Meta-analysis on the responses of traits of different taxonomic groups to global and local stressors

Mbaka, John Gichimu; Szöcs, Eduard; Schäfer, Ralf B.

doi:10.1016/j.actao.2015.09.002

Cited by 7 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…It is also one of the species traits that can be compared over various organisms and ecosystems, as recently reviewed by Mbaka et al . (). Quite unequivocal responses of organism size to climate change have already been highlighted for diverse terrestrial [e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Assessing long‐term effects of multiple, potentially confounded drivers in ecosystems from species traits

Floury

Usseglio‐Polatera

Delattre³

et al. 2017

Global Change Biology

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Although species traits have the potential to disentangle long-term effects of multiple, potentially confounded drivers in ecosystems, this issue has received very little attention in the literature. We aimed at filling this gap by assessing the relative effects of hydroclimatic and water quality factors on the trait composition of invertebrate assemblages over 30 years in the Middle Loire River (France). Using a priori predictions on the long-term variation of trait-based adaptations over the three decades, we evaluated the ability of invertebrate traits to indicate the effects of warming, discharge reduction and water quality improvement. Hydroclimatic and water quality factors contributed to up to 65% of the variation in trait composition. More than 70% of the initial trait response predictions made according to observed long-term hydroclimatic changes were confirmed. They supported a general climate-induced trend involving adapted resistance and resilience strategies. A partial confounding effect of water quality improvement acting on trophic processes was also highlighted, indicating that improved water quality management can significantly help to reduce some adverse effects of climate change. This trait-based approach can have wider implications for investigating long-term changes driven by multiple, potentially confounded factors, as frequently encountered in the context of global change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Assessing long‐term effects of multiple, potentially confounded drivers in ecosystems from species traits

Floury

Usseglio‐Polatera

Delattre³

et al. 2017

Global Change Biology

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“…Species display trait plasticity that can include adaptations to regional conditions, which complicate trait–environmental relationships (Ortega‐Mayagoitia, Hernandez‐Martinez, & Ciros‐Perez, ). As a result, trait values may not be generalizable across geographic areas (Mbaka, Szöcs, & Schäfer, ).…”

Section: What Factors Potentially Constrain Single‐trait Relationships?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As a result, trait values may not be generalizable across geographic areas (Mbaka, Szöcs, & Schäfer, 2015).…”

Section: Trait Plasticitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Limitations of trait‐based approaches for stressor assessment: The case of freshwater invertebrates and climate drivers

Hamilton

Schäfer

Pyne

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

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The appeal of trait‐based approaches for assessing environmental vulnerabilities arises from the potential insight they provide into the mechanisms underlying the changes in populations and community structure. Traits can provide ecologically based explanations for observed responses to environmental changes, along with predictive power gained by developing relationships between traits and environmental variables. Despite these potential benefits, questions remain regarding the utility and limitations of these approaches, which we explore focusing on the following questions: (a) How reliable are predictions of biotic responses to changing conditions based on single trait–environment relationships? (b) What factors constrain detection of single trait–environment relationships, and how can they be addressed? (c) Can we use information on meta‐community processes to reveal conditions when assumptions underlying trait‐based studies are not met? We address these questions by reviewing published literature on aquatic invertebrate communities from stream ecosystems. Our findings help to define factors that influence the successful application of trait‐based approaches in addressing the complex, multifaceted effects of changing climate conditions on hydrologic and thermal regimes in stream ecosystems. Key conclusions are that observed relationships between traits and environmental stressors are often inconsistent with predefined hypotheses derived from current trait‐based thinking, particularly related to single trait–environment relationships. Factors that can influence findings of trait‐based assessments include intercorrelations of among traits and among environmental variables, spatial scale, strength of biotic interactions, intensity of habitat disturbance, degree of abiotic stress, and methods of trait characterization. Several recommendations are made for practice and further study to address these concerns, including using phylogenetic relatedness to address intercorrelation. With proper consideration of these issues, trait‐based assessment of organismal vulnerability to environmental changes can become a useful tool to conserve threatened populations into the future.

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“…This is challenging as other stressors such as climate change act in concert with pollution (recently reviewed by Kimberly and Salice , Mbaka et al. ). Yet, another challenge is that such multiple stressors act on different spatiotemporal scales: Climate‐induced stress generally acts on a large geographical scale in contrast to pollution, which is a local form of stress (Mbaka et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is challenging as other stressors such as climate change act in concert with pollution (recently reviewed by Kimberly andSalice 2015, Mbaka et al 2015). Yet, another challenge is that such multiple stressors act on different spatiotemporal scales: Climate-induced stress generally acts on a large geographical scale in contrast to pollution, which is a local form of stress (Mbaka et al 2015). Living organisms are thus exposed to multiple stressors that may either have additive or synergetic effects (Kimberly and Salice 2015) on life-history traits, such as reproduction and survival.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple stressors: modeling the effect of pollution, climate, and predation on viability of a sub‐arctic marine bird

2018

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Negative effects of long‐transported pollutants, such as many persistent organic pollutants (POPs), on seabirds and other top predators have been documented for decades. Yet, the concentrations, and hence, the negative impacts of many POPs have recently declined in the Northern Hemisphere. However, organisms are exposed to multiple stressors and the impacts of pollution act in concert with both natural and other anthropogenic stressors. In theory, this means that even sub‐lethal POP concentrations may cause adverse effects if they co‐occur with increased levels of other stressors. We tested the multiple stress hypothesis on common eiders, a marine duck with a northern geographical distribution, by assessing the relative importance of pollution, climate (winter sea surface temperature; SSTw), and egg predation on population dynamics and viability (i.e., extinction risk) using Leslie‐matrix population models. The model was parametrized by estimating reproduction and apparent adult survival using long‐term data from a common eider population in sub‐arctic Europe. Average annual adult survival was 0.80 (coefficient of variation [CV] = 22.00%) and showed a negative, both direct and delayed, relationship with SSTw. Average clutch size was 4.41 eggs (CV = 5.12%) and varied in time showing periods of both positive and negative trends, but showed no relationship with SSTw. We based immature survival on estimates from literature: 0.52 and 0.68 for juveniles and yearlings, respectively. Our model supported the multiple stress hypothesis as changes in a single stressor did not induce extinctions, unless the magnitude of our manipulations was extreme except for egg predation. The effect of pollution was, however, increasingly negative when it co‐occurred with a warming climate and egg predation—and population viability was lowest when all the stressors occurred simultaneously.

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Meta-analysis on the responses of traits of different taxonomic groups to global and local stressors

Cited by 7 publications

References 67 publications

Assessing long‐term effects of multiple, potentially confounded drivers in ecosystems from species traits

Assessing long‐term effects of multiple, potentially confounded drivers in ecosystems from species traits

Limitations of trait‐based approaches for stressor assessment: The case of freshwater invertebrates and climate drivers

Multiple stressors: modeling the effect of pollution, climate, and predation on viability of a sub‐arctic marine bird

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