A trait database for southern African freshwater invertebrates

Abstract

Invertebrates are often used as indicators of ecosystem health. In community ecology, the use of organism traits (e.g. behavioural, biological or ecological) can be of value in relation to impact diagnosis and assemblage prediction. It has also been recognised that certain traits are related to ecosystem function, and their use in biological monitoring provide insights into ecosystem functional responses to stressors. However, the paucity of trait information and non-availability of a local trait database for southern African invertebrates impede progress in using this approach for biological monitoring. To address this critical gap, we compiled an updateable trait database for southern African freshwater invertebrates. The database contains information on 40 trait categories and 204 trait attribute/modalities. Of the 40 trait categories included in the database, 12 are biological, 12 are behavioural, and 16 are ecological preferences. The database is designed to accommodate taxonomic flexibility. In this regard, trait information is entered at multiple taxonomic levels: family, genus, and species, allowing researchers working at different taxonomic resolutions to retrieve relevant information. While there are still gaps in the database, this effort represents the first attempt to synthesise available trait information on southern African freshwater invertebrates.