Functional Group

A collection of organisms with similar functional trait attributes. Some authors use ‘Functional Type’ in the same way. Groups can be associated with similar responses to pressures and/or effects on ecosystem processes. A functional group is often referred to as a guild, especially when referring to animals, e.g. the feeding types of aquatic organisms having the same function within the trophic chain, e.g. the group (guild) of shredders or grazers.