About this Research Topic
Ecosystems are grouped into globally-distributed biomes according to structural characteristics and assumed relationships with abiotic drivers. However, as global datasets and data synthesis becomes commonplace, the studies that emerge indicate that disjunct biomes across continents may differ functionally or occupy different climate space. These differences may result from divergent evolutionary and biogeographic histories of species and ecosystems in different regions. Are biomes still a convenient framework for organizing our understanding of biodiversity? What factors determine the functional differences among and within biomes, and at what spatial, temporal, and phylogenetic scales are those drivers most important? How can we better represent the functional characteristics and dynamics of ecosystems? The aim of this Research Topic is to highlight the latest discussions and research on biomes, and to draw in a wide range of approaches spanning from macroecology and phylogeography to remote sensing and modelling ecosystem responses to global change.
Keywords: Biome, ecosystem function, functional traits, vegetation, evolutionary history
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