Biogeography & Global Change

FUNCTIONAL BIOGEOGRAPHY

Functional biogeography is a multidisciplinary field that investigates the spatial distribution and ecological functioning of organisms in relation to environmental variables. It seeks to understand how biological traits and ecological processes vary across different geographic regions, and how these variations influence species interactions, ecosystem dynamics, and global biodiversity patterns. By integrating concepts from ecology, evolutionary biology, and geography, functional biogeography provides valuable insights into the functioning and resilience of ecosystems, enabling scientists to better comprehend the intricate connections between organisms and their environment, and aiding in the development of effective conservation strategies in the face of ongoing environmental changes (Violle et al. 2014).

In this framework I have initiated/participed to several research projects to map and disentangle the interplay between the spatial distribution of functional traits, functional rarity and conservation and some experimental approach. I combined analysis of empirical datasets for many taxa both in terrestrial and marine habitats at local and global scales. This research has also resulted in producing reviews papers and integrated approaches

Violle, C., P. B. Reich, S. W. Pacala, B. J. Enquist, and J. Kattge. 2014. The emergence and promise of functional biogeography. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 111:13690-13696.

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Global distribution of mammal and bird species considering only unglaciated areas. a-c number of ecologically rare and common mammals, and d-f distribution of total species richness, number of ecologically rare and common birds. From Loiseau, N. Mouquet et al. Nature Communication 2020.

Functional rarity & Conservation
Auber A, C Waldock, A Maire, E Goberville, C Albouy, A C Algar, M McLean, A BrindAmour, A L Green, M Tupper, L Vigliola, K Kaschner, K Kesner-Reyes, M Beger, J Tjiputra, A Toussaint, C Violle, N Mouquet, W Thuiller, and D Mouillot (2022) A functional vulnerability framework for biodiversity conservation. Nature Communications 13:4774
Loiseau N, Mouquet N, Casajus N, Grenie M, Gueguen M, Maitner B, Mouillot D, Ostling A, Renaud J, Tucker C, Velez L, Thuiller W, and Violle C. (2020) Global distribution and conservation status of ecologically rare mammal and bird species. Nature Communication, 11, 5071 doi:10.1038/s41467-020-18779-w. (* These authors contributed equally to this study)
Violle, C., Thuiller, W., Mouquet, N., Munoz F., Kraft N.J.B., Cadotte M.W., Livingstone S.W., Grenie M., Mouillot D. (2017). A Common Toolbox to Understand, Monitor or Manage Rarity? A Response to Carmona et al. Trends in Ecology and Evolution doi:10.1016/j.tree.2017.10.001
Violle, C., Thuiller, W., Mouquet, N., Munoz F., Kraft N.J.B., Cadotte M.W., Livingstone S.W., Grenie M., Mouillot D. (2017). Functional Rarity: The Ecology of Outliers. Trends in Ecology and Evolution,32,356-367, doi:10.1016/j.tree.2017.02.002
Mouillot, D., Bellwood, D.R., Baraloto, C., Chave, J., Galzin, R., Harmelin-Vivien, M., Kulbicki, M., Lavergne, L., Lavorel, S., Mouquet, N., Paine, C.E.T., Renaud, J. and Thuiller, T. (2013). Rare Species Support Vulnerable Functions in High- Diversity Ecosystems . PLoS Biology, 11, e1001569, doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001569

Mapping and disentangling the interplay between the spatial distribution of functional traits
Letessier T.B., Mouillot D., Mannocci L., Jabour Christ H., Elamin Mohammed E., Mohamed Elamin S., Friedlander A.M., Alex Hearn. A., Juhel J.B., Ring Kleiven A., Moland E., Mouquet N., Nillos-Kleiven P.J., Sala E., Thompson C.D.H., Velez L., Vigliola, L., Meeuwig J.J. (2024) Divergent responses of pelagic and benthic fish body-size structure to remoteness and protection from humans Science, 383, 976:982. DOI:10.1126/science.adi7562
Rault C,Leprieur F, Barbaro L, Kreft H, Mouquet N, Papaix J, Cagan HS, Violle C & Barnagaud JY (2023) Trait-environment associations diverge between native and alien breeding bird assemblages on the world's oceanic islands Global Ecology and Biogeography, DOI:10.1111/geb.13729
Doxa, A., Holon, F., Deter, J., Villeger, S., Boissery, P. and Mouquet N. (2016). Mapping biodiversity in three-dimensions challenges marine conservation strategies: The example of coralligenous assemblages in North-Western Mediterranean Sea. Ecological Indicators, 61, 1042-1054, doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.10.062
Albouy, C., Leprieur, F., Le Loch, F., Mouquet N., Meynard, C.N., Douzery, E.J.P. and Mouillot, D. (2015). Projected impacts of climate warming on the functional and phylogenetic components of coastal Mediterranean fish biodiversity. Ecography, 38, 681-689, doi: 10.1111/ecog.01254
Guilhaumon, F., Albouy, C., Claudet, J., Velez, L., Lasram, F.B., Tomasini, J.A., Douzery, E.J.P., Meynard, C.N., Mouquet N., Troussellier, M., Araujo, M.B., Mouillot, D. (2015). Representing taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity: new challenges for Mediterranean marine-protected areas. Diversity and Distributions, 21, 175-187, doi:10.1111/ddi.12280
Mazel, F., Guilhaumon, F., Mouquet N., Devictor, V., Gravel, D., Renaud, J., Cianciaruso, M.V., Loyola, R., Diniz-Filho, J.A.F., Mouillot, D., and Thuiller, W. (2014). Multifaceted diversity-area relationships reveal global hotspots of mammalian species, trait and lineage diversity. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 23, 836-847, doi:10.1111/geb.12158
Monnet, A.C., Jiguet, F., Meynard, C.N., Mouillot, D., Mouquet N., Thuiller, W. et al. (2014). Asynchrony of taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity in birds. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 23, 780-788, doi:10.1111/geb.12179
Zupan, L., Cabeza, M., Maiorano, L., Roquet, C., Devictor, V., Lavergne, S., Mouillot, D., Mouquet N., Julien Renaud, J., and Thuiller, W. (2014). Spatial mismatch of phylogenetic diversity across three vertebrate groups and protected areas in Europe. Diversity and Distributions, 20, 674-685, doi:10.1111/ddi.12186
Meynard C.N., Mouillot D., Mouquet N. and Douzery E.J.P. (2012). A Phylogenetic Perspective on the Evolution of Mediterranean Teleost Fishes. PLoS ONE, 7, e36443, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0036443
Mouillot D., Albouy C., Guilhaumon F., Lasram F.B.R., Coll M., Devictor V., Meynard C.N., Pauly D., Tomasini J.A., Troussellier M., Velez L., Watson R., Douzery E.J.P. and Mouquet N. (2011). Protected and Threatened Components of Fish Biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea. Current Biology, 21,1044-1050, doi:10.1016/j.cub.2011.05.005
Meynard C.N., Devictor V., Mouillot D., Thuiller W., Jiguet F. and Mouquet N. (2011). Beyond taxonomic diversity patterns: how do alpha, beta and gamma components of bird functional and phylogenetic diversity respond to environmental gradients across France ? Global Ecology and Biogeograhy, 20, 893-903, doi:10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00647.x
Devictor V., Mouillot D., Meynard C.N., Jiguet F., Thuiller W., and Mouquet N. (2010). Spatial mismatch and congruence between taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity: the need for integrative conservation strategies in a changing world. Ecology Letters, 13, 1030-1040, doi:10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01493.x

Experimental functional biogeography
Gray, S.M., Poisot, T., Harvey, E.,Mouquet, N., Miller, T.E. and Gravel, D. (2016). Temperature and trophic structure are driving microbial productivity along a biogeographical gradient Ecography, 39,981-989, doi:10.1111/ecog.01748
Kadowaki, K., Barbera, C.G., Godsoe, W., Delsuc, F.,Mouquet, N.(2016). Predicting biotic interactions and their variability in a changing environment. Biology letters, doi:10.1098/rsbl.2015.1073
Bouvier T., Venail P., Pommier T.,Bouvier C., Barbera C., and Mouquet N. (2012). Contrasted Effects of Diversity and Immigration on Ecological Insurance in Marine Bacterioplankton Communities. PLoS ONE, 7, e37620, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0037620

Integrative approaches & Reviews
Flandrin U., Mouillot D., Albouy C., Bejarano S., Casajus C., Cinner J., Edgar G., Ghilardi M, Leprieur L., Loiseau L., MacNeil A., Maire E., McLean M., Parravicini V., Pellissier L., Schiettekatte N., Stuart-Smith R., Villeger S. & Mouquet N. (2024) Fish communities can simultaneously contribute to nature and people across the worlds tropical reefs One Earth 7, 1772–1785. DOI:10.1016/j.oneear.2024.09.011/
Mouillot D., Velez L., Albouy C., Casajus N., Claudet J., Delbar V., Devillers R., Letessier T.B., Loiseau N., Manel M., Mannocci L., Meeuwig J., Mouquet N., Nuno A., OConnor L., Parravicini P., Renaud J., Seguin R.,Troussellier T. & Thuiller W. (2024) The socioeconomic and environmental niche of protected areas reveals global conservation gaps and opportunities Nature Communications 15:9007. DOI:10.1038/s41467-024-53241-1
Munoz F, Klausmeier CA, Gauzere P, Kandlikar PG, Litchman E, Mouquet N, Ostling A, Thuiller W, Algar AC, Auber A, Cadotte MW, Delalandre L, Denelle P, Enquist BJ, Fortunel C, Grenie M, Loiseau N, Mahaut L, Maire A, Mouillot D, Pimiento C, Violle C, and Kraft NJB (2023) The ecological causes of functional distinctiveness in communities Ecology Letters, DOI:10.1111/ele.14265
Mouillot D, Loiseau N, Grenie M, Algar AC, Allegra M, Cadotte MW, Casajus N, Denelle P, Gueguen N, Maire A, Maitner M, McGill BJ, McLean M, Mouquet N, Munoz F, Thuiller T, Villeger S, Violle C and, Auber A (2021) The dimensionality and structure of species trait spaces. Ecology Letters, doi:10.1111/ele.13778
Violle, C., Thuiller, W., Mouquet, N., Munoz F., Kraft N.J.B., Cadotte M.W., Livingstone S.W., Grenie M., Mouillot D. (2017). Functional Rarity: The Ecology of Outliers. Trends in Ecology and Evolution,32,356-367, doi:10.1016/j.tree.2017.02.002
Mouquet N. , Lagadeuc, Y., Devictor, V., Doyen, L., Duputie, A., Eveillard, D., Faure, D., Garnier, E., Gimenez, O., Huneman, P., Jabot, F., Jarne, P., Joly, D., Julliard, R., Kefi, S., Kergoat, G.J., Lavorel, S., Le Gall, L., Meslin, L., Morand, S., Morin, X., Morlon, H., Pinay, G., Pradel, R., Schurr, F.M., Thuiller, W. and Loreau, M. (2015). Predictive Ecology in a Changing World. Journal of Applied Ecology, 52, 1293-1310, doi:10.1111/1365-2664.12482
Mouquet N., Devictor V., Meynard C.N., Munoz F., Bersier L.F., Chave J., Couteron P., Dalecky A., Fontaine C., Gravel D., Hardy O.J., Jabot F., Lavergne S., Leibold M., Mouillot D., Munkemuller T., Pavoine S., Prinzing A., Rodrigues A.S.L., Rohr R.P., Thebault E. and Thuiller W. (2012). Ecophylogenetics: advances and perspectives. Biological Reviews, 87, 769-785, doi:10.1111/j.1469-185X.2012.00224.x