Functional hotspots#
Description#
Functional hotspots: This macro-criterion refers to areas that are important for the provision of a discrete ecological function (e.g., Carbon storage, photosynthetic production) or areas where key ecological functions are concentrated (e.g., productivity). Internal criteria for functional hotspots are the presence of key functional species (e.g., apex predators, primary producers or other specific trophic group, functionally rare species, Grenié et al., 2018), key functional areas (e.g., Carbon sink and source areas), functionally representative areas (areas with many critical/key functions) and food web structure (complexity, length, interactions). The strategy for addressing functional hotspots is mainly based on functional diversity and trophic ecology approaches and metrics (D3.4).