The influence of balanced and imbalanced resource supply on biodiversity–functioning relationship across ecosystems

Authors

• Aleksandra M. Lewandowska, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity ResearchFollow
• Antje Biermann, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research KielFollow
• Elizabeth T. Borer, University of Minnesota - Twin CitiesFollow
• Miguel A. Cebrián-Piqueras, Carl von Ossietzky University of OldenburgFollow
• Steven A.J. Declerck, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)Follow
• Luc De Meester, Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, Leuven, BelgiumFollow
• Ellen Van Donk, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)Follow
• Lars Ganfeldt, University of GothenburgFollow
• Daniel S. Gruner, University of Maryland at College ParkFollow
• Nicole Hagenah, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
• W. Stanley Harpole, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)Follow
• Kevin P. Kirkman, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South AfricaFollow
• Christopher A. Klausmeier, Michigan State UniversityFollow
• Michael Kleyer, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg
• Johannes M. H. Knops, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
• Pieter Lemmens, Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, Leuven, BelgiumFollow
• Eric M. Lind, University of MinnesotaFollow
• Elena Litchman, Michigan State UniversityFollow
• Jasmin Mantilla-Contreras, University of HildesheimFollow
• Koen Martens, Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINSc), BrusselsFollow
• Sandra Meier, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg
• Vanessa Minden, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg
• Joslin L. Moore, Monash University, AustraliaFollow
• Harry Olde Venterink, Vrije Universiteit BrusselFollow
• Eric W. Seabloom, University of MinnesotaFollow
• Ulrich Sommer, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research KielFollow
• Maren Striebel, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg
• Anastasia Trenkamp, University of Hildesheim, GermanyFollow
• Juliane Trinogga, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg
• Jotaro Urabe, Tohoku University, JapanFollow
• Wim Vyverman, Ghent University, BelgiumFollow
• Dedmer B. Van de Waal, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)Follow
• Claire E. Widdicombe, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, UKFollow
• Helmut Hillebrand, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2016

Citation

Published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 371: 20150283. doi 10.1098/rstb.2015.0283

Comments

Copyright © 2016 by the authors. Published by the Royal Society. Used by permission.

Abstract

Numerous studies show that increasing species richness leads to higher ecosystem productivity. This effect is often attributed to more efficient portioning of multiple resources in communities with higher numbers of competing species, indicating the role of resource supply and stoichiometry for biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationships. Here, we merged theory on ecological stoichiometry with a framework of biodiversity–ecosystem functioning to understand how resource use transfers into primary production. We applied a structural equation model to define patterns of diversity– productivity relationships with respect to available resources. Meta-analysis was used to summarize the findings across ecosystem types ranging from aquatic ecosystems to grasslands and forests. As hypothesized, resource supply increased realized productivity and richness, but we found significant differences between ecosystems and study types. Increased richness was associated with increased productivity, although this effect was not seen in experiments. More even communities had lower productivity, indicating that biomass production is often maintained by a few dominant species, and reduced dominance generally reduced ecosystem productivity. This synthesis, which integrates observational and experimental studies in a variety of ecosystems and geographical regions, exposes common patterns and differences in biodiversity–functioning relationships, and increases the mechanistic understanding of changes in ecosystems productivity.