A standardised global network screening the functional traits of large brown seaweeds, from holdfasts to blade tips, to understand these ecosystem engineers and where they are most at risk.
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Why Canopy Traits?
Functional traits, measured at the individual level, influence both organismal fitness and ecosystem functioning. Determining trait variation can elucidate species' ecological strategies and the functional consequences of species loss or replacement.
Regional studies provide proof-of-concept for applying multiple quantitative traits to large brown macroalgae, but global variation in these species remains unexamined. In Canopy-Traits, we aim to form a global network conducting standardised trait-screening to shed new light on the functional traits and diversity of these ecologically important species.
Traits have been selected that are relatively easy to measure; can be applied across contrasting species, from massive flat-bladed kelps to small intricately branched wracks, and hold significance for a suite of individual and ecosystem-level functions. For instance, the specific thallus area (STA) can be measured in a standardised way across large brown seaweeds and is related to the efficiency of photosynthesis and primary productivity.
Research Questions
Research Questions
How is the global trait space of canopy-forming large brown seaweed species (Fucales and Laminariales) defined?
How much redundancy is there in the global assemblage, and where is it lowest, leaving ecosystem services highly vulnerable?
How can variation in species' trait attributes be explained? What are the relative contributions of environmental factors, scales, and phylogeny?
What is the relative contribution of intraspecific vs. interspecific variability across scales?
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