OOS 7: Using Individual Traits for Macro-Studies across Space, Time, and Taxa

Monday, August 2, 2021

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Pacific

Session Organizer(s)

Meghan Balk

Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History

Moderator(s)

Meghan Balk

Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History

Volunteer(s)

Molly Reichenborn

New Mexico State University

Session Co-organizers: Ramona L. Walls, CyVerse, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, Robert P. Guralnick, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL, Edward Davis, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, Kitty Emery, University of Florida, Ray Bernor, Howard University

Biogeography, macroecology, and community ecology has shifted focus from clade-based ecology (e.g, mammal-centric, avian-centric, herp-centric) to functional-trait-based ecology (species-level traits) and now to individual-level traits as metrics by which to understand drivers of patterns of species that occur across space and time. Most trait measurements are done at the individual-level, but primary data are often lacking, forcing researchers to use averages from the literature without knowing geographic, sex, or other biases in sampling. This undermines researchers’ efforts to discern intra-specific changes in traits across geographic and environmental scales. Further, as environmental metrics increasingly become finer and finer in scale (~1 m2), geographic scale no longer matches the scale of traits reported in the literature (typically at the regional to global scale). Individual-level traits are used as a metric to test for functional redundancy in a system and niche overlap within and among species in a community, which is important for understanding the effects of biodiversity loss; susceptibility to invasion, which is increasing with global connectivity; and response of traits to stressors, such as human-induced climate and land-use change. Characterizing trait variation within a species is especially important to understand if and how species can respond to climate change by differentiating phenotypic plasticity from evolution. As climate change progresses, populations at the edges of species’ geographic range are likely to be most affected, and so understanding the range of a trait gives insight into the amount a species can shift phenotypically. Thus, using individual-level traits are important. Here, we highlight work using individual-level traits to answer pressing questions in biogeography, macroecology, and community ecology. We seek to inspire and build a community of researchers contributing to and using individual-level traits to answer pressing ecological issues.

Presentations:

ON DEMAND

Improving trait data resolution to realize the promise of the functional trait revolution
Presenting Author: Brooks A. Kohli – Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University
ON DEMAND

Informatics workflows for reconstructing breeding phenologies and phenological change through time in North American small mammals
Presenting Author: Bryan McLean – Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro
ON DEMAND

Seven million years of North American herbivory
Presenting Author: Melissa Pardi – Research & Collections Center, Illinois State Museum
ON DEMAND

The relationship between intraspecific variation in body size and diversity for three vertebrate taxa across North America
Presenting Author: Benjamin Baiser – Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida
ON DEMAND

Using body size to understand patterns of guild assembly: A case study using North American Cenozoic herbivorous mammals
Presenting Author: Advait M. Jukar – Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, Yale University
ON DEMAND

Using osteometrics and geometric morphometrics to explore ancient cattle population dynamics in colonial Spanish America
Presenting Author: Nicolas DelSol – University of Florida