Search

Different theories have been proposed to explain the phenotypic changes observed in island lineages, but it remains unclear if predictable evolutionary trajectories can be identified within island communities. Using a 3D functional space approach, we tested whether insular endemic species tend to evolve towards apparent holes in niche space (expecting niche filling) or tend to become generalists, that is, moving towards the centre of the functional space (expecting niche expansion). We tested these two hypotheses in 378 insular endemic species from 24 islands of 8 archipelagos, including 177 prehistoric anthropogenically extinct species. Analyses were conducted with and without accounting for species size difference. We found that 57% of island endemic species evolved towards more unoccupied regions of the global morphospace (i.e. more distinct body sizes compared to the ones of their ancestors), suggesting a tendency for niche filling. When adjusted traits for body size, we found that half of the endemic species (50%) showed more distinct trait values than their ancestors. Results also revealed that certain dietary niches (terrestrial herbivores and nectarivores) evolved distinct body sizes more frequently. Differences noted between islands and archipelagos suggest that biogeographic factors may influence evolutionary trajectory and interactions between these two hypotheses. Our study confirms that extinct species occupied specific niches that have been left vacant, suggesting that these evolutionary ‘oddities’ could be more sensitive to extinction. Overall, it calls for a global assessment of the avian functional diversity lost from recent extinctions. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The floodplain lakes of the Amazon constitute one of the most important aquatic systems in terms of fish biodiversity. These ecosystems are influenced by the flood pulse, which in turn, affects the behaviour of fish communities within this lake ecosystem. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the facets of taxonomic and functional diversity may be influenced by the conditions of 'patches' of internal habitats, considering the margins and central environments of a floodplain lake in the Amazon. Lake Cujubim, located on the right bank of the Madeira River, was evaluated via fisheries carried out in the high‐water and low‐water phases, during the day and night, and considering two location strata. The results suggest that the absence of significant differences in alpha taxonomic diversity between the two phases may be a possible seasonal mischaracterisation in Lake Cujubim attributed mainly to dam constructions along the Madeira River. Apparently, no major differences occur in the assembly of fish in terms of their taxonomic and functional characteristics, regardless of luminosity. In the strata of the locations, demonstrates noticeable habitat patches, with the margins being bioregions with high incidences of individuals of the Engraulidae family, confirmed by both taxonomic and functional diversity (alpha and beta). It can be seen that, even in connected lakes, there are differentiated metacommunities between the bioregions, thus forming patches of habitat, and that the shores of the lake, especially those located in proximity or distant from the river, are more suitable areas for food and refuge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shade trees in agroforestry systems confer ecosystem services, such as enhanced soil fertility from diverse litter inputs, microclimate regulation via shade, and disease mitigation through trophic and abiotic interactions. With this thriving role of agroforestry in sustainable agriculture, particularly for tree crops, systematic and reliable methods to select shade trees for specific agroecosystem outcomes are crucial.Plant functional traits offer a framework to describe, select and manage shade trees. Over the last decade, shade tree leaf functional traits and whole plant traits have been assessed in agroforestry systems. Yet, we lack amalgamated information on (i) what we know about shade tree trait relationships with functions to achieve desired agroecosystem outcomes, (ii) how decades of shade tree selection by farmers impacts agroforests inter‐ and intraspecific trait diversity, and (iii) which shade tree traits should be considered for achieving farmer priorities.We consolidate literature on Coffea arabica (coffee) and Theobroma cacao (cocoa) agroforestry systems to summarize the role of shade tree functional traits in three key ecosystem functions: soil fertility, microclimate modification and crop productivity. We compile global and regional datasets on tree functional trait diversity to show the functional space of agroforestry tree species compared with the overall functional space observed in plants.Despite, or maybe because of, high shade tree diversity, shade tree trait characterization remains coarse and commonly measured at the community scale in the literature. Based on published trait data, we show that farmers adjust the functional composition of shade trees to increase the recycling of soil nutrients (high leaf nitrogen), the production of wood (skewing towards lower wood densities) and the production of fruits (tendency towards high seed size). Common shade trees in coffee and cocoa systems fall in the mid‐range of leaf acquisitive to conservative strategies, providing evidence that expanding shade tree portfolios can improve, or even accelerate, functions.Synthesis and applications: Based on the agroforestry literature and on trait‐environment relationships, we propose a matrix of shade tree traits that influence desirable agroecosystem outcomes for farmers, which can guide fine‐scale coordination of trait expression and agroforestry functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islands are biodiversity hotspots that host unique assemblages. However, a substantial proportion of island species are threatened and their long‐term survival is uncertain. Identifying and preserving vulnerable species has become a priority, but it is also essential to combine this information with other facets of biodiversity like functional diversity, to understand how future extinctions might affect ecosystem stability and functioning. Focusing on mammals, we (i) assessed how much functional space would be lost if threatened species go extinct, (ii) determined the minimum number of extinctions that would cause a significant functional loss, (iii) identified the characteristics (e.g., biotic, climatic, geographic, or orographic) of the islands most vulnerable to future changes in the functional space, and (iv) quantified how much of that potential functional loss would be offset by introduced species. Using trait information for 1474 mammal species occurring in 318 islands worldwide, we built trait probability density functions to quantify changes in functional richness and functional redundancy in each island if the mammals categorized by IUCN as threatened disappeared. We found that the extinction of threatened mammals would reduce the functional space in 63% of the assessed islands, although these extinctions in general would cause a reduction of less than 15% of their overall functional space. Also, on most islands, the extinction of just a few species would be sufficient to cause a significant loss of functional diversity. The potential functional loss would be higher on small, isolated, and/or species‐rich islands, and, in general, the functional space lost would not be offset by introduced species. Our results show that the preservation of native species and their ecological roles remains crucial for maintaining the current functioning of island ecosystems. Therefore, conservation measures considering functional diversity are imperative to safeguard the unique functional roles of threatened mammal species on islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Microbial life forms are among the most ubiquitous on Earth, yet many remain understudied in Caribbean estuaries. We report on the prokaryote community composition of the Urabá Estuary in the Colombian Caribbean using 16S rRNA gene-transcript sequencing. We also assessed potential functional diversity through 38 metabolic traits inferred from 16S rRNA gene data. Water samples were collected from six sampling stations at two depths with contrasting light-penetration conditions along an approximately 100 km transect in the Gulf of Urabá in December 2019. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis grouped the samples into two distinct clusters along the transect and between depths. The primary variables influencing the prokaryote community composition were the sampling station, depth, salinity, and dissolved oxygen levels. Twenty percent of genera (i.e., 58 out 285) account for 95% of the differences between groups along the transect and among depths. All of the 38 metabolic traits studied showed some significant relationship with the tested environmental variables, especially salinity and except with temperature. Another non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis, based on community-weighted mean of traits, also grouped the samples in two clusters along the transect and over depth. Biodiversity facets, such as richness, evenness, and redundancy, indicated that environmental variations—stemming from river discharges—introduce an imbalance in functional diversity between surface prokaryote communities closer to the estuary’s head and bottom communities closer to the ocean. Our research broadens the use of 16S rRNA gene transcripts beyond mere taxonomic assignments, furthering the field of trait-based prokaryote community ecology in transitional aquatic ecosystems.IMPORTANCEThe resilience of a dynamic ecosystem is directly tied to the ability of its microbes to navigate environmental gradients. This study delves into the changes in prokaryote community composition and functional diversity within the Urabá Estuary (Colombian Caribbean) for the first time. We integrate data from 16S rRNA gene transcripts (taxonomic and functional) with environmental variability to gain an understanding of this under-researched ecosystem using a multi-faceted macroecological framework. We found that significant shifts in prokaryote composition and in primary changes in functional diversity were influenced by physical-chemical fluctuations across the estuary’s environmental gradient. Furthermore, we identified a potential disparity in functional diversity. Near-surface communities closer to the estuary’s head exhibited differences compared to deeper communities situated farther away. Our research serves as a roadmap for posing new inquiries about the potential functional diversity of prokaryote communities in highly dynamic ecosystems, pushing forward the domain of multi-trait-based prokaryote community ecology.

Question: Remote sensing is a fundamental tool to monitor biodiversity and spectral diversity may represent a proxy for different biodiversity facets such as taxonomic (TD) and functional diversity (FD). We used fine‐resolution multispectral imagery to explore spectral diversity (SD) patterns across spatial scales (i.e., plot, transect, area), and assess SD relationships with TD and FD along an environmental gradient. Location: Coastal sand dune, Viareggio, Italy ("Migliarino–San Rossore–Massaciuccoli" Regional Park, 43°83′ N, 10°25′ E). Methods: We measured TD as species richness, while SD and FD were computed using probability density functions based on pixel and species position in multivariate spaces. We compared SD and FD patterns in space occupation, and we tested whether these patterns are coordinated along the sea–inland gradient. We also assessed univariate relationships between SD and biodiversity facets, and we tested how these facets were partitioned across scales. Results: We found a strong correspondence between functional and spectral patterns in space occupation and along the environmental gradient, with a lack of significance when considering TD. However, TD and SD showed higher variation at broader scale while most FD variation occurred at plot level. Conclusion: By measuring FD and SD with a common methodological framework, we demonstrate that SD approximates functional patterns in plant communities. Moreover, we show that SD retrieved using high‐resolution images can capture different aspects of FD, and that the occupation of the spectral space is analogous to the occupation of the functional space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reef fisheries are multispecific and employ a variety of fishing gears across marine environments, even in remote areas. This intricate and multifaceted nature of reef fisheries is often overlooked in management strategies, leading to global management failures. In Brazil, information about reef fisheries is often scarce and scattered. This stems from inadequate policies and an unrecognized societal value of reef fisheries. Here, we combine nationwide reef fish landing data (1950–2015) with an extensive literature review on Brazilian reef fisheries. We explore temporal and spatial patterns in total landings, species traits, functional diversity and composition to understand the current scenario, identify drivers of change and highlight information gaps. Brazilian reef fisheries rapidly increased in landing volume, number of targeted species and exploited traits in the 1980's, despite mainly targeting carnivorous fish (groupers, snappers, jacks and trevallies). Exploited functional space increased over time, mainly due to the incorporation of smaller and lower-trophic level species that gradually were added to the pool of fished species. Local and international markets have been the main drivers behind these patterns, while subsistence fishing is marginal. Lack of proper management and enforcement of existing regulations have led to population declines, dwindling total catches since the early 2000's, and numerous threatened species. Artisanal fishing accounts for the majority of catches, raising concern on the social impacts of degraded reef fisheries. We highlight the urgent need for adequate fishing statistics, and the use/application of science-based management and policy actions to secure productive fisheries and healthy reef ecosystems in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unraveling the spatial distribution and the factors that modulate biodiversity can help us better understand community dynamics and ecosystem functioning. Here, we tested the hypothesis that taxonomic diversity (TD), functional diversity (FD), and phylogenetic diversity (PD) follow a latitudinal trend driven by environmental factors, and investigated the associations among these metrics in mangrove crabs (11 species in the Ocypodidae family) of the Southwestern Atlantic (7,000 km along the Brazilian coast). Based on occurrence data, species traits, and phylogenetic information, we calculated diversity indices (TD, FD and PD) for 3° grid cells (latitude/longitude, approx. 333 km edge length) along the coast of Brazil. We built models to investigate whether latitude and nine environmental factors influence taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic indices of mangrove crabs in the Southwestern Atlantic. We also investigated the correlation among diversity indices TD × FD × PD. We observed a congruence in the latitudinal patterns of TD, FD, and PD of mangrove crabs along the Southwestern Atlantic. Specifically, we observed that all indices have higher values at intermediate latitudes, which are congruent to habitat transition zones along the Southwestern Atlantic coast. Our results also showed that air temperature, chlorophyll, and nitrate concentration are the main environmental factors that influence taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of mangrove crabs in this region. When analyzing the correlation between indices, our results suggest that targeting conservation efforts towards one specific diversity component can lead to preserving other types of diversity, at least considering our system and the set of species analyzed. This study highlights the usage of multiple metrics to unveil large-scale biodiversity patterns in one of the most abundant groups in mangrove forests, the crabs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seasonal inundation of the floodplains of the Amazonian rivers is a natural and strong environmental filter for biota. Its effects on the taxonomic and functional attributes of assemblages, however, remain poorly understood. We investigated the taxonomic and trait diversity of understorey bird assemblages on fluvial islands subject to dramatic seasonal flooding in the Amazon. Birds were captured using mist-nets on ten fluvial islands and at 17 sites in unflooded terra firme forests. We captured 1552 individuals of 116 bird species in 4144 net-hours. Average capture rates were similar between the forest types, but species diversity was higher in terra firme forests. The bird assemblages of the islands showed higher species dominance, with only three species accounting for 47% of the individuals captured. Functional space was occupied similarly in both bird assemblages, as indicated by functional dispersion indices (Fdis). In contrast, functional evenness (Feve) was lower in the river island assemblages indicating that the dominant species share similar traits. Functional divergence indices (Fdiv) showed substantial niche differentiation between the bird assemblages of the two forest types. Low inter-annual variability in avian taxonomic and trait diversity was observed in river islands, probably associated with the predictability of the flooding regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Deforestation is a widespread disturbance for neotropical freshwater ecosystems. While biodiversity declines have been associated with deforestation, its functional consequences for stream and river fish faunas remain poorly understood. In this study, we explored how deforestation affects the different facets of the functional structure of fish communities inventoried using environmental DNA metabarcoding in 64 river and 35 stream sites of French Guiana. Specifically, we investigated how functional richness, divergence, evenness and identity of fish faunas are affected by deforestation. Results We showed that anthropogenic disturbances in French Guiana are modifying the functional diversity of freshwater fish communities. These disturbances not only affected the amount of functional traits held by the communities but also the identity of the traits and the internal structure of the functional space. Consequently, different facets of the functional diversity supported by fish assemblages were altered. In streams, deforestation did not affect the overall diversity of traits but reduced functional redundancy, underlined by a shift in functional identity towards assemblages dominated by pelagic detritivores. In contrast, river fish faunas experienced a decline in functional richness, paired with shifts in functional identity and a loss of fish species with extreme functions. Conclusions The response to deforestation differed between streams and rivers, but it supports the hypothesis that deforestation is linked to functional changes in fish assemblages. By diminishing the range of the functions in rivers or by jeopardizing the redundancy of functions in streams, deforestation could severely hamper the functioning and stability of neotropical freshwater ecosystems.

Background: Deforestation is a widespread disturbance for neotropical freshwater ecosystems. While biodiversity declines have been associated with deforestation, its functional consequences for stream and river fish faunas remain poorly understood. In this study, we explored how deforestation affects the different facets of the functional structure of fish communities inventoried using environmental DNA metabarcoding in 64 river and 35 stream sites of French Guiana. Specifically, we investigated how functional richness, divergence, evenness and identity of fish faunas are affected by deforestation. Results: We showed that anthropogenic disturbances in French Guiana are modifying the functional diversity of freshwater fish communities. These disturbances not only affected the amount of functional traits held by the communities but also the identity of the traits and the internal structure of the functional space. Consequently, different facets of the functional diversity supported by fish assemblages were altered. In streams, deforestation did not affect the overall diversity of traits but reduced functional redundancy, underlined by a shift in functional identity towards assemblages dominated by pelagic detritivores. In contrast, river fish faunas experienced a decline in functional richness, paired with shifts in functional identity and a loss of fish species with extreme functions. Conclusions: The response to deforestation differed between streams and rivers, but it supports the hypothesis that deforestation is linked to functional changes in fish assemblages. By diminishing the range of the functions in rivers or by jeopardizing the redundancy of functions in streams, deforestation could severely hamper the functioning and stability of neotropical freshwater ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Question: Predicting the functional response of vegetation to environmental variations remains highly challenging. A first reason is that trait–environment relationships result from joint intraspecific and interspecific responses. A second reason is that most plant communities host sets of species that are expected to display different environmental responses according to their ecophysiological strategies. Location: Mediterranean rangeland, Larzac Plateau, France ("La Fage" INRAE experimental station: 43°55′ N, 3°05′ E). Methods: In a Mediterranean rangeland, we tested whether changes in trait values in response to management intensification (increased resource availability and grazing intensity) differ between annuals and perennials that coexist locally. To capture the multiple facets of plant phenotypes, we studied nine traits related to carbon acquisition and conservation, plant size, water‐use efficiency, phenology and reproduction. Results: For most traits, we evidenced a significant interaction between environment and life history. In particular, changes in trait values were higher in perennials for leaf traits related to tissue density and growth. These differences were explained by: (a) a lower species turnover in annuals, and (b) the presence of species with more distinct trait values across environments in perennials. For most traits, these changes were not accompanied by differential intraspecific variations between annuals and perennials, which invalidates previous theoretical predictions. In addition, the contribution of intraspecific trait variation to among‐communities trait variance was higher for annuals than perennials for most traits. Conclusion: Altogether, our findings highlight that changes in trait values with the environment can depend on functional groups (here, life history), which can further critically impact the assessment of the functional response of communities. They challenge the mean field approaches to communities in which trait aggregation is most often blindly applied, without considering potential different trajectories in response to environmental changes at various nested organizational levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleation has been introduced as a promising method for ecological restoration and represents an efficient, as well as economical, alternative to existing methods of restoration to accelerate secondary succession in degraded sites. In this study, we evaluated ecological indicators of taxonomic diversity and functional diversity of planted trees and subsequent natural regeneration individuals to verify the success of restoration in three sites (Caçapava do Sul, Minas do Leão, and Pantano Grande) with applied nucleation carried out seven years ago in Rio Grande do Sul State, in south of Brazil. All shrub and tree regenerating or planted individuals with a height greater than 30 cm were counted, identified, and measured in 5 m × 5 m plots, totaling 575 m2 evaluated in each site. The results show that richness of regenerating species was similar in each site, but the richness of planted species was lower in Minas do Leão, intermediate in Caçapava do Sul, and higher in Pantano Grande. We verify a difference in the floristic composition of planted and regenerating species. The functional diversity indices were similar between planted and regenerating, with the exception of functional dispersion, although Minas do Leão presents low functional richness (0.13). This indicates that even with lower species richness and lower functional richness in planting does not imply lower species richness and lower functional richness of regenerants. Applied nucleation can be an efficient method for ecological restoration and favors the micro-habitat alteration and the return of propagules, even with lower initial richness of planted species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological impacts of invasive alien species (IAS) are increasingly documented; however, they are usually studied through the lens of either the IAS or the affected species (IAS-threatened species). A clear understanding of how both protagonists of biological invasions are characterized is still lacking. We investigated the morphology, life history and ecology of birds involved in biological invasions. Evaluating the distribution of 450 IAS-threatened birds and 400 alien birds in a functional space, we found that both groups retained various strategies. Aliens had larger clutches and were more likely to be herbivores than IAS-threatened and worldwide birds, while IAS-threatened birds were more insular endemic from the Australia region than alien and worldwide birds. IAS-threatened species showed opposite strategies to aliens regarding traits related to diet, origin and reproduction. Further comparing traits associated with impact magnitude, we found that even if aliens were mostly herbivorous, those with high impact had more a generalist behaviour and an animal-based diet compared to aliens with low impact. By emphasizing differences relating to the distribution of bird groups in a functional space, we opened new opportunities to identify the role of birds in biological invasions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging of the population is accelerating. In China, the relationship between the differences in aged care and medical resources is being explored, but there is a lack of research on the aged care and medical needs of older people in the community and the functional space of aged care institutions. In this paper, questionnaires, interviews and observations were conducted with older adults over 60 years of age in a small urban community. Statistical methods were used to analyze their real needs in terms of living and health requirements. The results showed that 1) The number of members in the whole family was significantly associated with the choice of home care model. 2) There was a high demand for day care, emergency stations and home services among the seniors in the community. 3) Watching television, drinking tea, and growing vegetables and flowers were the most popular activities among the seniors. 4) There was a high demand for nursing services, medical services and medical equipment among the seniors in the community. Conclusion. Family service station, ornamental room, tea room, vegetable garden and healthy green environment should be the most basic functional spaces. Professional medical places for the seniors should be provided in the community.

Human interaction with indoor objects constantly changes indoor space and its navigability. Spatial subdivision models that delineate navigable space become a crucial prerequisite for indoor navigation. However, existing spatial subdivision models do not fully capture the dynamic changes of the indoor context and have limitations in identifying precise navigable space, thereby reducing the accuracy and efficiency of indoor navigation. This study proposes a novel interactive semantic model (ISM) that consists of an interactive semantic base (ISB) and empirical rules to accurately determine the navigability of the reshaped functional spaces (F-Spaces) of indoor objects. First, two-level F-Spaces (fine-grained resource F-Space and coarse-grained structure F-Space) are defined to express multi-granularity interactive semantics for delineating heterogeneous F-Spaces. Second, empirical rules are established through an extensible multi-dimensional semantics classification framework to determine each F-Space's navigability. Lastly, a navigable F-Space generation scheme is designed by considering the adaptive navigability of the two-level F-Spaces. Simulated experiments show that the proposed model can generate precise and efficient dynamic navigable spaces. This study reduces the cognitive burden of human agents when facing indoor dynamic navigation, thereby improving the spatial experience of navigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial life forms are among the most ubiquitous on Earth, yet many remain understudied in Caribbean estuaries. We report on the prokaryote community composition of the Urabá Estuary in the Colombian Caribbean using 16S rRNA gene-transcript sequencing. We also assessed potential functional diversity through 38 metabolic traits inferred from 16S rRNA gene data. Water samples were collected from six sampling stations at two depths with contrasting light-penetration conditions along an approximately 100 km transect in the Gulf of Urabá in December 2019. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis grouped the samples into two distinct clusters along the transect and between depths. The primary variables influencing the prokaryote community composition were the sampling station, depth, salinity, and dissolved oxygen levels. Twenty percent of genera (i.e., 58 out 285) account for 95% of the differences between groups along the transect and among depths. All of the 38 metabolic traits studied showed some significant relationship with the tested environmental variables, especially salinity and except with temperature. Another non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis, based on community-weighted mean of traits, also grouped the samples in two clusters along the transect and over depth. Biodiversity facets, such as richness, evenness, and redundancy, indicated that environmental variations-stemming from river discharges-introduce an imbalance in functional diversity between surface prokaryote communities closer to the estuary's head and bottom communities closer to the ocean. Our research broadens the use of 16S rRNA gene transcripts beyond mere taxonomic assignments, furthering the field of trait-based prokaryote community ecology in transitional aquatic ecosystems.IMPORTANCEThe resilience of a dynamic ecosystem is directly tied to the ability of its microbes to navigate environmental gradients. This study delves into the changes in prokaryote community composition and functional diversity within the Urabá Estuary (Colombian Caribbean) for the first time. We integrate data from 16S rRNA gene transcripts (taxonomic and functional) with environmental variability to gain an understanding of this under-researched ecosystem using a multi-faceted macroecological framework. We found that significant shifts in prokaryote composition and in primary changes in functional diversity were influenced by physical-chemical fluctuations across the estuary's environmental gradient. Furthermore, we identified a potential disparity in functional diversity. Near-surface communities closer to the estuary's head exhibited differences compared to deeper communities situated farther away. Our research serves as a roadmap for posing new inquiries about the potential functional diversity of prokaryote communities in highly dynamic ecosystems, pushing forward the domain of multi-trait-based prokaryote community ecology., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The study examined significant summer heat effects on a traditional habitation cluster within a compact fabric of the Medina of Constantine, based on building materials and spatial functional architecture. As climate relates to energy effects, the study raises the importance of possible heat gains in the approach of thermal comfort through building materials without using other energy sources. The study employed both empirical and comparative methods to undertake the research work. The empirical method consisted of taking thermal and metric measurements of the habitation cluster and comparing them with current normative requirements in sustainable architecture. The comparative method consisted of comparing results of performance assessment of studied building materials with results of similar materials. The current study adds to researchers' claims about the importance of the Medina's habitation in the face of climatic aggression at times with its architecture and building materials. Medina’s habitat did not have the technological means to preserve some physical comfort and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, yet its architecture used soft means to accomplish the physical comfort. Additionally, the site's well-chosen materials, which are formed by the natural typology, match well with the site’s climate and provide better resistance to material overflow, not to mention their availability and inexpensive cost.

Estuaries are one of the most important ecosystems with high biological productivity. They connect freshwater and marine ecosystems, and the fish community assemblages face intense environmental changes, so estuarine fish communities have unique ecological characteristics. With the increase of human activities and the discharge of pollutants, the pressure on the ecosystem of the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) is intensifying, and its ecosystem functions and services are inevitably affected. To better understand the functional structure of the fish community in the PRE and its response to environmental changes, we analyzed the trait composition of the community and its relationships to environmental factors based on 10 functional traits of 130 fish species collected in the PRE during the summer and winter of 2020–2021. In addition, we built a multi-dimensional functional space to visualize the overall functional structure of the PRE and explore the seasonal variation of the selected traits in the functional space. Our findings suggest that the functional traits of the fish communities in the PRE were mainly affected by temperature, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll-a, and depth. Among them, the effects of dissolved oxygen, temperature, and chlorophyll-a on CWM traits were reflected in seasonal differences, while the effects of depth were reflected in spatial differences. We also found the main trait categories that occupied the most functional space and contributed the most to the seasonal differences in functional space. The results of this study are significant for understanding the seasonal variation of the functional structure in the PRE and how environmental gradients drive the functional traits of fish communities, and also provide insights for effective ecosystem-based management in the PRE.

A number of concerns persist regarding (i) how functional spaces should be quantified, (ii) how phylogenetic richness should be calculated, (iii) and how functional beta diversity should be calculated. Because all current methods have their shortcomings we think that analytical choices are as much a matter of knowing the limitations of the data and knowing the working hypothesis. Only then can one follow their personal choice, weighing up the shortcomings of different methods that, at the end of the day, usually produce qualitatively similar results.

Currently, across the entire European river network, there are an estimated 0.74 barriers per kilometer of river length, with hydropower production being the main cause of riverine habitat fragmentation. On the one hand, policy actions have been proposed by different institutions to limit this impact. On the other hand, the compelling need to produce energy from renewable/sustainable resources is further boosting the impoundment of rivers, since, globally, small hydropower plants are expected to contribute greatly to future energy needs. While a few studies have already analyzed the environmental impact of small hydropower plants by researching the structural communities of benthic macroinvertebrates, none have thus far assessed the potential impacts related to the functional diversity of these communities. Here, following a “Before-After-Control-Impact (BACI)” scheme, we implemented different methodologies to study the functional diversity of benthic communities sampled across 4 sites in a fish-free, glacier-fed stream of the Italian Central-Eastern Alps for 5 consecutive years. More specifically, the sampling sites were chosen in an area near the weir of a small “run-of-river” hydropower plant, which constituted the structure from which water was diverted to the turbine. Specific goals were to assess the potential variation in the functional traits of benthic macroinvertebrates in relation to the weir’s presence, investigate whether a variation in trait distribution was caused by alterations in the abundances of common and rare taxa, and quantify functional diversity in space and time through the application of specific indices. Our initial hypothesis of finding significant differences among the sampling sites after the start-up of the hydropower plant was not confirmed by our results, since the benthic communities at all sites continued to exhibit a largely similar set of traits and, consequently, functional diversity. Our results highlighted the need for a better understanding of the relationships between effect traits and ecological processes to establish thresholds from which a shift in these processes may occur. Hence, a better understanding of the assets and liabilities of already established small hydropower plants may be a guide for more conscious decisions concerning the establishment of new ones and/or changes in the management of already existing ones.

It is generally assumed that functional richness, diversity and evenness are complementary and, taken together, describe different facets of the distribution of species and their abundances in functional space. However, although these three primary components of community structure are commonly accepted by most community ecologists, measures of functional evenness usually fail to properly capture the regularity of species abundances in functional space. In this paper we will use an underexplored decomposition of Rao’s index of functional diversity to introduce the notion of functional imbalance, an indicator of the strength of interaction between species abundances and their functional dissimilarities. Functional diversity always increases with increasing functional imbalance. Therefore, functional imbalance seems a more appropriate indicator of this facet of community structure than functional evenness. A worked example aimed at evaluating the influence of grazing on plant community structure showed that all proposed measures of functional imbalance were able to highlight the main functional changes of a dry calcareous grassland in Tuscany (Italy) following grazing exclusion.

Plants are adapted to their environment through a suite of anatomical, morphological, and physiological traits. These functional traits are commonly thought to determine the plant's tolerance to environmental conditions. Functional diversity quantifies diversity of species traits which reflects the kind of species functions and acts as a key driver of ecosystem processes and services. The objective of the present study is to quantify the intraspecific functional distance among species in terms of their traits within two selected tropical dry deciduous forest communities in Central India. Six key functional traits namely, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf size, height, basal area and circumference, were considered for their significant ecological functions. The interspecific functional distances ranged from 2 to 52 in Garpehra forest community while it was 0 to 50 in the Jaruakhera forest community. The average functional distance recorded within two communities were 21.43 and 14.42 respectively. Most similar species pairs were Hollarhena antidysenterica -Aegle marmelos, Hollarhena antidysenterica-Lagerstroemia parviflora, Holoptelea integrifolia-Miliusa tomentosa in the Garpehra forest whereas in Jaruakhera species pairs namely, Madhuca indica -Diospyros melanoxylon, Ficus glomerata-Eugenia heyneana indicates high similarity for functional attributes. Being similar they are most redundant to each other. Few species pairs were highly dissimilar under functional trait space in Garpehra forest namely, Miliusa tomentosa-Sterculia urens, Holoptelea integrifolia - Sterculia urens and Helicteres isora - Boswellia serrata while in Jaruakhera, highly dissimilar species pairs were Ficus religiosa-Ziziphus xylopyrus and Helicteres isora-Ficus religiosa. Being dissimilar, they show complementarity to each other. The study depicts the functional structure of community and the redundant and complementary species pairs for predicting resilience, resistance, invasibility and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional diversity (FD), the diversity of organism attributes that relates to their interactions with the abiotic and biotic environment, has been increasingly used for the last two decades in ecology, biogeography and conservation. Yet, FD has many facets and their estimations are not standardized nor embedded in a single tool. mFD (multifaceted functional diversity) is an R package that uses matrices of species assemblages and species trait values as building blocks to compute most FD indices. mFD is firstly based on two functions allowing the user to summarize trait and assemblage data. Then it calculates trait‐based distances between species pairs, informs the user whether species have to be clustered into functional entities and finally computes multidimensional functional space. To let the user choose the most appropriate functional space for computing multidimensional functional diversity indices, two mFD functions allow assessing and illustrating the quality of each functional space. Next, mFD provides 6 core functions to calculate 16 existing FD indices based on trait‐based distances, functional entities or species position in a functional space. The mFD package also provides graphical functions based on the ggplot library to illustrate FD values through customizable and high‐resolution plots of species distribution among functional entities or in a multidimensional space. All functions include internal validation processes to check for errors in data formatting which return detailed error messages. To facilitate the use of mFD framework, we built an associated website hosting five tutorials illustrating the use of all the functions step by step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to the structural-semantic evolution of French coloronyms in scientific chemical discourse. The author analyzes the definition of scientific chemical discourse and its distinctive functional-linguistic characteristics, such as aim, agents, clients, functional space, linguistic peculiarities. Coloronyms are described as colour terms, promoting the enrichment of the scientific-chemical communication. Semantic analysis of vast empirical material helps to create the classification of coloronyms based on their etymology (coloronyms of animal origin, mineral origin, synthetic origin, metallic origin). The author carries out meticulous diachronic analysis of coloronyms in French scientific chemical discourse in the XIXth – XXth centuries with regard to the structural and syntactical aspects.French scientific chemical discourse is a special sphere of communication which is actively developing and possesses its own set of peculiar functional-linguistic parametres. With the help of diachronic analysis of the scientific-chemical texts of the XIXth and XXth centuries the author reveals structural-syntactical transformations, e.g. simplification of structural models, the tendency to the diversity of syntactical roles of coloronyms.

Summary: Though it is well established that species composition affects ecosystem function, the way in which species combine to control overall ecosystem functioning is still debated.In experimental mesocosms, we planted three functionally distinct dry‐heath species in varying proportions and measured multiple ecosystem properties related to nutrient cycling and carbon storage (hereafter functions). Overall ecosystem functioning was described as the main axes of variation in ecosystem functioning (functional space) and the proportion of ecosystem functions at high levels; for example, fast carbon and nutrient cycling (cluster‐based multifunctionality).The first functional space axis, related to nitrogen availability, was driven by plant species abundance, particularly that of legumes, which strongly affected many individual functions. The second, related to total plant biomass and woodiness, was mostly driven by the abundance of dwarf shrubs. Similarly, cluster‐based multifunctionality was related to the initial abundance of all species, but particularly the legume. Interactions between species also affected ecosystem multifunctionality, but these effects were smaller in magnitude.These results indicate that species interactions could play a secondary role to species abundance and identity in driving the overall ecosystem functioning of heathlands, but also that axes of variation in functional space are clearly linked to plant functional composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conducting a video-based experiment in English, Japanese and Thai, Matsumoto et al. (2017) report that deictic verbs are more frequently used when the motion is not just toward the speaker but also into his/her functional space (i.e. functional HERE of the speaker) defined by limits of interaction and visibility as well as when the motion is accompanied by an interactional behaviour of the Figure such as greeting the speaker. They claim that directional venitive prepositional phrases (henceforth PPs) like toward me do not exhibit this feature, though. This paper aims to reevaluate these proposals (Matsumoto et al. 2017) in Ilami Kurdish (henceforth IK), thereby figuring out whether the functional nature of deictic verbs observed in the three studied languages is also attested in this dialect. In line with the findings reported by Matsumoto et al. (2017), results of this research reveal that the semantics of venitive verbs of motion in IK is spatial and functional at the same time. In other words, these verbs are more often used in the verbal descriptions of the IK participants, when the Figure shares a functional space with the speaker induced by limits of interaction and visibility, and also when he/she smiles at or greets the speaker. Importantly, results show that venitive PPs in IK can be functional in nature or add some functional meaning (in addition to their spatial meaning) to the verb, so that participants utilize venitive adpositions along with the venitive verb to add emphasis on the kind of motion (to be a venitive one) and express that the Figure would be "very close" to the speaker at the end of motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined significant summer heat effects on a traditional habitation cluster within a compact fabric of the Medina of Constantine, based on building materials and spatial functional architecture. As climate relates to energy effects, the study raises the importance of possible heat gains in the approach of thermal comfort through building materials without using other energy sources. The study employed both empirical and comparative methods to undertake the research work. The empirical method consisted of taking thermal and metric measurements of the habitation cluster and comparing them with current normative requirements in sustainable architecture. The comparative method consisted of comparing results of performance assessment of studied building materials with results of similar materials. The current study adds to researchers' claims about the importance of the Medina's habitation in the face of climatic aggression at times with its architecture and building materials. Medina's habitat did not have the technological means to preserve some physical comfort and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, yet its architecture used soft means to accomplish the physical comfort. Additionally, the site's well-chosen materials, which are formed by the natural typology, match well with the site's climate and provide better resistance to material overflow, not to mention their availability and inexpensive cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among nectarivorous birds, the highest niche partitioning occurs between hummingbirds and plants. Although hummingbirds tend to visit morphologically well-matched resources, as ornithophilous species, they can also visit flowers with other traits. Here, we investigated whether the niche partitioning in hummingbird-plant interactions is also observed with ornithophilous species only. We also explored if hummingbird traits predicted resources use. We recorded a plant-ornithophilous species network in a semi-deciduous forest in Brazil. We quantified interaction partitioning through network connectance, complementary specialisation, and modularity. The influence of hummingbirds' traits into their visits was investigated through methods of functional ecology and ecological networks. We recorded 948 interactions between nine hummingbirds and seven ornithophilous plants. We detected similar patterns of niche partitioning between hummingbirds and ornithophilous plants in comparison to networks considering the entire plant community. However, hummingbird species with the most specialised interactions are different from those when the whole system is evaluated. Therefore, we cannot downscale the patterns from one scale to the other. The pattern of interaction with ornithophilous plants was not related to hummingbirds' traits. Therefore, the coexistence of species with shared traits might be occurring through facilitative and competitive processes, leading to trait mismatching and maintaining niche partitioning among ornithophilous plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated temporal trends in zooplankton functional diversity (functional richness—FRic, evenness—FEve divergence—FDiv, and Community-Weighted Means—CWM) in 12 habitats of the Upper Paraná River floodplain (Brazil) over 16 years (2000–2016) and their relationships with environmental predictors (chlorophyll-a, water depth, and turbidity). We hypothesized that different environmental drivers affect zooplankton's functional component in a distinct way. We predicted that: (i) FRic is positively related to increases in chlorophyll-a concentration and turbidity associated with impacts of damming on the floodplain and depth. (ii) FEve is negatively related to increases in chlorophyll-a concentration and turbidity, and positively related to depth. (iii) FDiv is negatively related to the increase in chlorophyll-a, depth, and turbidity. (iv) Finally, we asked how do each of the traits change the functional indexes and their relation to environmental predictors. FRic and FEve fluctuated oppositely and cyclically every five years. FDiv showed a trend similar to that of FRic. However, between 2005 and 2010 FDiv only decreased. All functional diversity indexes were explained by temporal variability, depth, and chlorophyll-a concentration. However, the influence of each variable was different for each component of functional diversity. For CWM, turbidity was negatively associated with life span and positively associated with predator escape, and type of reproduction, while predator escape and feeding type were negatively associated with depth. We highlight that, in order to maintain the drivers of zooplankton functional diversity (food availability, turbidity, and depth), it is extremely important to guarantee the floodplain ecosystem's original state of functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relation between the geometry of metric space of a TiAlNiAu thin film metal system and the geometry of normed functional space of its sheet resistances (functionals), which are elements of the functional space. The investigation provides a means to describe a lateral size effect that involves a dependency in local approximation of sheet resistance Rsq of TiAlNiAu metal film on its lateral linear dimensions (in (x,y) plane). This dependency is defined by fractal geometry of dendrites, or, more specifically, it is a power-law dependency on fractal dimension Df value. The revealed relation has not only fundamental but also a great practical importance both for a precise calculation of thin film metal system Rsq values in designing discreet devices and ICs, and for controlling results at micro- and nanoscale in producing workflow for thin metal films and systems based on them.

Copyright of Architectural Journal / Jian Zhu Xue Bao is the property of Architectural Journal Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• The FEve and FDiv indices exhibited unimodal latitudinal distributions in tropical and subtropical NWP. • High biodiversity and minimal competition across functional groups were found in zooplankton in the oligotrophic NPSG. • Stochastic processes were crucial in zooplankton community assembly in the NWP. To better understand how communities response to environmental change and how biodiversity affects ecosystem function, it is essential to quantify the functional diversity of communities. However, the current understanding of zooplankton functional traits and functional diversity in the northwestern Pacific (NWP) is inadequate. In this study, we analyzed the latitudinal changes in functional traits, diversities, and functional space of zooplankton in five biogeographic regions of the tropical and subtropical NWP. Zooplankton species richness varied unimodally over latitude, with the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG) hosting the greatest number of species (367 taxa). The NWP was dominated by zooplankton of small and medium size (<2 mm; 72 %), current-feeding (47 %), omnivore–herbivore (71 %), and broadcast spawner (53 %). The functional trait composition of zooplankton varied significantly; for instance, omnivore–detritivores were prevalent in the Kuroshio Extension zone but few in the oligotrophic NPSG and North Equatorial Current regions. Protozoans with binary fission (primarily foraminifers) declined from the equator to high latitudes. The latitudinal variations of functional evenness, functional dispersion, and hypervolume of trait space of the zooplankton community were unimodal, with the maximum values occurring in the NPSG. This would suggest that the zooplankton community in the NPSG was more efficient in utilizing resources than in other regions, and the competition across functional groups was mild. Stochastic processes were crucial in zooplankton community assembly in tropical and subtropical NWP. This study enhanced our understanding of zooplankton community assembly and offered new insights into the functional traits of zooplankton communities in the NWP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let { X α } be an inverse system of compact spaces X α and Y be an ANR. Consider a direct system { F (X α , Y) } of topological spaces F (X α , Y) , where F (X α , Y) is the space of all continuous maps f : X α → Y , given the compact-open topology. In [5] , S. Mardešić proved that for the singular homology there is an isomorphism (1) lim ⟶ H ⁎ s (F (X α , Y)) ⟶ ∼ H ⁎ s (F (X , Y)) , where X = lim ⟵ X α. In the present paper we prove that for the singular cohomology there is a finite exact sequence (2) 0 ⟶ lim ⟵ H s 1 (2 n − 3) F α ⟶ ⋯ ⟶ lim ⟵ H s n − 1 (1) F α ⟶ H s n F ⟶ ⋯ ⟶ lim ⟵ H s n F α ⟶ lim ⟵ H s n − 1 (2) F α ⟶ ⋯ ⟶ lim ⟵ H s 1 (2 n − 2) F α ⟶ 0 , where H s q F α = H s q (F (X α , Y) , G) , H s q F = H s q (F (X , Y) , G) , X = lim ⟵ X α , G is an abelian group. Let X be a compact space and S = { S m , σ m } be the spherical spectrum. Consider the functional spectrum F (X , S) = { F m (X) } , where F m (X) = F (X , S m) is the space of all continuous maps f : X → S m , given the compact-open topology. The functional spectrum F (X , S) induces the direct system { C m − ⁎ (F m (X)) } of integral singular chains. The direct limit C ⁎ (X) = lim ⟶ m C m − ⁎ (F m (X)) is a free cochain complex, where C q (X) = lim ⟶ m C m − q (F m (X)) , q ≥ 0. The Milnor homology H ‾ ⁎ (X , G) of the compact space X over the coefficients group G is defined as the homology of the chain complex C ⁎ (X) = Hom (C ⁎ (X) , G) [8]. In the present work for the compact space X and Milnor homology H ‾ ⁎ we prove that there is an exact sequence (3) 0 ⟶ lim ⟵ H s m − q − 1 (1) (F m (X) , G) ⟶ H ‾ q (X , G) ⟶ lim ⟵ H s m − q (F m (X) , G) ⟶ 0 and that the Milnor homology on the category A c of compact pairs is a homology theory in the Berikashvili sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral reefs underpin a range of ecosystem goods and services that contribute to the well‐being of millions of people. However, tropical coral reefs in the Anthropocene are likely to be functionally different from reefs in the past. In this perspective piece, we ask, what does the Anthropocene mean for the provision of ecosystem services from coral reefs?First, we provide examples of the provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting services underpinned by coral reef ecosystems. We conclude that coral reef ecosystem service research has lagged behind multidisciplinary advances in broader ecosystem services science, such as an explicit recognition that interactions between social and ecological systems underpin ecosystem services.Second, drawing on tools from functional ecology, we outline how these social–ecological relationships can be incorporated into a mechanistic understanding of service provision and how this might be used to anticipate future changes in coral reef ecosystem services.Finally, we explore the emergence of novel reef ecosystem services, for example from tropicalized coastlines, or through changing technological connections to coral reefs. Indeed, when services are conceived as coming from social–ecological system dynamics, novelty in services can emerge from elements of the interactions between people and the ecosystem.This synthesis of the coral reef ecosystem services literature suggests the field is poorly prepared to understand the changing service provision anticipated in the Anthropocene. A new research agenda is needed that better connects reef functional ecology to ecosystem service provision. This research agenda should embrace more holistic approaches to ecosystem service research, recognizing them as co‐produced by ecosystems and society. Importantly, the likelihood of novel ecosystem service configurations requires further conceptualization and empirical assessment. As with current ecosystem services, the loss or gain of services will not affect all people equally and must be understood in the context in which they occur. With the uncertainty surrounding the future of coral reefs in the Anthropocene, research exploring how the benefits to people change will be of great importance. A plain language summary is available for this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selection of promising plant species for mine land rehabilitation is a major ecological challenge, i.e., which species are able to establish desired functions in postmining environments and their availability at reasonable costs. Here, we used the minimum set approach for optimizing the selection of species to achieve specific rehabilitation objectives related to the restitution of trophic interactions and community development during mine land rehabilitation. To that end, we utilized a list of 203 tree species and their functional attributes from Carajás National Forest, Eastern Amazon, Brazil. Many species (111) in the list have been suggested in a previous study as potential candidates for postmining rehabilitation, as they fall within the shared functional space of species successfully established in previous mine land rehabilitation efforts. We defined three rehabilitation objectives related to trophic interactions and community development and combined our species list with the minimum set prioritization framework to select species that achieve rehabilitation objectives at minimum propagation costs, using ease of propagation as a cost surrogate. We found a strong positive correlation between functional diversity within plots and the environmental quality of rehabilitating communities, highlighting its importance for rehabilitation success. Then, we showed that 16 species from the shared functional space can maximize rehabilitation objectives and recommend their use in further rehabilitation/restoration projects. Prioritizing species from the functional attribute list offers advantages over prioritizing species from a raw species list as the former have higher survival rates than species from the undifferentiated species list. That trade-off reinforces the benefits of using the two-step approach suggested here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]