Abstract:
Large terrestrial carnivores are important ecological components and prominent
flagship species, but are often extinction prone owing to a combination
of biological traits and high levels of human persecution. This study combines
phylogenetic and functional diversity evaluations of global and
continental large carnivore assemblages to provide a framework for conservation
prioritization both between and within assemblages. Species-rich
assemblages of large carnivores simultaneously had high phylogenetic
and functional diversity, but species contributions to phylogenetic and functional
diversity components were not positively correlated. The results
further provide ecological justification for the largest carnivore species as
a focus for conservation action, and suggests that range contraction is a
likely cause of diminishing carnivore ecosystem function. This study highlights
that preserving species-rich carnivore assemblages will capture both
high phylogenetic and functional diversity, but that prioritizing species
within assemblages will involve trade-offs between optimizing contemporary
ecosystem function versus the evolutionary potential for future
ecosystem performance.
