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Extensive gaps and biases in our knowledge of a well-known fauna: implications for integrating biological traits into macroecology
Tyler, E.H.M.; Somerfield, P.J.; Vanden Berghe, E.; Bremmer, J.; Jackson, E.; Langmead, O.; Palomares, M.L.D.; Webb, T.J. (2012). Extensive gaps and biases in our knowledge of a well-known fauna: implications for integrating biological traits into macroecology. Glob. Ecol. Biogeogr. 21(9): 922-934. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2011.00726.x
In: Global Ecology and Biogeography. Blackwell Science: Oxford. ISSN 1466-822X; e-ISSN 1466-8238
Peer reviewed article  
Available in  Authors 
Keywords
    Biodiversity
    Ecosystems
    Fisheries > Demersal fisheries
    Missing data
    United Kingdom
    Marine/Coastal
Author keywords
    Benthic invertebrates; Biological traits analysis; Demersal fishes: Ecosystem function; Functional traits; Marine biodiversity; Marine macroecology
Authors  Top 
  • Tyler, E.H.M.
  • Somerfield, P.J.
  • Vanden Berghe, E., more
  • Bremmer, J.
  • Jackson, E.
  • Langmead, O.
  • Palomares, M.L.D.
  • Webb, T.J., more
Abstract
    Aim Ecologists seeking to describe patterns at ever larger scales require compilations of data on the global abundance and distribution of species. Comparable compilations of biological data are needed to elucidate the mechanisms behind these patterns, but have received far less attention. We assess the availability of biological data across an entire assemblage: the well-documented demersal marine fauna of the United Kingdom. We also test whether data availability for a species depends on its taxonomic group, maximum body size, the number of times it has been recorded in a global biogeographic database, or its commercial and conservation importance.Location Seas of the United Kingdom.Methods We defined a demersal marine fauna of 973 species from 15 phyla and 40 classes using five extensive surveys around the British Isles. We then quantified the availability of data on eight key biological traits (termed biological knowledge) for each species from online databases. Relationships between biological knowledge and our predictors were tested with generalized linear models.Results Full data on eight fundamental biological traits exist for only 9% (n = 88) of the UK demersal marine fauna, and 20% of species completely lack data. Clear trends in our knowledge exist: fish (median biological knowledge score = six traits) are much better known than invertebrates (one trait). Biological knowledge increases with biogeographic knowledge and (to a lesser extent) with body size, and is greater in species that are commercially exploited or of conservation concern.Main conclusions Our analysis reveals deep ignorance of the basic biology of a well-studied fauna, highlighting the need for far greater efforts to compile biological trait data. Clear biases in our knowledge, relating to how well sampled or ‘important’ species are suggests that caution is required in extrapolating small subsets of biologically well-known species to ecosystem-level studies.
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