Functional diversity

Abstract

A key dimension of biodiversity is functional diversity, which characterizes the diversity of life in terms of species traits (termed‘ functional traits ’ ) and their link with their ecological roles or functions within ecosystems. Through the lens of functional diversity,ecologists have begun to more deeply understand the structure, composition and dynamics of biological communities, as well as howthese may respond to environmental change. The integration of functional traits into diversity has allowed us to gain insight into theecology of ecosystem services and the conservation of biodiversity, yet we still have a long road ahead of us to comprehensivelyunderstand how species traits structure communities and lead to predictive outcomes in terms of ecosystem functions and dynamics.