Xenarthrans-anteaters, sloths, and armadillos-have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSpace and environment are fundamental in influencing the community structure. However, their relative influences vary according to species' biological characteristics. Here we test whether differences in life-history traits mainly linked to dispersal abilities influence bat, rodent and marsupial beta diversity along spatial and environmental gradients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMeasures of traits are the basis of functional biological diversity. Numerous works consider mean species-level measures of traits while ignoring individual variance within species. However, there is a large amount of variation within species and it is increasingly apparent that it is important to consider trait variation not only between species, but also within species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBats are the second most diverse mammal order and they provide vital ecosystem functions (e.g., pollination, seed dispersal, and nutrient flux in caves) and services (e.
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