Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning relations in European forests depend on environmental context

The importance of biodiversity in supporting ecosystem functioning is generally well accepted. However, most evidence comes from small‐scale studies, and scaling‐up patterns of biodiversity–ecosystem functioning (B‐EF) remains challenging, in part because the importance of environmental factors in s...

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Published in:Ecology letters Vol. 20; no. 11; pp. 1414 - 1426
Main Authors: Ratcliffe, Sophia, Wirth, Christian, Jucker, Tommaso, der Plas, Fons, Scherer‐Lorenzen, Michael, Verheyen, Kris, Allan, Eric, Benavides, Raquel, Bruelheide, Helge, Ohse, Bettina, Paquette, Alain, Ampoorter, Evy, Bastias, Cristina C., Bauhus, Jürgen, Bonal, Damien, Bouriaud, Olivier, Bussotti, Filippo, Carnol, Monique, Castagneyrol, Bastien, Chećko, Ewa, Dawud, Seid Muhie, Wandeler, Hans De, Domisch, Timo, Finér, Leena, Fischer, Markus, Fotelli, Mariangela, Gessler, Arthur, Granier, André, Grossiord, Charlotte, Guyot, Virginie, Haase, Josephine, Hättenschwiler, Stephan, Jactel, Hervé, Jaroszewicz, Bogdan, Joly, François‐Xavier, Kambach, Stephan, Kolb, Simon, Koricheva, Julia, Liebersgesell, Mario, Milligan, Harriet, Müller, Sandra, Muys, Bart, Nguyen, Diem, Nock, Charles, Pollastrini, Martina, Purschke, Oliver, Radoglou, Kalliopi, Raulund‐Rasmussen, Karsten, Roger, Fabian, Ruiz‐Benito, Paloma, Seidl, Rupert, Selvi, Federico, Seiferling, Ian, Stenlid, Jan, Valladares, Fernando, Vesterdal, Lars, Baeten, Lander, Bardgett, Richard
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2017
Wiley
Subjects:
BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Biodiversity
Biologie végétale (sciences végétales, sylviculture, mycologie...)
Climate
Climate Change
community
crown plasticity
drought
Ecological function
Ecology
Ecosystem
Ecosystems
Ekologi
Environmental factors
Environmental Sciences
Environmental sciences & ecology
Europe
Forestry research
Forests
Functional diversity
FunDivEUROPE
GEOSCIENCES
Growing season
growing season length
increase
Life Sciences
litter decomposition
Miljövetenskap
multifunctionality
Phytobiology (plant sciences, forestry, mycology...)
Plant species
productivity
resistance
resource
resource heterogeneity
Scaling
Sciences de l’environnement & écologie
Sciences du vivant
species diversity
Species richness
stands
tree species-diversity
trees
Water availability
Europe
resource heterogeneity
species richness
growing season length
FunDivEUROPE
Functional diversity
multifunctionality
water availability
ISSN:1461-023X, 1461-0248, 1461-0248
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:The importance of biodiversity in supporting ecosystem functioning is generally well accepted. However, most evidence comes from small‐scale studies, and scaling‐up patterns of biodiversity–ecosystem functioning (B‐EF) remains challenging, in part because the importance of environmental factors in shaping B‐EF relations is poorly understood. Using a forest research platform in which 26 ecosystem functions were measured along gradients of tree species richness in six regions across Europe, we investigated the extent and the potential drivers of context dependency of B‐EF relations. Despite considerable variation in species richness effects across the continent, we found a tendency for stronger B‐EF relations in drier climates as well as in areas with longer growing seasons and more functionally diverse tree species. The importance of water availability in driving context dependency suggests that as water limitation increases under climate change, biodiversity may become even more important to support high levels of functioning in European forests.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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scopus-id:2-s2.0-85031504227
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/265171
USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
AC52-06NA25396
LA-UR-17-28670
ISSN:1461-023X
1461-0248
1461-0248
DOI:10.1111/ele.12849