Novel community data in ecology - properties and prospects

Florian Hartig, Nerea Abrego, Alex Bush, Jonathan M. Chase, Gurutzeta Guillera-Arroita, Mathew A. Leibold, Otso Ovaskainen, Loïc Pellissier, Maximilian Pichler, Giovanni Poggiato, Laura Pollock, Sara Si-Moussi, Wilfried Thuiller, Duarte S. Viana, David I. Warton, Damaris Zurell, Douglas W. Yu

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

New technologies for monitoring biodiversity such as environmental (e)DNA, passive acoustic monitoring, and optical sensors promise to generate automated spatiotemporal community observations at unprecedented scales and resolutions. Here, we introduce ‘novel community data’ as an umbrella term for these data. We review the emerging field around novel community data, focusing on new ecological questions that could be addressed; the analytical tools available or needed to make best use of these data; and the potential implications of these developments for policy and conservation. We conclude that novel community data offer many opportunities to advance our understanding of fundamental ecological processes, including community assembly, biotic interactions, micro- and macroevolution, and overall ecosystem functioning.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)280-293
Number of pages14
JournalTrends in Ecology and Evolution
Volume39
Issue number3
Early online date8 Nov 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2024

Keywords

  • q-bio.PE
  • joint species distribution models (jSDMs)
  • community ecology
  • passive acoustic monitoring
  • macroecology
  • camera traps
  • environmental DNA (eDNA)

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