%0 Journal Article %1 darling_evaluating_2012 %A Darling, Emily S. %A Alvarez-Filip, Lorenzo %A Oliver, Thomas A. %A McClanahan, Timothy R. %A Côté, Isabelle M. %D 2012 %J Ecology Letters %K Forest, Random classification, community coral, diversity, ecological ecology, functional selection strategies, %P n/a--n/a %R 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01861.x %T Evaluating life-history strategies of reef corals from species traits %U http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01861.x/abstract %X 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.

@article{darling_evaluating_2012, 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.}, added-at = {2017-01-09T13:57:26.000+0100}, author = {Darling, Emily S. and Alvarez-Filip, Lorenzo and Oliver, Thomas A. and McClanahan, Timothy R. and Côté, Isabelle M.}, biburl = {https://www.bibsonomy.org/bibtex/21057b518f4860c479edec0a6a9638de0/yourwelcome}, copyright = {© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS}, doi = {10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01861.x}, interhash = {617c160a3fc7cec3c54dd1bb738bf10f}, intrahash = {1057b518f4860c479edec0a6a9638de0}, issn = {1461-0248}, journal = {Ecology Letters}, keywords = {Forest, Random classification, community coral, diversity, ecological ecology, functional selection strategies,}, language = {en}, pages = {n/a--n/a}, timestamp = {2017-01-09T14:01:11.000+0100}, title = {Evaluating life-history strategies of reef corals from species traits}, url = {http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2012.01861.x/abstract}, urldate = {2012-09-11}, year = 2012 }