Data from: On the inconsistency of pollinator species traits for predicting either response to land-use change or functional contribution

The response and effect trait framework, if supported empirically, would provide for powerful and general predictions about how biodiversity loss leads to loss in ecosystem function. This framework proposes that species traits will explain how different species respond to disturbance (i.e. response traits) as well as their contribution to ecosystem function (i.e. effect traits). However, predictive response and effect traits remain elusive for most systems. Here, we use data on crop pollination services provided by native, wild bees to explore the role of six commonly used species traits in determining both species' response to land-use change and the subsequent effect on crop pollination. Analyses were conducted in parallel for three crop systems (watermelon, cranberry, and blueberry) located within the same geographical region (mid-Atlantic USA). Bee species traits did not strongly predict species' response to land-use change, and the few traits that were weakly predictive were not consistent across crops. Similarly, no trait predicted species' overall functional contribution in any of the three crop systems, although body size was a good predictor of per capita efficiency in two systems. Overall we were unable to make generalizable predictions regarding species responses to land-use change and its effect on the delivery of crop pollination services. Pollinator traits may be useful for understanding ecological processes in some systems, but thus far the promise of traits-based ecology has yet to be fulfilled for pollination ecology.

若响应与效应性状框架（response and effect trait framework）得到实证支持，便可为生物多样性丧失如何引发生态系统功能退化提供强有力的普适性预测。该框架提出，物种性状既可阐释不同物种对干扰的响应模式（即响应性状，response traits），也可阐明其对生态系统功能的贡献水平（即效应性状，effect traits）。然而，针对多数生态系统而言，兼具预测效能的响应性状与效应性状仍难以确定。本研究依托本土野生蜂类提供的农作物授粉服务数据，探究了六种常用物种性状在解析物种对土地利用变化的响应及其对农作物授粉的后续影响两方面的作用。研究针对位于同一地理区域（美国中大西洋地区，mid-Atlantic USA）的三种农作物系统（西瓜、蔓越莓与蓝莓）同步开展了分析。研究结果显示，蜂类物种性状无法有效预测物种对土地利用变化的响应，且少数具备弱预测性的性状在不同农作物系统间也并不统一。类似地，在三种农作物系统中，均无任何性状可有效预测物种的整体功能贡献度，尽管体型大小在其中两个系统中可较好地预测个体授粉效率。总体而言，我们无法就物种对土地利用变化的响应及其对农作物授粉服务供给的影响作出普适性预测。授粉者性状或可用于解析部分生态系统中的生态过程，但截至目前，基于性状的生态学的预期成效，在传粉生态学领域仍未实现。