AIM: The Hutchinsonian niche is a foundational concept in ecology and evolutionary biology that describes fundamental characteristics of any species: the global maximum population growth rate (rₘₐₓ); the niche optimum (the environment for which rₘₐₓ is reached); and the niche width (the environmental range for which intrinsic population growth rates are positive). We examine whether these characteristics are related to inter‐ and intraspecific variation in functional traits. LOCATION: Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. TIME PERIOD: Present day. MAJOR TAXA STUDIED: Twenty‐six plant species (Proteaceae). METHODS: We measured leaf, plant‐architectural and seed traits across species geographical ranges. We then examined how species‐mean traits are related to demographically derived niche characteristics of rₘₐₓ, in addition to niche optima and widths in five environmental dimensions, and how intraspecific trait variation is related to niche widths. RESULTS: Interspecific trait variation generally exceeded range‐wide intraspecific trait variation. Species‐mean trait values were associated with variation in rₘₐₓ (R² = 0.27) but were more strongly related to niche optima (mean R² = 0.56). These relationships generally matched trait–environment associations described in the literature. Both species‐mean traits and intraspecific trait variability were strongly related to niche widths (R² = 0.66 and 0.59, respectively). Moreover, niche widths increased with intraspecific trait variability. Overall, the different niche characteristics were associated with few, largely non‐overlapping sets of traits. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Our study relating functional traits to Hutchinsonian niches demonstrates that key demographic properties of species relate to few traits with relatively strong effects. Our results further support the hypothesis that intraspecific trait variation increases species niche widths. Given that niche characteristics were related to distinct sets of traits, different aspects of environmental change might affect axes of trait variation independently. Trait‐based studies of Hutchinsonian niches thus yield important insights into the mechanisms shaping functional biodiversity, which should reinforce the role of traits in functional biogeography.

中文翻译：

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功能特征解释了植物物种的哈钦森生态位

目标：哈钦森生态位是生态学和进化生物学中的一个基本概念，它描述了任何物种的基本特征：全球最大人口增长率 (rₘₐₓ)；生态位最优（达到 rₘₐₓ 的环境）；和生态位宽度（内在人口增长率为正的环境范围）。我们检查这些特征是否与功能性状的种间和种内变异有关。地点：南非开普植物区。时间段：现在。研究的主要分类群：26 种植物（变形虫科）。方法：我们测量了物种地理范围内的叶子、植物结构和种子特性。然后，我们研究了物种均值特征如何与 rₘₐₓ 的人口统计衍生的生态位特征相关，除了五个环境维度的生态位最优和宽度，以及种内性状变异如何与生态位宽度相关。结果：种间性状变异通常超过范围广泛的种内性状变异。物种平均性状值与 rₘₐₓ 的变化相关（R² = 0.27），但与生态位最优（平均 R² = 0.56）的相关性更强。这些关系通常与文献中描述的特征-环境关联相匹配。物种平均性状和种内性状变异都与生态位宽度密切相关（分别为 R² = 0.66 和 0.59）。此外，生态位宽度随着种内性状变异而增加。总体而言，不同的生态位特征与很少的、基本上不重叠的特征集相关。主要结论：我们将功能特征与哈钦森生态位相关联的研究表明，物种的关键人口统计特性与具有相对较强影响的少数特征相关。我们的结果进一步支持了种内性状变异增加物种生态位宽度的假设。鉴于生态位特征与不同的性状集有关，环境变化的不同方面可能会独立影响性状变异的轴。因此，基于特征的哈钦森生态位研究对塑造功能生物多样性的机制产生了重要的见解，这应该加强特征在功能生物地理学中的作用。我们的结果进一步支持了种内性状变异增加物种生态位宽度的假设。鉴于生态位特征与不同的性状集有关，环境变化的不同方面可能会独立影响性状变异的轴。因此，基于特征的哈钦森生态位研究对塑造功能生物多样性的机制产生了重要的见解，这应该加强特征在功能生物地理学中的作用。我们的结果进一步支持了种内性状变异增加物种生态位宽度的假设。鉴于生态位特征与不同的性状集有关，环境变化的不同方面可能会独立影响性状变异的轴。因此，基于特征的哈钦森生态位研究对塑造功能生物多样性的机制产生了重要的见解，这应该加强特征在功能生物地理学中的作用。