Dataset Information

Biotic homogenization can decrease landscape-scale forest multifunctionality.

ABSTRACT: Many experiments have shown that local biodiversity loss impairs the ability of ecosystems to maintain multiple ecosystem functions at high levels (multifunctionality). In contrast, the role of biodiversity in driving ecosystem multifunctionality at landscape scales remains unresolved. We used a comprehensive pan-European dataset, including 16 ecosystem functions measured in 209 forest plots across six European countries, and performed simulations to investigate how local plot-scale richness of tree species (?-diversity) and their turnover between plots (?-diversity) are related to landscape-scale multifunctionality. After accounting for variation in environmental conditions, we found that relationships between ?-diversity and landscape-scale multifunctionality varied from positive to negative depending on the multifunctionality metric used. In contrast, when significant, relationships between ?-diversity and landscape-scale multifunctionality were always positive, because a high spatial turnover in species composition was closely related to a high spatial turnover in functions that were supported at high levels. Our findings have major implications for forest management and indicate that biotic homogenization can have previously unrecognized and negative consequences for large-scale ecosystem multifunctionality.

SUBMITTER: van der Plas F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4822601 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Biotic homogenization can decrease landscape-scale forest multifunctionality.

van der Plas Fons F Manning Pete P Soliveres Santiago S Allan Eric E Scherer-Lorenzen Michael M Verheyen Kris K Wirth Christian C Zavala Miguel A MA Ampoorter Evy E Baeten Lander L Barbaro Luc L Bauhus Jürgen J Benavides Raquel R Benneter Adam A Bonal Damien D Bouriaud Olivier O Bruelheide Helge H Bussotti Filippo F Carnol Monique M Castagneyrol Bastien B Charbonnier Yohan Y Coomes David Anthony DA Coppi Andrea A Bastias Cristina C CC Dawud Seid Muhie SM De Wandeler Hans H Domisch Timo T Finér Leena L Gessler Arthur A Granier André A Grossiord Charlotte C Guyot Virginie V Hättenschwiler Stephan S Jactel Hervé H Jaroszewicz Bogdan B Joly François-Xavier FX Jucker Tommaso T Koricheva Julia J Milligan Harriet H Mueller Sandra S Muys Bart B Nguyen Diem D Pollastrini Martina M Ratcliffe Sophia S Raulund-Rasmussen Karsten K Selvi Federico F Stenlid Jan J Valladares Fernando F Vesterdal Lars L Zielínski Dawid D Fischer Markus M

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20160315 13

Many experiments have shown that local biodiversity loss impairs the ability of ecosystems to maintain multiple ecosystem functions at high levels (multifunctionality). In contrast, the role of biodiversity in driving ecosystem multifunctionality at landscape scales remains unresolved. We used a comprehensive pan-European dataset, including 16 ecosystem functions measured in 209 forest plots across six European countries, and performed simulations to investigate how local plot-scale richness of ...[more]

PMID: 26979952

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Dataset Information

Biotic homogenization can decrease landscape-scale forest multifunctionality.

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Biotic homogenization can decrease landscape-scale forest multifunctionality.

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