Functional ecology to understand ecosystem dynamics in a changing world
Functional ecology aims to shed light on the links between the structure of organisms and their functions, from the scale of the individual to the ecosystem and planet Earth. The aim of this lecture is to present the main facets and stages of functional ecology, enabling mechanistic links to be established between changes in the environment, whether geographical or due to global change, and biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. These links are enabled by functional traits, the morphological, physiological, biochemical or reproductive characteristics of individuals determining their response to environmental variables and their effects on ecosystem functioning, such as nutrient recycling or trophic interactions. They also make it possible to establish and quantify relationships between changes in biodiversity and human well-being , via the effects of ecological communities on production and regulatory functions, and even on components of biodiversity with cultural value. The session will conclude with a Spotlight on the contributions of biodiversity to the adaptation of societies to climate change, and the implications for the management of landscape structure.
