Functional Group Change within and across Scales following Invasions and Extinctions in the Everglades Ecosystem |
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Authors: | Elizabeth A. Forys Craig R. Allen |
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Affiliation: | (1) Environmental Studies Discipline, Eckerd College, 4200 54th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33711 USA, US;(2) United States Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Room G27, Lehotsky Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, USA, US |
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Abstract: | Cross-scale resilience theory predicts that the combination of functional diversity within scales and functional redundancy across scales is an important attribute of ecosystems because it helps these systems resist minor ecological disruptions and regenerate after major disturbances such as hurricanes and fire. Using the vertebrate fauna of south Florida, we quantified how the loss of native species and invasion by nonnatives may alter functional group richness within and across scales. We found that despite large changes in species composition due to potential extinctions and successful invasions by nonnative species, functional group richness will not change significantly within scales, there will not be any significant loss of overall redundancy of ecology function across scales, and overall body mass pattern will not undergo substantial change. However, the types of functions performed will change, and this change may have profound effects on not only the Everglades ecosystem but on the entire landscape of south Florida. Received 14 November 2000; accepted 20 December 2001. |
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Keywords: | : cross-scale resilience diversity functional group ecosystem structure endangered species Everglades ecosystem extinctions Florida invasive species nonnative species. |
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