Quantifying Functional Biodiversity

Laura Pla

ISBN 10: 9400726473 / ISBN 13: 9789400726475

Published by Springer Netherlands, Springer Netherlands, 2011

About this Item

Druck auf Anfrage Neuware - Printed after ordering - Functional diversity (FD) the value, range, and abundance of functional traits in a given community or ecosystem is increasingly accepted as a synthetic ecological concept that sheds light on ecosystem functioning. Standard tools for comparing FD across different ecosystems and for different ecosystem processes would be invaluable for supporting a better, more general understanding of the functional role of biodiversity in the provision of ecosystem services. Functional group richness and functional biodiversity indices have been proposed as standards for quantifying the functional diversity of communities and their components.This book synthesizes current methods used to quantify functional diversity, providing step-by-step examples for defining functional groups and estimating functional indices. The authors show how to compare communities, and how to analyze changes of diversity along environmental gradients, using real-life examples throughout. One section of the book demonstrates the selection of traits, and the standardization and characterization of ecosystem data. Another section presents methods used to quantify functional diversity, shows how to relate functional diversity with environmental variables and how to connect these to ecosystem services. The concluding section introduces FDiversity, a free program developed by the authors. The reader is guided through every step from software installation and basic functions, to sample and database design, to graphical projection methods, employing case study data to illustrate key concepts.

Seller Inventory # 9789400726475

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Quantifying Functional Biodiversity
• Publisher: Springer Netherlands, Springer Netherlands
• Publication Date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9400726473
• ISBN 13: 9789400726475
• Binding: Taschenbuch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 235W x 155H x 7D millimeters 235 millimeters width by 155 millimeters height by 7 millimeters depth
• Weight: 178 grams

About this title

Synopsis

This volume details methods used to quantify functional diversity and offers step-by-step examples to define functional groups and to estimate functional indices. It also compares communities and changes of diversity along environmental gradients.

From the Back Cover

Functional diversity (FD) – the value, range, and abundance of functional traits in a given community or ecosystem – is increasingly accepted as a synthetic ecological concept that sheds light on ecosystem functioning. Standard tools for comparing FD across different ecosystems and for different ecosystem processes would be invaluable for supporting a better, more general understanding of the functional role of biodiversity in the provision of ecosystem services. Functional group richness and functional biodiversity indices have been proposed as standards for quantifying the functional diversity of communities and their components.

This book synthesizes current methods used to quantify functional diversity, providing step-by-step examples for defining functional groups and estimating functional indices. The authors show how to compare communities, and how to analyze changes of diversity along environmental gradients, using real-life examples throughout. One section of the book demonstrates the selection of traits, and the standardization and characterization of ecosystem data. Another section presents methods used to quantify functional diversity, shows how to relate functional diversity with environmental variables and how to connect these to ecosystem services. The concluding section introduces FDiversity, a free program developed by the authors. The reader is guided through every step from software installation and basic functions, to sample and database design, to graphical projection methods, employing case study data to illustrate key concepts.