AIM: Functional traits are a crucial link between species distributions and the ecosystem processes that structure those species’ niches. Concurrent increases in the availability of functional trait data and our ability to model species distributions present an opportunity to develop functional trait biogeography (i.e., the mapping of functional traits across space). Functional trait biogeography can improve process‐based predictions about the resistance of certain species assemblages to changing environmental conditions across landscape scales. We illustrate this concept by developing the first trait‐based, quantitative ranking of fire resistance (adult tree survival) in North American conifer species and mapping that fire resistance across space. LOCATION AND TIME PERIOD: Western continental USA, present day. MAJOR TAXA STUDIED: Twenty‐nine common conifer tree species. METHODS: We compiled six traits for each species: three relating to tree morphology and three relating to litter flammability. We combined these traits into a single fire resistance score and used community‐weighted averaging to estimate the fire resistance scores of different forest communities, using interpolated species distribution and relative abundance data. RESULTS: Species associated historically with frequent fire have high fire resistance scores (e.g., Pinus ponderosa), reflected by thick bark, tall crowns and flammable litter. Species associated with subalpine or arid conditions have low fire resistance scores (e.g., Picea engelmannii and Pinus edulis), reflected by thin bark, short stature, poor self‐pruning and low litter flammability. A map of forest community fire resistance across the western USA reveals agreement with independent assessments of historical fire regimes, while also identifying areas where community‐wide species traits might be mismatched with historical fire regimes. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Quantifying the functional traits that confer resistance to tree‐killing fire provides a direct link between ecosystem disturbance and community resistance. Understanding this link is crucial to evaluation of the long‐term resilience of different forest types under dynamic fire regimes. Our work represents the first known spatial representation of fire resistance traits at a regional scale and, as such, provides a link between functional traits and biogeography relevant to a critical ecosystem process.

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美国西部针叶林火灾状况的生物地理学：基于特征的方法

目的：功能性状是物种分布与构成这些物种生态位的生态系统过程之间的关键联系。功能性状数据的可用性和我们对物种分布建模的能力同时增加，为开发功能性状生物地理学（即跨空间的功能性状映射）提供了机会。功能性状生物地理学可以改进基于过程的预测，即某些物种组合对跨景观尺度不断变化的环境条件的抵抗力。我们通过开发北美针叶树物种的第一个基于特征的耐火性（成年树存活率）的定量排名并绘制整个空间的耐火性来说明这一概念。地点和时间段：美国西部大陆，今天。研究的主要类群：二十九种常见的针叶树种。方法：我们为每个物种编制了六个特征：三个与树木形态有关，三个与凋落物可燃性有关。我们将这些特性组合成一个单一的耐火分数，并使用群落加权平均来估计不同森林群落的耐火分数，使用插值的物种分布和相对丰度数据。结果：历史上与频繁火灾相关的物种具有高耐火性评分（例如，黄松），表现为厚厚的树皮、高大的树冠和易燃的垫料。与亚高山或干旱条件相关的物种具有较低的耐火性评分（例如，Picea engelmannii 和 Pinus edulis），表现为树皮薄、身材矮小、自修剪能力差和凋落物可燃性低。美国西部森林社区防火地图显示与历史火灾状况的独立评估一致，同时还确定了社区范围内的物种特征可能与历史火灾状况不匹配的区域。主要结论：量化赋予对林火抗性的功能特征提供了生态系统干扰和社区抗性之间的直接联系。了解这种联系对于评估动态火灾状况下不同森林类型的长期恢复力至关重要。我们的工作代表了区域尺度上第一个已知的耐火特性的空间表示，因此，提供了与关键生态系统过程相关的功能特性和生物地理学之间的联系。