All traits are functional: an evolutionary viewpoint
All traits are functional: an evolutionary viewpoint
- Trends in Plant Science, 26(7), p.674-676, 2021 .
There is increasing confusion regarding the term 'functional trait' and its links with ecosystem functioning. Functional traits are defined as traits that affect individual fitness. I use an evolutionary rationale that considers the integration of the phenotype, the environmental variation, and the relationship between both, to propose that all traits are functional.
There is increasing confusion regarding the term 'functional trait' and its links with ecosystem functioning. Functional traits are defined as traits that affect individual fitness. I use an evolutionary rationale that considers the integration of the phenotype, the environmental variation, and the relationship between both, to propose that all traits are functional.