The neglected importance of floral traits in trait‐based plant community assembly

Abstract

Aims: Floral traits are frequently studied in population biology and evolutionary ecology but are rarely considered in functional trait-based studies focusing on the assembly of communities. We address this gap in trait-based community assembly by synthesizing the existing literature on processes driving floral and pollination-related trait patterns at community scales. We highlight limitations of the field due to lack of data and suggest potential directions of future research. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search collating studies that investigated floral traits in the context of plant community assembly, which allowed us to synthesize the current state of the art and point out important gaps in our knowledge. Conclusions: The literature review shows that including pollination-related traits in community assembly studies can shed new light on species coexistence patterns not accounted for by other types of traits. The synthesis presented here shows the diversity of approaches and existing techniques which can generate a step forward in this open field of research. What currently seems to hinder comprehensive analyses of floral traits at community levels is the lack of data, particularly in existing large repositories for traits worldwide, as well as a gap in linking modern coexistence theory with floral traits.