DOI: 10.5061/dryad.0d1s343
title: Data from: Functional diversity and composition of Caatinga woody flora are negatively impacted by chronic anthropogenic disturbance

description: Tropical plant assemblages can be taxonomically and phylogenetically
 impoverished by chronic anthropogenic disturbance (CAD), such as firewood
 collection and extensive grazing. However, to what extent the functional
 dimension responds to CAD is still unclear. Such knowledge is urgently
 required for predicting, preventing or even reversing the impacts of CAD.
 Chronic anthropogenic disturbance may operate as an ecological filter by
 selecting functional trait values (e.g. low wood density), thereby
 altering the functional composition and diversity of plant assemblages. We
 tested this hypothesis using 29 woody plant assemblages across three
 ontogenetic stages (seedlings, saplings and adults) in a 220‐km2 landscape
 of the Caatinga, northeast Brazil. We adopted a CAD index consisting of
 four indicators (proximity to urban centre and houses and the density of
 both people and livestock) and tested how well it explained the functional
 diversity and effect sizes (richness, evenness and dispersion) and
 composition (community‐weighted mean). Chronic anthropogenic disturbance
 affected several functional metrics across the three ontogenetic stages.
 However, CAD effects were stronger in adult communities by negatively
 affecting functional richness, dispersion and their effect sizes. CAD also
 altered the functional composition of leaf mass per area, woody density
 and leaf area of adult assemblages. Sapling communities were affected in
 terms of functional composition (leaf area, leaf dry matter and wood
 density), with positive and negative effects, while seedling assemblages
 responded positively to CAD only in terms of functional evenness and its
 effect size. Some changes in functional metrics were influenced by
 dominant Euphorbiaceae species across ontogenetic stages, especially in
 terms of leaf area and woody density. Synthesis. Chronic anthropogenic
 disturbance is an important driver of plant‐community functional
 organization across ontogenetic stages in the Caatinga. Adult assemblages
 are particularly sensitive and tend to lose functional niche space and
 support more acquisitive rather than conservative strategies as chronic
 anthropogenic disturbance increases. The proliferation of Euphorbiaceae
 disturbance‐adapted species can explain part of the community responses to
 chronic anthropogenic disturbance. Our findings highlight the ecological
 effects of chronic anthropogenic disturbance and show that it is a key
 influence on tropical biotas. Changes in plant functional traits
 associated with plant resource use are likely to affect ecosystem
 functioning and services provided by Caatinga.
description: Data base describing the
 functional traits measured and species/abundance data for wood species
 from Brazilian CaatingaData base describing the
 functional traits measured and species/abundance data for wood species
 from Brazilian Caatinga. Ribeiro et al. 2019 - Functional diversity and
 composition of Caatinga woody flora are negatively impacted by chronic
 anthropogenic disturbance. Journal of EcologyRibeiro et al
 2019_JEcol_database.xlsx