Linking species assemblages to environmental change: Moving beyond the specialist-generalist dichotomy |
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| Affiliation: | 1. De Vlinderstichting/Dutch Butterfly Conservation, P.O. Box 506, 6700 AM Wageningen, The Netherlands;2. Wageningen University, Laboratory of Entomology, P.O. Box 8031, 6700 EH Wageningen, The Netherlands;1. Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Post Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, Norway;2. Department of Animal Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan;3. Snow Leopard Trust, Pakistan Program, 17-Srvice Road North, I-8/3, Islamabad, Pakistan;1. Faculty of Biology and Geology, Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, Republicii Street 42, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;2. née Salza Todorova, Department of Botany and Zoology, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic;3. Department of Geobotany, Faculty of Geography and Geosciences, University of Trier, Behringstr. 21, 54296 Trier, Germany;4. Institute for Natural Resource Conservation, Ecology Centre, University of Kiel, Olshausenstr. 40, 24098 Kiel, Germany;5. Ecology and Ecosystem Research, Albrecht von Haller Institute for Plant Sciences, University of Göttingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;6. Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology of Plants (BEE), Biocentre Klein Flottbek and Botanical Garden, University of Hamburg, Ohnhorststr. 18, 22609 Hamburg, Germany;1. University of Bristol, Institute of Advanced Studies, Queen''s Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TR, UK;2. ecosulis ltd., The Rickyard, Newton St Loe, Bath BA2 9BT, UK;3. DeVlinderstichting, P.O. Box 506, 6700 AM Wageningen, Netherlands;4. PBL, PO box 303, 3720 AH Bilthoven, Netherlands;5. Butterfly Conservation Europe, P.O. Box 506, 6700 AM Wageningen, Netherlands;1. Sezione di Gastroenterologia, Dipartimento Biochimico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy;3. Cattedra di Anatomia Patologica, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy |
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| Abstract: | Environmental changes due to land use developments, climate change and nitrogen deposition have profound influences on species assemblages. Investigating the dynamics in species composition as a function of underlying traits may increase our understanding of ecosystem functioning and provide a basis for effective conservation strategies. Here, I use a broad array of species traits for butterflies to identify four main components of associated traits. These reflect the spatial use of the landscape, abiotic vulnerability, developmental rate and phenology, and food specialisation, respectively. The first three trait components each contribute to determine Red List status, but only the developmental rate and phenology component is related to recent population trends. I argue that the latter component reflects the environmental impact of nutrient availability and microclimate, as affected by nitrogen deposition. This perspective sheds a new light on ongoing changes in community composition. Thus, a multidimensional view of trait associations allows us to move beyond the simplistic specialist–generalist dichotomy, renew our view on species-specific studies and help in setting new priorities for conservation. |
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| Keywords: | Community ecology Species traits Land use Climate change Nitrogen deposition Conservation Butterflies |
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