Research Topic

Functional Biogeography

Functional biogeography is a multidisciplinary field that investigates the spatial distribution and ecological functioning of organisms in relation to environmental variables. It seeks to understand how biological traits and ecological processes vary across different geographic regions, and how these variations influence species interactions, ecosystem dynamics, and global biodiversity patterns. By integrating concepts from ecology, evolutionary biology, and geography, functional biogeography provides valuable insights into the functioning and resilience of ecosystems, enabling scientists to better comprehend the intricate connections between organisms and their environment, and aiding in the development of effective conservation strategies in the face of ongoing environmental changes.

In this framework I have initiated/participated in several research projects to map and disentangle the interplay between the spatial distribution of functional traits, functional rarity and conservation and some experimental approaches. I combined analysis of empirical datasets for many taxa both in terrestrial and marine habitats at local and global scales. This research has also resulted in producing review papers and integrated approaches.

Functional Rarity & Conservation

  1. Mouquet N., Mahaut L., Thuiller W., Auber A., Casajus N., Enquist B.J., Ga"uz`ere P., Loiseau N., Mouillot D., Munoz F., Villeger S., Violle C. (2025). Spatial Insurance of Distinct Ecological Functions. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/ele.70266

  2. Auber A., Waldock C., Maire A., Goberville E., Albouy C., Algar A.C., McLean M., Brind'Amour A., Green A.L., Tupper M., Vigliola L., Kaschner K., Kesner-Reyes K., Beger M., Tjiputra J., Toussaint A., Violle C., Mouquet N., Thuiller W., Mouillot D. (2022). A functional vulnerability framework for biodiversity conservation. Nature Communications, doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32331-y

  3. Loiseau N.*, Mouquet N.*, Casajus N., Grenie M., Gueguen M., Maitner B., Mouillot D., Ostling A., Renaud J., Tucker C.M., Velez L., Thuiller W., Violle C. (2020). Global distribution and conservation status of ecologically rare mammal and bird species. Nature Communications, doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18779-w (* These authors contributed equally to this work)

  4. Violle C., Thuiller W., Mouquet N., Munoz F., Kraft N.J.B., Cadotte M.W., Livingstone S.W., Grenie M. and Mouillot D. (2017). A Common Toolbox to Understand, Monitor or Manage Rarity? A Response to Carmona et al. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, doi:10.1016/j.tree.2017.10.001

  5. Violle C., Thuiller W., Mouquet N., Munoz F., Kraft N.J.B., Cadotte M.W., Livingstone S.W., Grenie M. and Mouillot D. (2017). Functional Rarity: The Ecology of Outliers. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 32, 356–367, doi:10.1016/j.tree.2017.02.002

  6. Mouillot D., Bellwood D.R., Baraloto C., Chave J., Galzin R., Harmelin-Vivien M., Kulbicki M., Lavergne S., Lavorel S., Mouquet N., Paine C.E.T., Renaud J., Thuiller W. (2013). Rare Species Support Vulnerable Functions in High-Diversity Ecosystems. PLoS Biology, doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001569

Mapping and Disentangling the Spatial Distribution of Functional Traits

  1. Mahaut L., Loiseau N., Villeger S., Auber A., Hautecoeur C., Maire A., Mellin C., Mouquet N., Stuart-Smith R.D., Violle C., Mouillot D. (2025). Functional diversity shapes the stability of reef fish biomass under global change. Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2025.0252

  2. Letessier T.B., Mouillot D., Mannocci L., Christ H.J., Elamin E.M., Elamin S.M., Friedlander A.M., Hearn A., Juhel J., Kleiven A.R., Moland E., Mouquet N., Kleiven P.J.N., Sala E., Thompson C.D.H., Velez L., Vigliola L., Meeuwig J.J. (2024). Divergent responses of pelagic and benthic fish body-size structure to remoteness and protection from humans. Science, doi.org/10.1126/science.adi7562

  3. Rault C., Leprieur F., Barbaro L., Kreft H., Mouquet N., Papaix J., Sekercio???lu C.H., Violle C., Barnagaud J. (2023). Trait-environment associations diverge between native and alien breeding bird assemblages on the world's oceanic islands. Global Ecology and Biogeography, doi.org/10.1111/geb.13729

  4. Langlois J., Guilhaumon F., Bockel T., Boissery P., Braga C.D.A., Deter J., Holon F., Marre G., Tribot A., Mouquet N. (2021). An integrated approach to estimate aesthetic and ecological values of coralligenous reefs. Ecological Indicators, doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107935

  5. Jordani M.X., Mouquet N., Casatti L., Menin M., Rossa-Feres D.d.C., Albert C.H. (2019). Intraspecific and interspecific trait variability in tadpole meta-communities from the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest. Ecology and Evolution, doi.org/10.1002/ece3.5031

  6. Doxa A., Holon F., Deter J., Villeger S., Boissery P., Mouquet N. (2015). Mapping biodiversity in three-dimensions challenges marine conservation strategies: The example of coralligenous assemblages in North-Western Mediterranean Sea. Ecological Indicators, doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2015.10.062

  7. Albouy C., Leprieur F., Le Loch F., Mouquet N., Meynard C.N., Douzery E.J.P. and Mouillot D. (2015). Projected impacts of climate warming on the functional and phylogenetic components of coastal Mediterranean fish biodiversity. Ecography, 38, 681–689, doi:10.1111/ecog.01254

  8. Guilhaumon F., Albouy C., Claudet J., Velez L., Lasram F.B.R., Tomasini J., Douzery E., Meynard C.N., Mouquet N., Troussellier M., Araujo M.B., Mouillot D. (2014). Representing taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity: new challenges for<scp>M</scp>editerranean marine-protected areas. Diversity and Distributions, doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12280

  9. Mazel F., Guilhaumon F., Mouquet N., Devictor V., Gravel D., Renaud J., Cianciaruso M.V., Loyola R., Diniz-Filho J.A.F., Mouillot D., Thuiller W. (2014). Multifaceted diversity-area relationships reveal global hotspots of mammalian species, trait and lineage diversity. Global Ecology and Biogeography, doi.org/10.1111/geb.12158

  10. Monnet A., Jiguet F., Meynard C.N., Mouillot D., Mouquet N., Thuiller W., Devictor V. (2014). Asynchrony of taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity in birds. Global Ecology and Biogeography, doi.org/10.1111/geb.12179

  11. Zupan L., Cabeza M., Maiorano L., Roquet C., Devictor V., Lavergne S., Mouillot D., Mouquet N., Renaud J. and Thuiller W. (2014). Spatial tch of phylogenetic diversity across three vertebrate groups and protected areas in Europe. Diversity and Distributions, 20, 674–685, doi:10.1111/ddi.12186

  12. Mouillot D., Albouy C., Guilhaumon F., Lasram F.B.R., Coll M., Devictor V., Meynard C.N., Pauly D., Tomasini J.A., Troussellier M., Velez L., Watson R., Douzery E., Mouquet N. (2011). Protected and Threatened Components of Fish Biodiversity in the Mediterranean Sea. Current Biology, doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2011.05.005

  13. Meynard C.N., Devictor V., Mouillot D., Thuiller W., Jiguet F., Mouquet N. (2011). Beyond taxonomic diversity patterns: how do , and components of bird functional and phylogenetic diversity respond to environmental gradients across France?. Global Ecology and Biogeography, doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00647.x

  14. Devictor V., Mouillot D., Meynard C.N., Jiguet F., Thuiller W., Mouquet N. (2010). Spatial mismatch and congruence between taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity: the need for integrative conservation strategies in a changing world. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2010.01493.x

Experimental Approaches

  1. Gray S.M., Poisot T., Harvey E., Mouquet N., Miller T.E., Gravel D. (2015). Temperature and trophic structure are driving microbial productivity along a biogeographical gradient. Ecography, doi.org/10.1111/ecog.01748

  2. Kadowaki K., Barbera C., Godsoe W., Delsuc F., Mouquet N. (2016). Predicting biotic interactions and their variability in a changing environment. Biology Letters, doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.1073

  3. Bouvier T., Venail P., Pommier T., Bouvier C., Barbera C. and Mouquet N. (2012). Contrasted Effects of Diversity and Immigration on Ecological Insurance in Marine Bacterioplankton Communities. PLoS ONE, 7, e37620, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0037620

Integrative Approaches & Reviews

  1. Flandrin U., Mouquet N., Loiseau N., Hautecoeur C., Maire E., McLean M., Sanchez L., Clausius E., Stuart-Smith R., Edgar G., Albouy C., Cinner J. & Mouillot D. (2026). Marine protected areas marginally offset anthropogenic declines in tropical reef fish contributions to nature and people. Nature Ecology & Evolution, doi.org/10.1038/s41559-026-03008-2

  2. Flandrin U., Mouillot D., Albouy C., Bejarano S., Casajus N., Cinner J.E., Edgar G.J., Ghilardi M., Leprieur F., Loiseau N., MacNeil A., Maire E., McLean M., Parravicini V., Pellissier L., Schiettekatte N.M.D., Stuart-Smith R.D., Villeger S., Mouquet N. (2024). Fish communities can simultaneously contribute to nature and people across the world's tropical reefs. One Earth, doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.09.011

  3. Mouillot D., Velez L., Albouy C., Casajus N., Claudet J., Delbar V., Devillers R., Letessier T.B., Loiseau N., Manel S., Mannocci L., Meeuwig J.J., Mouquet N., Nuno A., O'Connor L., Parravicini V., Renaud J., Seguin R., Troussellier M., Thuiller W. (2024). The socioeconomic and environmental niche of protected areas reveals global conservation gaps and opportunities. Nature Communications, doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53241-1

  4. Munoz F., Klausmeier C.A., Gauzere P., Kandlikar G.S., Litchman E., Mouquet N., Ostling A., Thuiller W., Algar A.C., Auber A., Cadotte M.W., Delalandre L., Denelle P., Enquist B.J., Fortunel C., Grenie M., Loiseau N., Mahaut L., Maire A., Mouillot D., Pimiento C., Violle C., Kraft N.J.B. (2023). The ecological causes of functional distinctiveness in communities. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/ele.14265

  5. Mouillot D., Loiseau N., Grenie M., Algar A.C., Allegra M., Cadotte M.W., Casajus N., Denelle P., Gueguen M., Maire A., Maitner B., McGill B.J., McLean M., Mouquet N., Munoz F., Thuiller W., Villeger S., Violle C., Auber A. (2021). The dimensionality and structure of species trait spaces. Ecology Letters, doi.org/10.1111/ele.13778

  6. Violle C., Thuiller W., Mouquet N., Munoz F., Kraft N.J.B., Cadotte M.W., Livingstone S.W., Mouillot D. (2017). Functional Rarity: The Ecology of Outliers. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2017.02.002

  7. Mouquet N., Lagadeuc Y., Devictor V., Doyen L., Duputie A., Eveillard D., Faure D., Garnier E., Gimenez O., Huneman P., Jabot F., Jarne P., Joly D., Julliard R., Kefi S., Kergoat G.J., Lavorel S., Gall L.L., Meslin L., Morand S., Morin X., Morlon H., Pinay G., Pradel R., Schurr F.M., Thuiller W., Loreau M. (2015). Predictive ecology in a changing world. Journal of Applied Ecology, doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12482

  8. Mouquet N., Devictor V., Meynard C.N., Munoz F., Bersier L., Chave J., Couteron P., Dalecky A., Fontaine C., Gravel D., Hardy O.J., Jabot F., Lavergne S., Leibold M.A., Mouillot D., Munkemuller T., Pavoine S., Prinzing A., Rodrigues A.S.L., Rohr R.P., Thebault E., Thuiller W. (2012). Ecophylogenetics: advances and perspectives. Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.2012.00224.x

Other topic pages

Aesthetics iconBiodiversity Aesthetics Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning iconBiodiversity & Ecosystem Functioning Biogeography iconBiogeography, Macroecology & Ecophylogenetics Experimental evolution iconExperimental Evolution Functional rarity iconFunctional Rarity Metacommunities iconMetacommunities Metaecosystems iconMetaecosystems Nature for Future iconNature for Future Reviews and synthesis iconReviews and Synthesis Trophic biogeography and metaweb iconTrophic Biogeography & Metaweb Biodiful iconBiodiful OutreachOutreach CollaboratorsCollaborators