Fundamental Species Traits Explain Provisioning Services of Tropical American Palms Rodrigo Cámara-Leret1*†, Søren Faurby2,3, Manuel J
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
LETTERS PUBLISHED: XX XX 2017 | VOLUME: 3 | ARTICLE NUMBER: 16220 Fundamental species traits explain provisioning services of tropical American palms Rodrigo Cámara-Leret1*†, Søren Faurby2,3, Manuel J. Macía4, Henrik Balslev1, Bastian Göldel1, Jens-Christian Svenning1, W. Daniel Kissling5, Nina Rønsted6 and C. Haris Saslis-Lagoudakis6 The well-being of the global human population rests on provi- Here, we explore the association of species’ traits with human sioning services delivered by 12% of the Earth’s ∼400,000 plant utilization by integrating three large datasets on ethnobotany, plant species1. Plant utilization by humans is influenced by traits and phylogeny. Our study area encompasses the western species traits2–4, but it is not well understood which traits Amazon, and the Andes and Chocó biodiversity hotspots, which underpin different human needs5. Here, we focus on palms together also support a large ethnic diversity (Fig. 1). We focus on (Arecaceae), one of the most economically important plant palms because they are one of the most useful and economically groups globally6, and show that provisioning services related important plant families in the tropics6. The study area is exception- to basic needs, such as food and medicine, show a strong link ally rich in palms and ranks second globally in palm diversity12. For to fundamental functional and geographic traits. We integrate the ethnobotanical dataset, we interviewed forest inhabitants about data from 2,201 interviews on plant utilization from three the uses of palms following a standard protocol13 during 18 months biomes in South America—spanning 68 communities, 43 of fieldwork, spanning a latitudinal gradient of 22°. This is the ethnic groups and 2,221 plant uses—with a dataset of four largest ethnobotanical documentation effort in the world for traits (leaf length, stem volume, fruit volume, geographic palms. We focus on the most important use categories that are range size) and a species-level phylogeny7. For all 208 palm key for the livelihoods of the rural population in our study area: species occurring in our study area, we test for relations Food, Construction, Culture and Medicine, as well as their respect- between their traits and perceived value. We find that people ive use subcategories14 (Supplementary Table 1). For each use cat- preferentially use large, widespread species rather than egory and subcategory, we calculated species’ relative frequency of small, narrow-ranged species, and that different traits are citation (RFC)15, an index that quantitatively assesses people’s con- linked to different uses. Further, plant size and geographic sensus about a species’ perceived value across our study region range size are stronger predictors of ecosystem service realiz- (Supplementary Table 2). Additionally, for all species in our study ation for palm services related to basic human needs than less- area, we compiled three functional traits that encapsulate the leaf– basic needs (for example, ritual). These findings suggest that height–seed (LHS) strategy scheme16 (leaf length, stem volume reliance on plant size and availability may have prevented our and fruit volume), as well as a key geographic trait (range size), optimal realization of wild-plant services, since ecologically describing a species’ availability. rare yet functionally important (for example, chemically) We tested the relation between 208 palm species’ traits and their clades may have been overlooked. Beyond expanding our RFC value for the different use categories using generalized linear understanding of how local people use biodiversity in mega- modelling (GLM). We found that different traits correlate with diverse regions, our trait- and phylogeny-based approach different uses (Supplementary Table 3a). For instance, important helps to understand the processes that underpin ecosystemSUPPLEMENTARYspecies used for Culture have INFORMATION big leaves and fruits, whereas species service realization, a necessary step to meet societal needs in used for Medicine have big leaves and are widespread. However, VOLUME: 3 | ARTICLE NUMBER: 16220 a changing world with a growing human population5,8. because each use category integrates informationLETTERS from various sub- Plant-based ecosystem services are crucial for satisfying human categories (Supplementary Table 1), and subcategories often contain In the format provided by the authors and unedited. PUBLISHED: XX XX 2017 | VOLUME: 3 | ARTICLE NUMBER: 16220 needs5,9. These services, including provisioning services such as different sets of species with different traits (for example, in food and medicine, can be associated with particular species’ Construction, not all species in the subcategory Thatch occur in traits that capture plant form and function10. For example, the subcategory Houses), we further explored correlations between humans have selected plant species with traits that maximize crop traits and the most important subcategories (Supplementary yield, such as large fruits or height3,4. Understanding which Fig. 1). We found that use subcategories were always related to speciesFundamental’ traits are linked to particular species human needs is important traitsfewer explain combinations of traits provisioning than use categories (for example, of for our efforts to maximize the resilience of ecosystem services in the three traits significantly associated with the Construction cat- servicesa changing world. Despite of previous tropical studies which address American this ques- egory, only one palms trait was significantly related to either subcategory). tion11, the absence of large-scale approaches—spanning a variety of Further, different subcategories within the same use category were localities, biomes, cultures and1 † biodiversity uses—2,3has precluded often related4 to different traits1 (for example, Houses1 –geographic ourRodrigo understanding Cámara-Leret of how species* , Søren’ traits Faurby govern the, delivery Manuel of J.range Macía vs. Thatch, Henrik–fruit Balslev volume in, BastianConstruction), Göldel and many, subcate- ecosystemJens-Christian services and Svenning fulfil human1, W. needs. Daniel Kissling5, Nina Rønstedgories were6 and never C. related Haris to any Saslis-Lagoudakis trait (for example, Cosmetic6 and The1Section well-being for Ecoinformatics of theglobal and Biodiversity, human Departmentpopulation of rests Bioscience, on provi- Aarhus University,Here, Nywe Munkegade explore the 114, association 8000 Aarhus of C, species Denmark.’ traits2Department with human of Biogeographysioning services and Global delivered Change, by Museo 12% Nacional of the de Earth Ciencias’s ∼ Naturales,400,000 CSIC,plant Calle José utilization Gutiérrez by Abascal integrating 2, 28006 three Madrid, large datasets Spain. 3Department on ethnobotany, of 1 Biologicalplant species and Environmental. Plant utilization Sciences, University by humans of Gothenburg, is influenced Box 461, by SE 405traits 30,Göteborg, and phylogeny. Sweden. 4 OurDepartamento study area de Biología, encompasses Área de the Botánica, western Universidadspecies traits Autónoma2–4, but de Madrid, it is not Calle well Darwin understood 2, 28049, Madrid, which Spain. traits5InstituteAmazon, for Biodiversity and the and Andes Ecosystem and Chocó Dynamics biodiversity (IBED), University hotspots, of which underpinAmsterdam, different PO Box 94248, human 1090 needs GE Amsterdam,5. Here, The we Netherlands. focus on palms6Evolutionarytogether Genomics also Section, support Natural a large History ethnic Museum diversity of Denmark, (Fig. 1). Faculty We focus of on Science,(Arecaceae), University one of Copenhagen, of the most Sølvgade economically 83S, 1307 Copenhagen important K, plant Denmark.palms†Present because address: they Royal are Botanic one of Gardens, the most Kew, useful Richmond and TW9 economically 3AB, UK. *groupse-mail: [email protected] globally6, and show that provisioning services related important plant families in the tropics6. The study area is exception- to basic needs, such as food and medicine, show a strong link ally rich in palms and ranks second globally in palm diversity12. For toNATURE fundamental PLANTS 3, 16220 functional (2017) | DOI: and 10.1038/nplants.2016.220 geographic traits.| www.nature.com/natureplants We integrate the ethnobotanical dataset, we interviewed forest inhabitants about1 data from 2,201 interviews on plant utilization from three the uses of palms following a standard protocol13 during 18 months biomes in South America—spanning 68 communities, 43 of fieldwork, spanning a latitudinal gradient of 22°. This is the ethnic groups and 2,221 plant uses—with a dataset of four largest ethnobotanical documentation effort in the world for traits (leaf length, stem volume, fruit volume, geographic palms. We focus on the most important use categories that are range size) and a species-level phylogeny7. For all 208 palm key for the livelihoods of the rural population in our study area: species occurring in our study area, we test for relations Food, Construction, Culture and Medicine, as well as their respect- between their traits and perceived value. We find that people ive use subcategories14 (Supplementary Table 1). For each use cat- preferentially use large, widespread species rather than egory and subcategory, we calculated species’ relative frequency of small, narrow-ranged species, and that different traits are citation (RFC)15, an index that quantitatively assesses people’s con- linked to different uses. Further, plant size and