scholarly journals Partitioning of functional diversity reveals the scale and extent of trait convergence and divergence

2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 475-486 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco de Bello ◽  
Wilfried Thuiller ◽  
Jan Lepš ◽  
Philippe Choler ◽  
Jean-Christophe Clément ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Trait Convergence ◽  
Convergence And Divergence

scholarly journals Trait-based community assembly of epiphytic diatoms in saline astatic ponds: a test of the stress-dominance hypothesis

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Éva Ács ◽  
Angéla Földi ◽  
Csaba Ferenc Vad ◽  
Zsuzsa Trábert ◽  
Keve Tihamér Kiss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Community Assembly ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
N Uptake ◽  
Environmental Filtering ◽  
Limiting Similarity ◽  
Epiphytic Diatoms ◽  
Assembly Rule ◽  
Trait Convergence ◽  
Diatom Communities

Abstract The stress dominance hypothesis (SDH) postulates that strong environmental gradients drive trait convergence in communities over limiting similarity. Previous studies, conducted mostly with terrestrial plant communities, found controversial evidence for this prediction. We provide here the first test for SDH for epiphytic diatoms. We studied community assembly in diatom communities of astatic ponds. These water bodies serve as a good model system for testing SDH because they exhibit stress gradients of various environmental factors. Functional diversity of diatom communities was assessed based on four traits: (1) combined trait reflecting the trade-off between stress tolerance and competitive dominance, (2) cell size, (3) oxygen requirement and (4) N-uptake strategy. According to our results, salinity, pH and the width of the macrophyte belt appeared as significant predictors of the trait convergence/divergence patterns presumably acting through influencing the availability of carbon dioxide and turbidity. Lower trait diversity was found in turbid, more saline and more alkaline ponds and functional diversity was higher in transparent, less saline and less alkaline ponds. Overall, our results supported the stress dominance hypothesis. In habitats representing increased environmental stress, environmental filtering was the most important community assembly rule, while limiting similarity became dominant under more favourable conditions.

scholarly journals Community assembly along a soil depth gradient: contrasting patterns of plant trait convergence and divergence in a Mediterranean rangeland

2012 ◽  
Vol 100 (6) ◽  
pp. 1422-1433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maud Bernard-Verdier ◽  
Marie-Laure Navas ◽  
Mark Vellend ◽  
Cyrille Violle ◽  
Adeline Fayolle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Community Assembly ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Depth Gradient ◽  
Plant Trait ◽  
Trait Convergence ◽  
Convergence And Divergence

scholarly journals Hydraulic diversity of El Cien Formation (Baja California Sur, Mexico) and the consequences of functional diversity in paleoclimate estimation using fossil wood

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo I. Martínez-Cabrera ◽  
Emilio Estrada-Ruiz
Keyword(s):  
Functional Diversity ◽  
Community Assembly ◽  
Environmental Filtering ◽  
Fossil Wood ◽  
Limiting Similarity ◽  
Environmental Filter ◽  
Climate Gradients ◽  
Wood Trait ◽  
Trait Convergence

ABSTRACTCommunity assembly processes, environmental filtering and limiting similarity, determine functional traits values within communities. Because environment influences the number of viable functional strategies species might take, a strong effect of environmental filter often results in communities having species with similar trait values and narrow functional niches. On the other hand, limiting similarity lead to communities with broader functional spaces. The degree to community assembly processes influence wood trait variation has important implications for paleoclimate estimation using fossil wood since the main tenet of the approach is environmental driven trait convergence, and assumes a central role of environmental filtering. We used functional diversity (FD) to determine how three wood anatomical traits vary in 14 extant communities (272 species) growing under different climate regimes, and inferred the prevalence of environmental filtering/limiting similarity. We also calculated FD metrics for the El Cien Formation fossil woods and discussed the results in light of the current knowledge of the flora. We found lower anatomical diversity in communities growing in dry/cool places (smaller functional spaces and lower abundance of trait combinations), suggesting that strong wood anatomical trait convergence could be the result of stronger habitat filtering in these communities. A lower strength of environmental filter in warm/wet environments, likely results in an amplification of the role of other drivers that promote higher number of hydraulic strategies through niche partition in highly structured communities. More complex ecological structures in mild tropical places likely lead to a higher spread of wood trait values. This asymmetry in the strength of environmental filter along climate gradients, suggest that the imbalances in strength of the trait-climate convergence, should be incorporated in paleoclimate prediction models. FD approach can be used to recognize promising traits with narrow niches along climate gradients, and therefore a constant effect of environmental filter.

Patterns of trait convergence and divergence among native and exotic species in herbaceous plant communities are not modified by nitrogen enrichment

2011 ◽  
Vol 99 (6) ◽  
pp. 1327-1338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elsa E. Cleland ◽  
Chris M. Clark ◽  
Scott L. Collins ◽  
Joseph E. Fargione ◽  
Laura Gough ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Exotic Species ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Nitrogen Enrichment ◽  
Herbaceous Plant ◽  
Trait Convergence ◽  
Convergence And Divergence

“Proclaiming Together”? Convergence and Divergence in Mainline and Evangelical Evangelism, 1945-1967

1995 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-76
Author(s):  
Thomas C. Berg
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Social Action ◽  
Christian Faith ◽  
Relative Priority ◽  
Christian Community ◽  
Mainline Denominations ◽  
Convergence And Divergence ◽  
Protestant Christians ◽  
Dividing Line

By now, it is a commonplace of the American religious scene that the majority of the nation's white Protestant Christians are split into “two parties.” The ideological dividing line runs between “mainline” denominations—Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians—and a bevy of conservative denominations and groups, but it also cuts through the mainline itself, which contains a substantial contingent of conservatives.Among the two parties' numerous disagreements, theological and political, few have run deeper and longer than their difference over the meaning and importance of evangelism, the activity of “proclaiming the gospel” to those outside the Christian community. Is the church's prime call in this regard to seek conversions to the Christian faith, or is it to show the love of Christ by working for charitable goals and social justice? A well-known 1973 study of Presbyterian clergy found that the greatest polarization between self-described “conservatives” and “liberals” came over the relative priority of evangelism and social action. Indeed, the fight over these goals was an important (though by no means the only) factor precipitating the “split” early in this century.

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