Long-term intraspecific trait change amplifies changes in community functional

There has been rapid intraspecific trait change in many species over the past few centuries, while the impacts of such long-term changes on community functional structure remain unclear, yet is vital to evaluate and predict responses of biodiversity and ecosystem function to global change. We examined intraspecific trait changes of 547 bird species from 86,966 specimens collected over the past 140 years and species composition data for 840 bird assemblages surveyed in 1969-2021 in North America. We found that rapid intraspecific trait changes have substantially affected trait composition and functional diversity of communities, even reversing the community-wide patterns driven solely by species composition change. Intraspecific changes of < 3% across four traits have doubled rates of temporal changes in functional richness over the last 50 years. Our findings indicate that intraspecific trait change may introduce a second wave of loss in community functionality beyond that due to species loss.近几个世纪以来，众多物种种内性状均发生了快速变化，然而这类长期变化对群落功能结构的影响尚不明确，但评估与预测生物多样性及生态系统功能对全球变化的响应至关重要。本研究依托过去140年间采集的86966号标本，分析了北美地区547种鸟类的种内性状变化，并结合1969年至2021年间在北美地区调查得到的840个鸟类群落的物种组成数据。研究发现，快速的种内性状变化已显著影响群落的性状组成与功能多样性，甚至逆转了仅由物种组成变化驱动的群落整体格局。四项性状的种内变化幅度均小于3%，却使得近50年来功能丰富度的时间变化速率提升了一倍。本研究结果表明，种内性状变化可能在物种流失之外，引发群落功能层面的第二轮衰退。

搜集汇总

背景与挑战

背景概述

该数据集基于547种鸟类、86,966个标本（跨越140年）和840个鸟类群落（调查于1969-2021年）的长期数据，研究种内性状变化对群落功能结构和多样性的影响。研究发现，种内性状变化显著改变了群落功能组成，甚至逆转了仅由物种组成变化驱动的模式，表明其可能引入群落功能的二次丧失。数据集聚焦于鸟类生态，涉及功能多样性和种内性状变化等关键词。