Objective
Thought to possess a greater trait redundancy across species, more biodiverse systems are considered better able to maintain their stability following disturbances. However, despite ranking amongst the planets most biodiverse ecoregions, tropical rainforests and coral reefs are highly vulnerable to ongoing global change. Meanwhile, the localised arrangement of species assemblages impacts the relative resilience of systems with comparable diversity, such that similar systems exhibit differing responses to the same disturbances. Consequently, predicting the viability of natural systems and implementing effective conservation action, requires a more nuanced understanding of how the local configuration of species traits mediates the effects of diversity on population-, community- and ecosystem-level stability. Through the proposed research project, ReefCoRe, I will evaluate how the spatial arrangement of functional diversity within ecological communities refines population resilience and, therefore, mediates ecosystem stability. I will firstly utilise comparative modelling approaches to explore how the spatial context of trait diversity influences the survival, growth, and recruitment of individuals across the tree of life. Next, I will scale-up these assessments to evaluate how coexistence between functional groups impacts upon measures of population performance and resilience. Finally, I will develop tools aimed at uniting measures of demographic performance and resilience with more established measures of coral reef health, providing a platform for continued research linking the dynamics of coral populations with the wider functioning of their reef environments. By distilling the association between the functional composition of natural communities and measures of population performance and resilience, ReefCoRe will contribute the necessary insight required to forecast the effects of biodiversity change on the future stability and functioning of global ecosystems.
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
1749 016 Lisbon
Portugal