Select (Q150567)

The objective of these functions is to derive a species assemblage that satisfies a functional trait profile. Restoring resilient ecosystems requires a flexible framework for selecting assemblages that are based on the functional traits of species. However, current trait-based models have been limited to algorithms that can only select species by optimising specific trait values, and could not elegantly accommodate the common desire among restoration ecologists to produce functionally diverse assemblages. We have solved this problem by applying a non-linear optimisation algorithm that optimises Rao Q, a closed-form functional trait diversity index that incorporates species abundances, subject to other linear constraints. This framework generalises previous models that only optimised the entropy of the community, and can optimise both functional diversity and entropy simultaneously. This package can also be used to generate experimental assemblages to test the effects of community-level traits on community dynamics and ecosystem function. The method is based on theory discussed in Laughlin (2014, Ecology Letters) and Laughlin et al. (2018, Methods in Ecology and Evolution).