Title
Evaluating life-history strategies of reef corals from species traits
Author(s)
Darling, E. S.;Alvarez-Filip, L.;Oliver, T. A.;McClanahan, T. R.;Côté, I. M.
Published
2012
Publisher
Ecology Letters
Abstract
Classifying the biological traits of organisms can test conceptual frameworks of life-history strategies and allow for predictions of how different species may respond to environmental disturbances. We apply a trait-based classification approach to a complex and threatened group of species, scleractinian corals. Using hierarchical clustering and random forests analyses, we identify up to four life-history strategies that appear globally consistent across 143 species of reef corals: competitive, weedy, stress-tolerant and generalist taxa, which are primarily separated by colony morphology, growth rate and reproductive mode. Documented shifts towards stress-tolerant, generalist and weedy species in coral reef communities are consistent with the expected responses of these life-history strategies. Our quantitative trait-based approach to classifying life-history strategies is objective, applicable to any taxa and a powerful tool that can be used to evaluate theories of community ecology and predict the impact of environmental and anthropogenic stressors on species assemblages. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.
Keywords
C-S-R triangle;Community assembly;Coral reefs;Ecological strategies;Functional diversity;Selection pressure
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PUB13646