Figure I (Box 1).

Functional rarity types in local communities are assessed in both abundance and trait space by combining the classical view of taxonomic rarity and the modern view of trait rarity. Using a 10-individual community of 4 species, we highlight different facets of functional rarity integrated into a single framework. The 4 species correspond to archetypal situations at the extremes of the abundance scarcity and functional distinctiveness gradients, species A being the ecological outlier (highest functional rarity value) in the community, while species C is the ecological norm (lowest functional rarity value).