Trait dimensionality and population choice alter estimates of phenotypic dissimilarity.

ABSTRACT: The ecological niche is a multi-dimensional concept including aspects of resource use, environmental tolerance, and interspecific interactions, and the degree to which niches overlap is central to many ecological questions. Plant phenotypic traits are increasingly used as surrogates of species niches, but we lack an understanding of how key sampling decisions affect our ability to capture phenotypic differences among species. Using trait data of ecologically distinct monkeyflower (Mimulus) congeners, we employed linear discriminant analysis to determine how (1) dimensionality (the number and type of traits) and (2) variation within species influence how well measured traits reflect phenotypic differences among species. We conducted analyses using vegetative and floral traits in diff

SUBMITTER: Carscadden KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5383497 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature