Spatial Scaling Patterns of Functional Diversity

Ecology, biogeography and conservation biology, among other disciplines, often rely on species identity, distribution abundance to perceive explain patterns in space time. Yet, are not independent units the way they interact with their environment. Species perform similar roles networks ecosystems, at least partial redundancy or difference of might co-existence, competitive exclusion reflected community level. Therefore, considering traits, that is, organisms’ functional properties environment, be utmost importance study relative abundances. Several descriptive measures diversity, such as species-area relationship (SAR) (SAD), have been used extensively characterize communities a possible window gain insight into underlying processes shaping maintaining biodiversity. However, if role is better assessed by attributes, then one should also SAR SAD using trait-based approaches, only taxonomic species. Here we merged according similarity number creating units, these new equivalent (functional distributions - FUADs), emphasis spatial scaling characteristics. This idea was tested data arthropods collected Terceira island, Azorean archipelago. Our results showed diversity scales differently depending whether use units. If what determines communities’ dynamics our suggest may need revaluate commonly assumed and, concomitantly, processes.