Trait-based approaches to analyze links between the drivers of change and ecosystem services: Synthesizing existing evidence and future challenges.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the responses of biodiversity to drivers of change and the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem properties and ecosystem services is a key challenge in the context of global environmental change. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of the scientific literature linking direct drivers of change and ecosystem services via functional traits of three taxonomic groups (vegetation, invertebrates, and vertebrates) to: (1) uncover trends and research biases in this field; and (2) synthesize existing empirical evidence. Our results show the existence of important biases in published studies related to ecosystem types, taxonomic groups, direct drivers of change, ecosystem services, geographical range, and the spatial scale of analysis. We found multiple evidence of links

SUBMITTER: Hevia V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5288245 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature