The influence of balanced and imbalanced resource supply on biodiversity-functioning relationship across ecosystems.
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.
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Schleusenstraße 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany aleksandra.lewandowska@uni-oldenburg.de.
Aleksandra M
0000-0003-2925-4509
AM
Lewandowska
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
Antje
A
Biermann
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue, St Paul, MN 55108, USA.
Elizabeth T
ET
Borer
Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Carl von Ossietzky Straße 9-11, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
Miguel A
MA
Cebrián-Piqueras
Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Steven A J
SA
Declerck
Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, KU Leuven, Charles Deberiotstraat 32 bus 2439, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Luc
L
De Meester
Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584 Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Ellen
E
Van Donk
Department of Marine Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Carl Skottsbergs gata 22B, 41319 Göteborg, Sweden.
Lars
L
Gamfeldt
Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, 4112 Plant Sciences, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
Daniel S
DS
Gruner
School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Carbis Road, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa.
Nicole
N
Hagenah
German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany Department of Physiological Diversity, Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research UFZ, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany Institute of Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Straße 3, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany.
W Stanley
WS
Harpole
School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Carbis Road, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa.
Kevin P
KP
Kirkman
W. K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI 49060 USA Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, 612 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824 USA.
Christopher A
CA
Klausmeier
Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Carl von Ossietzky Straße 9-11, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
Michael
M
Kleyer
School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, 211 Manter Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
Johannes M H
JM
Knops
Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, KU Leuven, Charles Deberiotstraat 32 bus 2439, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
Pieter
P
Lemmens
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue, St Paul, MN 55108, USA.
Eric M
EM
Lind
W. K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI 49060 USA Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, 288 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Elena
E
Litchman
Institute of Biology and Chemistry, University of Hildesheim, Universitätsplatz 1, 31141 Hildesheim, Germany.
Jasmin
J
Mantilla-Contreras
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINSc), Vautierstraat 29, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
Koen
K
Martens
Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Schleusenstraße 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
Sandra
S
Meier
Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Carl von Ossietzky Straße 9-11, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
Vanessa
V
Minden
School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
Joslin L
JL
Moore
Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.
Harry Olde
HO
Venterink
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue, St Paul, MN 55108, USA.
Eric W
EW
Seabloom
GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, 24105 Kiel, Germany.
Ulrich
U
Sommer
Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Schleusenstraße 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
Maren
M
Striebel
Institute of Biology and Chemistry, University of Hildesheim, Universitätsplatz 1, 31141 Hildesheim, Germany.
Anastasia
A
Trenkamp
Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Carl von Ossietzky Straße 9-11, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany.
Juliane
J
Trinogga
Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba 6-3, Aramaki, Aoba-ku, Sendai 982-0011, Japan.
Jotaro
0000-0001-5111-687X
J
Urabe
Department of Biology, Ghent University, Krijgslaan 281 S8, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Wim
W
Vyverman
Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Droevendaalsesteeg 10, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Dedmer B
DB
Van de Waal
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Prospect Place, West Hoe, Plymouth, PL1 3DH, UK.
Claire E
CE
Widdicombe
Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Schleusenstraße 1, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
Helmut
H
Hillebrand
D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D018533:Biomass; D017753:Ecosystem; D008954:Models, Biological; D010933:Plankton / Q000502:physiology; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D011157:Population Dynamics
biodiversity–ecosystem functioning; evenness; nutrient network; productivity; richness; stoichiometry