Evaluating life-history strategies of reef corals from species traits
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| Authors: | Darling, ES; Alvarez-Filip, L; Oliver, TA; McClanahan, TR; Côté, IM |
| Year: | 2012 |
| Journal: | Ecology Letters 15: 1378-1386 Article Link (DOI) |
| Title: | Evaluating life-history strategies of reef corals from species traits |
| 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. |
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