Species traits and CWM data: Recent warming causes functional borealization and diversity loss in deep fish communities east of Greenland

Aim: We asessed whether functional turnover in east Greenland fish driven by increased occurrence of boreal species compensates for the climate-driven loss of species thereby maintaining functional diversity and ecological function.
Location: The study region  encompasses a shelf and slope area located offshore between  63° N and 66° N, east of Greenland.
Methods: We investigated spatio-temporal changes in fish communities based on a unique dataset covering a depth range of 1500m over 18 years combined with a demersal fish trait dataset. We analyzed the species by trait matrix using principal component analysis (PCA). To investigate trait patterns across the communities (sites), community weighted mean (CWM) traits were calculated and analysed using PCA. The CWM traits matrix was further analysed by redundancy analysis (RDA) with depth-strata and year as explanatory variables.
Results: We found signs of a taxonomic and functional borealization, associated with a loss in functional diver...