A proposed unified terminology of species traits in stream ecology

Dénes Schmera; János Podani; Jani Heino; Tibor Erös; N. Le Roy Poff

doi:10.1086/681623

A proposed unified terminology of species traits in stream ecology

Dénes Schmera, János Podani, Jani Heino, Tibor Erös, N. Le Roy Poff

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

79 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Traits-based community analyses are receiving increasing attention. However, consistent interpretation of empirical results and ecological understanding in stream ecology are limited by ambiguous terminology. Furthermore, the measurement scales used to analyze trait data, especially ordinal-scale data, are often inappropriately applied. We identify and discuss these shortcomings and offer a solution for an operative and algebraically correct treatment of traits and a unified nomenclature that facilitates direct comparison among traits-based studies. A unified terminology allows for logical translation among existing, alternative trait nomenclatures and should facilitate communication of research findings among stream ecologists and more directly connect stream traits-based research with general ecology.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	823-830
Number of pages	8
Journal	Freshwater Science
Volume	34
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/681623
Publication status	Published - 1 Sept 2015
Externally published	Yes

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10.1086/681623

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title = "A proposed unified terminology of species traits in stream ecology",

abstract = "Traits-based community analyses are receiving increasing attention. However, consistent interpretation of empirical results and ecological understanding in stream ecology are limited by ambiguous terminology. Furthermore, the measurement scales used to analyze trait data, especially ordinal-scale data, are often inappropriately applied. We identify and discuss these shortcomings and offer a solution for an operative and algebraically correct treatment of traits and a unified nomenclature that facilitates direct comparison among traits-based studies. A unified terminology allows for logical translation among existing, alternative trait nomenclatures and should facilitate communication of research findings among stream ecologists and more directly connect stream traits-based research with general ecology.",

keywords = "Macroinvertebrates, Measurement scale, Species traits, Stream ecology, Terminology, stream ecology, measurement scale, macroinvertebrates, terminology, species traits",

author = "D{\'e}nes Schmera and J{\'a}nos Podani and Jani Heino and Tibor Er{\"o}s and Poff, {N. Le Roy}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank Sylvain Dol{\'e}dec, Matthew Pyne, and Ryan McShane for their critical comments on the manuscript. The work of Tibor Ero″s was supported by the J{\'a}nos Bolyai Research Scholarship. The research was supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Grants OTKA K104279 and K106177 and by the Academy of Finland. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 by The Society for Freshwater Science.",

year = "2015",

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doi = "10.1086/681623",

language = "English",

volume = "34",

pages = "823--830",

journal = "Freshwater Science",

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T1 - A proposed unified terminology of species traits in stream ecology

AU - Schmera, Dénes

AU - Podani, János

AU - Heino, Jani

AU - Erös, Tibor

AU - Poff, N. Le Roy

N1 - Funding Information: We thank Sylvain Dolédec, Matthew Pyne, and Ryan McShane for their critical comments on the manuscript. The work of Tibor Ero″s was supported by the János Bolyai Research Scholarship. The research was supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Grants OTKA K104279 and K106177 and by the Academy of Finland. Publisher Copyright: © 2015 by The Society for Freshwater Science.

PY - 2015/9/1

Y1 - 2015/9/1

N2 - Traits-based community analyses are receiving increasing attention. However, consistent interpretation of empirical results and ecological understanding in stream ecology are limited by ambiguous terminology. Furthermore, the measurement scales used to analyze trait data, especially ordinal-scale data, are often inappropriately applied. We identify and discuss these shortcomings and offer a solution for an operative and algebraically correct treatment of traits and a unified nomenclature that facilitates direct comparison among traits-based studies. A unified terminology allows for logical translation among existing, alternative trait nomenclatures and should facilitate communication of research findings among stream ecologists and more directly connect stream traits-based research with general ecology.

AB - Traits-based community analyses are receiving increasing attention. However, consistent interpretation of empirical results and ecological understanding in stream ecology are limited by ambiguous terminology. Furthermore, the measurement scales used to analyze trait data, especially ordinal-scale data, are often inappropriately applied. We identify and discuss these shortcomings and offer a solution for an operative and algebraically correct treatment of traits and a unified nomenclature that facilitates direct comparison among traits-based studies. A unified terminology allows for logical translation among existing, alternative trait nomenclatures and should facilitate communication of research findings among stream ecologists and more directly connect stream traits-based research with general ecology.

KW - Macroinvertebrates

KW - Measurement scale

KW - Species traits

KW - Stream ecology

KW - Terminology

KW - stream ecology

KW - measurement scale

KW - macroinvertebrates

KW - terminology

KW - species traits

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84983103088&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.mendeley.com/research/proposed-unified-terminology-species-traits-stream-ecology

U2 - 10.1086/681623

DO - 10.1086/681623

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:84983103088

SN - 2161-9549

VL - 34

SP - 823

EP - 830

JO - Freshwater Science

JF - Freshwater Science

IS - 3

ER -

A proposed unified terminology of species traits in stream ecology

Abstract

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