Integrating clade-based perspectives into studies of community ecology

Biogeographic and evolutionary perspectives are consistently being integrated into studies of community and ecosystem ecology. Yet, moving beyond studying the evolution of ecological traits and relationships among coexisting species—by relating whole-clade patterns of biogeography and phylogeny to patterns of community structure—will provide a more mechanistic understanding of the evolutionary drivers of community structure and function. Using Poaceae (grasses), the defining clade of grasslands, I illustrate how incorporating functional and biogeographic knowledge of entire clades can shed light on patterns of phylogenetic and functional diversity at the scale of communities.