ZooTraits: An R shiny app for exploring animal trait data for ecological and evolutionary research.

Animal trait data are scattered across several datasets, making it challenging to compile and compare trait information across different groups. For plants, the TRY database has been an unwavering success for those ecologists interested in addressing how plant traits influence a wide variety of processes and patterns, but the same is not true for most animal taxonomic groups. Here, we introduce ZooTraits, a Shiny app designed to help users explore and obtain animal trait data for research in ecology and evolution. ZooTraits was developed to tackle the challenge of finding in a single site information of multiple trait datasets and facilitating access to traits by providing an easy-to-use, open-source platform. This app combines datasets centralized in the Open Trait Network, raw data from the AnimalTraits database, and trait information for animals compiled by Gonçalves-Souza et al. (2023, Ecology and Evolution 13, e10016). Importantly, the ZooTraits app can be accessed freely and provides a user-friendly interface through three functionalities that will allow users to easily visualize, compare, download, and upload trait data across the animal tree of life-ExploreTrait, FeedTrait, and GetTrait. By using ExploreTrait and GetTrait, users can explore, compare, and extract 3954 trait records from 23,394 species centralized in the Open Traits Network, and trait data for ~2000 species from the AnimalTraits database. The app summarizes trait information for numerous taxonomic groups within the Animal Kingdom, encompassing data from diverse aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and various geographic regions worldwide. Moreover, ZooTraits enables researchers to upload trait information, serving as a hub for a continually expanding global trait database. By promoting the centralization of trait datasets and offering a platform for data sharing, ZooTraits is facilitating advancements in trait-based ecological and evolutionary studies. We hope that other trait databases will evolve to mirror the approach we have outlined here.

Bringing light onto the Raunkiæran shortfall: A comprehensive review of traits used in functional animal ecology.

Trait-based approaches elucidate the mechanisms underlying biodiversity response to, or effects on, the environment. Nevertheless, the Raunkiæran shortfall-the dearth of knowledge on species traits and their functionality-presents a challenge in the application of these approaches. We conducted a systematic review to investigate the trends and gaps in trait-based animal ecology in terms of taxonomic resolution, trait selection, ecosystem type, and geographical region. In addition, we suggest a set of crucial steps to guide trait selection and aid future research to conduct within and cross-taxon comparisons. We identified 1655 articles using virtually all animal groups published from 1999 to 2020. Studies were concentrated in vertebrates, terrestrial habitats, the Palearctic realm, and mostly investigated trophic and habitat dimensions. Additionally, they focused on response traits (79.4%) and largely ignored intraspecific variation (94.6%). Almost 36% of the data sets did not provide the rationale behind the selection of morphological traits. The main limitations of trait-based animal ecology were the use of trait averages and a rare inclusion of intraspecific variability. Nearly one-fifth of the studies based only on response traits conclude that trait diversity impacts ecosystem processes or services without justifying the connection between them or measuring them. We propose a guide for standardizing trait collection that includes the following: (i) determining the type of trait and the mechanism linking the trait to the environment, ecosystem, or the correlation between the environment, trait, and ecosystem, (ii) using a "periodic table of niches" to select the appropriate niche dimension to support a mechanistic trait selection, and (iii) selecting the relevant traits for each retained niche dimension. By addressing these gaps, trait-based animal ecology can become more predictive. This implies that future research will likely focus on collaborating to understand how environmental changes impact animals and their capacity to provide ecosystem services and goods.

The role of morphological traits in predicting the functional ecology of arboreal and ground ants in the Cerrado-Amazon transition.

There is often a vertical stratification of the vegetation in tropical forests, where each forest stratum has a unique set of environmental conditions, including marked differences in habitat heterogeneity, physical complexity, and microclimate. Additionally, many tropical forests are highly seasonal, and we need to consider the temporal variation in environmental conditions when assessing the functional aspects of their organisms. Here, we tested the hypothesis that vertical stratification and seasonality shape tropical ants' functional ecology and that there are differences in the functional trait diversity and composition between arboreal and ground-dwelling ant communities. We collected ants in the arboreal and ground strata in the rainy and dry seasons in six different areas, measuring seven morphological traits to characterize their functional ecology and diversity. Irrespective of the season, we found a distinct functional composition between arboreal and ground-dwelling ants and a higher functional richness on the ground. However, ground ants were more functionally redundant than arboreal ants. The differences in functional richness and redundancy between ant inhabiting strata and season could also be observed in the community-weighted mean traits: arboreal and ground ant traits can be distinguished in Weber's length, mandible length, eye length, and eye position on the head capsule. The differences in these functional traits are mainly related to the ants' feeding habits and the complexity of their foraging substrates. Overall, by providing the first systematic comparison of continuous traits between arboreal and ground-dwelling ants, our study opens new investigation paths, indicating important axes of functional diversification of tropical ants.

Historical distribution and current drivers of guppy occurrence in Brazil.

Humans introduce non-native species by means such as the deliberate release of fish into fresh waters and through commercial trade. The guppy Poecilia reticulata Peters, 1859, is commonly kept in aquaria and controls disease vectors, and now it occurs in many areas outside its natural distribution. Its initial habitat in Brazil was identified, and a study was performed to determine whether the density of guppies can be explained by the density of human population, per-capita gross domestic product, level of human impact on the areas where guppies have been found and fish-sampling effort. A total of 1402 guppy records were found; the southeastern region had the oldest records; and the southeastern, northeastern and central-western regions had the maximum records. Low tolerance to the colder climate may be the reason for the lack of guppy records in the southernmost states. It was also observed that the occurrence of this fish is positively, yet weakly, related to the density of human population, indicating that improved regulations regarding its use in controlling disease vectors, the aquarium trade and education of aquarium hobbyists could help prevent the spread of this species and its potential impacts in Brazil.

When roads cross streams: fish assemblage responses to fluvial fragmentation in lowland Amazonian streams

Roads affect biodiversity by increasing mortality rates, habitat loss, and natural landscape fragmentation. Poorly installed culverts can impound streams, changing the environmental conditions, and affecting aquatic communities. We evaluated the effects of road crossings on the taxonomic composition and functional structure of fish assemblages in lowland eastern Amazonian streams, Brazil. We tested the hypothesis that the presence of road-derived impoundments affects assemblage taxonomic and functional composition and structure. Two predictions were addressed: (1) Species and functional group composition will differ in impounded reaches in relation to lotic reaches; (2) Assemblages in downstream lotic reaches will be richer in species and functional groups in relation to upstream lotic and impoundment reaches. We sampled five streams crossed by roads presenting impoundment formation, conducted by visual census (day, dusk, and night) in 200 m line transects. Assemblage composition from lentic reaches was different from lotic reaches, and Shannon diversity from downstream reaches was different from upstream and impoundment, however, beta diversity partitioning between lotic reaches showed higher nestedness contribution, reinforcing the role of impoundment in limiting fish dispersal between lotic reaches. These results suggest that impoundments impose environmental and dispersal constraints to fish, affecting their longitudinal distribution in streams fragmented by roads.(AU)

Estradas afetam a biodiversidade aumentando as taxas de mortalidade, perda de hábitat e fragmentação. Cruzamentos mal instalados represam riachos, alterando as condições ambientais e afetando as comunidades aquáticas. Avaliamos os efeitos deste impacto sobre a estrutura taxonômica e funcional das assembleias de peixes em riachos da Amazônia Oriental, Brasil. Testamos a hipótese de que a presença dos alagados derivados de estradas afeta a composição e estrutura taxonômica e funcional das assembleias. Nossas predições foram: (1) A composição de espécies e grupos funcionais é diferente entre trechos alagados e lóticos; (2) Assembleias nos trechos à jusante serão mais ricas em espécies e grupos funcionais que os trechos à montante e alagados. Amostramos cinco riachos cruzados por estradas com formação de alagamentos por censo visual (dia, crepúsculo e noite) em transectos lineares de 200 m. A composição das assembleias dos trechos lênticos diferiu dos lóticos, e a diversidade de Shannon à jusante diferiu dos trechos montante e alagados, entretanto, nos lóticos, houve maior contribuição do aninhamento na partição da diversidade beta, reforçando o papel do represamento na limitação da dispersão de peixes entre estes. Sugerimos que os represamentos impõem restrições ambientais e de dispersão aos peixes, afetando sua distribuição longitudinal em riachos fragmentados por estradas.(AU)

Predictive factors of species composition of follower fishes in nuclear-follower feeding associations: a snapshot study

We tested whether habitat, identity, size of nuclear fishes, and intensity of bottom disturbance caused by their foraging can predict the composition of fish followers in nuclear-follower feeding associations. The study was carried out in a stream of the Serra da Bodoquena, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Southwestern Brazil. We performed underwater observational sessions (total 12 h) of such interspecific interactions to obtain data about the identity and abundance of the followers in the association, as well as the identity and size of the nuclear fish. We also evaluated whether different intensities of bottom disturbance due to the nuclear fish foraging and type of habitat may influence interactions. We recorded 38 episodes involving nuclear and follower species. Using a multivariate analysis with distance matrices, we noted that the intensity of bottom disturbance caused by nuclear fishes was the main predictor of the composition of the follower species (r = 0.55, p < 0.01), as well as the identity of the nuclear species, although this latter relation was weak (r = 0.09, p = 0.05). Such results indicate that followers react readily to sediment suspension, which reflects the trophic plasticity and opportunistic foraging characteristic of most tropical freshwater fishes.

Neste estudo testamos se o hábitat, a identidade e o tamanho da espécie nuclear, bem como a intensidade do distúrbio causado pela atividade do nuclear podem predizer a composição de seguidores na associação alimentar do tipo nuclear-seguidor. O estudo foi conduzido em um riacho da Serra da Bodoquena, estado do Mato Grosso do Sul, bacia do alto Rio Paraguai. Foram realizadas sessões de observação subaquática (totalizando 12 h), visando a obter informações sobre identidade e abundância dos seguidores, assim como identidade e tamanho da espécie nuclear, hábitat e intensidade do distúrbio causado pela atividade de forrageamento da espécie nuclear. Foram registradas 38 associações envolvendo cinco espécies nucleares e nove espécies seguidoras. A análise multivariada com matrizes de distância demonstrou que a intensidade do distúrbio causado pelos nucleares foi o principal preditor da composição de seguidores (r = 0,55, p < 0,01), assim como a identidade da espécie nuclear, embora essa relação tenha sido fraca (r = 0,09, p = 0,05). Esses resultados indicam que os seguidores respondem prontamente à suspensão de sedimento, refletindo a plasticidade trófica e o oportunismo de forrageio característico da maioria dos peixes tropicais de água doce.