Characterising functional strategies and trait space of freshwater macroinvertebrates.

ABSTRACT: We examined the functional strategies and the trait space of 596 European taxa of freshwater macroinvertebrates characterized by 63 fuzzy coded traits belonging to 11 trait groups. Principal component analysis was used to reduce trait dimensionality, to explain ecological strategies, and to quantify the trait space occupied by taxa. Null models were used to compare observed occupancy with theoretical models, and randomization-based analyses were performed to test whether taxonomic relatedness, a proxy of phylogenetic signal, constrains the functional trait space of freshwater macroinvertebrates. We identified four major strategies along which functional traits of the taxa examined show trade-offs. In agreement with expectations and in contrast to existing evidence we found that life cycles

SUBMITTER: Schmera D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9296484 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature