We introduce the FunAndes database, a compilation of functional trait data for the Andean flora spanning six countries. FunAndes contains data on 24 traits across 2,694 taxa, for a total of 105,466 entries. The database features plant-morphological attributes including growth form, and leaf, stem, and wood traits measured at the species or individual level, together with geographic metadata (i.e., coordinates and elevation). FunAndes follows the field names, trait descriptions and units of measurement of the TRY database. It is currently available in open access in the FIGSHARE data repository, and will be part of TRY’s next release. Open access trait data from Andean plants will contribute to ecological research in the region, the most species rich terrestrial biodiversity hotspot.

Elucidating how environmental factors drive plant species distributions and how they affect latitudinal diversity gradients, remain essential questions in ecology and biogeography. In this study we aimed: 1) to investigate the relationships between all three diversity attributes, i.e., taxonomic diversity (TD), functional diversity (FD), and phylogenetic diversity (PD); 2) to quantify the latitudinal variation in these diversity attributes in western Amazonian terra firme forests; and 3) to understand how climatic and edaphic drivers contribute to explaining diversity patterns. We inventoried ca. 15,000 individuals from ca. 1,250 species, and obtained functional trait records for ca. 5,000 woody plant individuals in 50 plots of 0.1 ha located in five terra firme forest sites spread over a latitudinal gradient of 1200 km covering ca. 10°C in latitude in western Amazonia. We calculated all three diversity attributes using Hill numbers: q = 0 (richness), q = 1 (richness weighted by relative abundance), and q = 2 (richness weighted by dominance). Generalized linear mixed models were constructed for each diversity attribute to test the effects of different uncorrelated environmental predictors comprising the temperature seasonality, annual precipitation, soil pH and soil bulk density, as well as accounting for the effect of spatial autocorrelation, i.e., plots aggregated within sites. We confirmed that TD (q = 0, q = 1, and q = 2), FD (q = 0, q = 1, and q = 2), and PD (q = 0) increased monotonically towards the Equator following the latitudinal diversity gradient. The importance of rare species could explain the lack of a pattern for PD (q = 1 and q = 2). Temperature seasonality, which was highly correlated with latitude, and annual precipitation were the main environmental drivers of variations in TD, FD, and PD. All three diversity attributes increased with lower temperature seasonality, higher annual precipitation, and lower soil pH. We confirmed the existence of latitudinal diversity gradients for TD, FD, and PD in hyperdiverse Amazonian terra firme forests. Our results agree well with the predictions of the environmental filtering principle and the favourability hypothesis, even acting in a 10°C latitudinal range within tropical climates.

Aim The latitudinal biodiversity gradient is considered a first‐order biogeographical pattern for most taxonomic groups. Latitudinal variation in plant diversity is not always consistent, and this could be related to the particular characteristics of different forest types. In this study, we compare latitudinal changes in floristic diversity (alpha diversity), composition (beta diversity) and dominance across different tropical forest types: floodplain, terra firme and submontane forests. Location Western Amazonia (Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia). Taxon Woody plants. Methods We inventoried 1978 species and 31,203 individuals of vascular plants with a diameter at breast height ≥ 2.5 cm in 118 0.1‐ha plots over an 1800 km latitudinal gradient in three different forest types. The relationships between alpha diversity, latitude and forest type were analysed using generalised linear mixed models. Semi‐parametric permutational multivariate analysis of variance was used to investigate the effects of latitude and forest type on beta diversity. Dominant species abundances were correlated with non‐metric multidimensional scaling ordination axes to reflect their contributions in shaping changes in beta diversity. Results Alpha diversity increased towards equatorial latitudes in terra firme and submontane forests but remained relatively constant in floodplains. Beta diversity of all forest types changed with latitude, although less clearly in floodplains. Also, in floodplain forests, there were fewer dominant species contributing to beta diversity and more species homogeneous along the gradient. Main Conclusions Latitudinal diversity patterns are manifested in alpha and beta diversity since latitude summarizes climatic and edaphic changes. However, we found different responses of each forest type. In floodplain forests, inundation regime is a stronger predictor than latitude, limiting floristic diversity and composition. Changes in dominant species abundance over gradients explained species composition, but floodplain forests harboured more homogeneous dominant species than well drained forests. It is key to study environmental trends and habitat characteristics of each forest type to understand their species diversity and dominance patterns.

Functional traits have gained scientific support as a tool for understanding forests ecosystems and the goods and services they provide to human populations. Investigating how humans use and interact with plants based on their functional traits is crucial to support the long-term provision of plant-based ecosystem services. Here, we have adopted a large-scale approach encompassing nine different Indigenous communities across a latitudinal gradient of 1800 km in western Amazonia. We study the associations between nine different plant functional traits belonging to 1856 species and multiple cultural and provisioning services to support Indigenous communities in tropical ecosystems. We found that provisioning services, such as medicine, construction, and food, depend on multiple traits, and their selection is heterogeneous among communities. Cultural services, however, such as rituals, cosmetics, or recreational, hold more specific and tight relations with fewer traits. Their selection tends to be similar among communities, suggesting a possible functional selection convergence. Preserving traditional ecological knowledge is crucial for preserving biocultural well-being. Plant selection is not random, and functional traits can help us understand the current and past patterns of selection that have influenced the functional composition of Amazonian forests.

Functional traits have gained scientific support as a tool for understanding forests ecosystems and the goods and services they provide to human populations. Investigating how humans use and interact with plants based on their functional traits is crucial to support the long-term provision of plant-based ecosystem services. Here, we have adopted a large-scale approach encompassing nine different Indigenous communities across a latitudinal gradient of 1800 km in western Amazonia. We study the associations between nine different plant functional traits belonging to 1856 species and multiple cultural and provisioning services to support Indigenous communities in tropical ecosystems. We found that provisioning services, such as medicine, construction, and food, depend on multiple traits, and their selection is heterogeneous among communities. Cultural services, however, such as rituals, cosmetics, or recreational, hold more specific and tight relations with fewer traits. Their selection tends to be similar among communities, suggesting a possible functional selection convergence. Preserving traditional ecological knowledge is crucial for preserving biocultural well-being. Plant selection is not random, and functional traits can help us understand the current and past patterns of selection that have influenced the functional composition of Amazonian forests.