Publications des scientifiques de l'IRD

Mouillot D., Bellwood D. R., Baraloto C., Chave J., Galzin R., Harmelin-Vivien M., Kulbicki Michel, Lavergne S., Lavorel S., Mouquet N., Paine C. E. T., Renaud J., Thuiller W. (2013). Rare species support vulnerable functions in high-diversity ecosystems. Plos Biology, 11 (5), p. e1001569. ISSN 1545-7885.

Titre du document
Rare species support vulnerable functions in high-diversity ecosystems
Année de publication
2013
Type de document
Article référencé dans le Web of Science WOS:000319669800011
Auteurs
Mouillot D., Bellwood D. R., Baraloto C., Chave J., Galzin R., Harmelin-Vivien M., Kulbicki Michel, Lavergne S., Lavorel S., Mouquet N., Paine C. E. T., Renaud J., Thuiller W.
Source
Plos Biology, 2013, 11 (5), p. e1001569 ISSN 1545-7885
Around the world, the human-induced collapses of populations and species have triggered a sixth mass extinction crisis, with rare species often being the first to disappear. Although the role of species diversity in the maintenance of ecosystem processes has been widely investigated, the role of rare species remains controversial. A critical issue is whether common species insure against the loss of functions supported by rare species. This issue is even more critical in species-rich ecosystems where high functional redundancy among species is likely and where it is thus often assumed that ecosystem functioning is buffered against species loss. Here, using extensive datasets of species occurrences and functional traits from three highly diverse ecosystems (846 coral reef fishes, 2,979 alpine plants, and 662 tropical trees), we demonstrate that the most distinct combinations of traits are supported predominantly by rare species both in terms of local abundance and regional occupancy. Moreover, species that have low functional redundancy and are likely to support the most vulnerable functions, with no other species carrying similar combinations of traits, are rarer than expected by chance in all three ecosystems. For instance, 63% and 98% of fish species that are likely to support highly vulnerable functions in coral reef ecosystems are locally and regionally rare, respectively. For alpine plants, 32% and 89% of such species are locally and regionally rare, respectively. Remarkably, 47% of fish species and 55% of tropical tree species that are likely to support highly vulnerable functions have only one individual per sample on average. Our results emphasize the importance of rare species conservation, even in highly diverse ecosystems, which are thought to exhibit high functional redundancy. Rare species offer more than aesthetic, cultural, or taxonomic diversity value; they disproportionately increase the potential breadth of functions provided by ecosystems across spatial scales. As such, they are likely to insure against future uncertainty arising from climate change and the ever-increasing anthropogenic pressures on ecosystems. Our results call for a more detailed understanding of the role of rarity and functional vulnerability in ecosystem functioning.
Plan de classement
Sciences fondamentales / Techniques d'analyse et de recherche [020] ; Limnologie biologique / Océanographie biologique [034] ; Sciences du monde végétal [076] ; Etudes, transformation, conservation du milieu naturel [082]
Localisation
Fonds IRD [F B010060377]
Identifiant IRD
fdi:010060377
Contact