| Across the globe, biodiversity loss is occurring at an unprecedented rate. Rare species are especially susceptible to extinction, given that they typically have small population sizes and restricted geographic ranges, are less adaptable to disturbances, and are greater habitat specialists. However, while rare species may be prone to extinction, it remains unclear whether the loss of rare species is important to ecosystem function. In addition, it is important to consider the way in which rarity is defined, given that there are multiple definitions of rarity based on a species' geographic range, habitat specificity, and abundance in a community. Therefore, to better understand the contribution of rare species to community function, our study has... |
