Tord Snall, et al. 2023 ryan.c.burner@gmail.com This data release contains data files needed to run the Hmsc models described in the associated publication. It is a subset of the complete beetle capture and environmental covariate dataset maintained by Juha Siitonen (see associated manuscript for references to prior publications). It contains the following four files: 1) Species_detections.csv This site_year x species table has detection/non-detection (1/0) values for each species at each site_year. Beetles were trapped at about 142 sites in Finland forests. Includes only beetle species (n = 212) which are considered saproxylic and which were detected at >=5 sites in the dataset, and for which trait information was available. Species names are as originally identified in the source dataset (see early publications by Juha Siitonen). Row names ('Row_ID'), which consist of [site]_[year], correspond to 'Row_ID' in the 'Site_covariates.csv' file. Species (column) names correspond to species row naes in 'Species_traits.csv' 2) Site_covariates.csv This table has one row for each 'Row_ID' (n = 142) corresponding to rows in 'Species_data.csv'. Covariate columns have been scaled and centered for modeling. Columns are as follows: rowID - [site]_[year] of sampling Year - year of sampling Site - site name/number climID - unique ID for each grid cell from which climate data were extracted lat_WGS84 - latitude (WGS84) lon_WGS84 - longitude (WGS84) VD10 - scaled and centered total pooled volume of local standing and fallen dead trees (originally in m3/ha, before scaling) with a minimum diameter of 10 cm, estimated using transects agedomin - scaled and centered mean age of the five oldest trees in the stand OldFor_1km - scaled and centered volume of living wood in those forests older than 100 years within a one km radius around each site MeanTemp - scaled and centered mean temperature during the trapping period, from mean of all ERA5 hourly estimates of 2m temperature (see manuscript for details) TotalPrecip - scaled and centered total precipitation during the trapping period, from ERA5 summed across all hourly estimates of total precipitation (see manuscript for details) globRad_WHm2 - scaled and centered total solar radiation during the trapping period, summed across all daily values, based on site slope and aspect, calculated using GIS (see manuscript for details). Units were Wh/m2 prior to scaling and centering. log_Nr_traps - scaled and centered log-transformed number of traps used at each capture site  3) Species_traits.csv Trait data, based on trait values in Hagge et al. (2021 - see manuscript for full reference), for beetle species included in model (see species data information, above). In some cases traits are from synonyms used in Hagge that differ from taxonomy of this dataset. Traits have been scaled and centered. Row names are species names that match columns in 'Species_detections.csv'. Columns as follows: wing_length - scaled and centered (log(wing length divided by body length)) wing_load - scaled and centered (log(mass / wing area / body length)) wing_aspect - scaled and centered (log(wing aspect ratio) 4) Phylotree.csv A phylogenetic tree for the species in this dataset, written in the Newick (also known as New Hampshire) format. The tree is based on the species-level insect tree in Chesters et al. (2017) (see manuscript for full citation) but has missing species added randomly to the correct genus (when present) or family or (occassionally) order.

Aggregation of symbionts on hosts depends on interaction type and host traits

Symbionts tend to be aggregated on their hosts, such that few hosts harbor the majority of symbionts. This ubiquitous pattern can result from stochastic processes, but aggregation patterns may also depend on the type of host-symbiont interaction, plus traits that affect host exposure and susceptibility to symbionts. Untangling how aggregation patterns both within and among populations depend on stochastic processes, interaction type and host traits remains an outstanding challenge. Here, we address this challenge by using null models to compare aggregation patterns in a neutral system of Balanomorpha barnacles attached to patellid limpets and a host-parasite system of Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and their Gyrodactylus spp. monogeneans. We first used a model to predict patterns of symbiont-host aggregation due to random partitioning of symbionts to hosts. This null model accurately predicted the aggregation of barnacles on limpets, but the degree of aggregation varied across 303 quadrats. Quadrats with larger limpets had less aggregated barnacles, whereas aggregation increased with variation in limpet size. Across 84 guppy populations, Gyrodactylus spp. parasites were significantly less aggregated than predicted by the null model. As in the neutral limpet-barnacle system, aggregation decreased with mean host size. Parasites were also significantly less aggregated on males than females because male guppies tended to have higher prevalence and lower parasite burdens than predicted by the null model. Together, these results suggest stochastic processes can explain aggregation patterns in neutral but not parasitic systems, though in both systems host traits affect aggregation patterns. Because the distribution of symbionts on hosts can affect symbiont evolution via intraspecific interactions, and reciprocally host behavior and evolution via host-symbiont interactions, identifying the drivers of aggregation enriches our understanding of host-symbiont interactions.

figure 3 in EFfects of background color on pigmentation, morphological traits, and behavior in the European tree frog (Hyla arborea, Hylidae, Anura) tadpoles

figure 3 Variation in body pigmentation between different background coloration treatments during ethe xperimental time in H. arborea tadpoles. dl – dark-light treatment; d – dark treatment; dd – darkdark treatment; ld – light-dark treatment; l – light treatment; ll – light-light treatment

figure 4 in EFfects of background color on pigmentation, morphological traits, and behavior in the European tree frog (Hyla arborea, Hylidae, Anura) tadpoles

figure 4 The tadpole body coloration by treatment: day 0 – the start of the experiment, average pigmentation 69% of dark pixels, no treatment groups; day 20 of the experiment (day 20) – two treatment groups, Dark and Light, average pigmentation d – 93% and l – 62% of dark pixels; day 36 – the end of the experiment (day 36) – four treatments, dd – dark-dark treatment, ld – light-dark treatment, dl – dark-light treatment, ll – light-light treatment, average pigmentation dd – 90%, dl – 60%, ld – 91%, ll – 70% of dark pixels.

figure 1 in EFfects of background color on pigmentation, morphological traits, and behavior in the European tree frog (Hyla arborea, Hylidae, Anura) tadpoles

figure 1 Experimental design of the study. n – sample size; gs – developmental stage by Gosner, 1960

figure 6 in EFfects of background color on pigmentation, morphological traits, and behavior in the European tree frog (Hyla arborea, Hylidae, Anura) tadpoles

figure 6 Mean body shape of each treatment in two time points (after 20 days of the experiment – two treatments, and after 36 days/at the end of the experiment – four treatments) visualized in the canonical variate space (cv1 vs. cv 2). 20 d – dark treatment after 20 days; 20 l – light treatment after 20 days; 36 dd – dark-dark treatment after 36 days; 36 dl – dark-light treatment after 36 days; 36 ll – light-light treatment after 36 days; 36 ld – light-dark treatment after 36 days.

figure 8 in EFfects of background color on pigmentation, morphological traits, and behavior in the European tree frog (Hyla arborea, Hylidae, Anura) tadpoles

figure 8 How many times on average (with standard error) H. arborea tadpoles from different treatments were detected in the dark background: without predator chemical cues (black bars), with predator chemical cues (grey bars). dl – dark-light treatment; dd – dark-dark treatment; ld – light-dark treatment; ll – light-light treatment.