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Significance Mammals live in habitats compatible with their locomotor traits. We show that the functional relationship between traits and the environment can be a tool for reconstructing ancient vegetation cover… Click to show full abstract
Significance Mammals live in habitats compatible with their locomotor traits. We show that the functional relationship between traits and the environment can be a tool for reconstructing ancient vegetation cover and identifying areas of mismatch between traits and land cover. We demonstrate that these tools are stronger with a more completely sampled community, examining models of species at both the primary consumer (herbivore) and secondary consumer (carnivore) trophic levels. Metrics for evaluating trait-environment relationships over time have the potential to inform strategies for restoring functional relationships in ecosystems and prioritizing functionally intact areas for conservation.
Journal Title: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Year Published: 2023
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