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Sun Y, Chen S, Ouyang H, Liu S. Woody plant species richness and productivity relationship in a subtropical forest: The predominant role of common species. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306174. [PMID: 38968313 PMCID: PMC11226134 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
A long-standing key issue for examining the relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF), such as forest productivity, is whether ecosystem functions are influenced by the total number of species or the properties of a few key species. Compared with controlled ecosystem experiments, the BEF relationships in secondary forest remain unclear, as do the effects of common species richness and rare species richness on the variation in ecosystem functions. To address this issue, we conducted field surveys at five sampling sites (1 ha each) with subtropical secondary evergreen broad-leaved forest vegetation. We found (1) a positive correlation between species richness and standing aboveground biomass (AGB); (2) that common species were primarily responsible for the distribution patterns of species abundance and dominance; although they accounted for approximately 25% of the total species richness on average, they represented 86-91% of species abundance and 88-97% of species dominance; and (3) that common species richness could explain much more of the variation in AGB than total species richness (common species plus rare species) at both the site and plot scales. Because rare species and common species were not equivalent in their ability to predict productivity in the biodiversity-ecosystem productivity model, redundant information should be eliminated to obtain more accurate results. Our study suggested that woody plant species richness and productivity relationship in subtropical forest ecosystem can be explained and predicted by a few common species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudan Sun
- College of Life Science and Technology, LingNan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Silin Chen
- College of Life Science and Technology, LingNan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Haofeng Ouyang
- College of Life Science and Technology, LingNan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Shuang Liu
- College of Life Science and Technology, LingNan Normal University, Zhanjiang, China
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Wang W, Li W. Short-Term Responses of Alpine Vegetation to the Removal of Dominant versus Sparse Species. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1756. [PMID: 38999595 PMCID: PMC11244358 DOI: 10.3390/plants13131756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
The mass ratio hypothesis posits that ecosystem functions are predominantly influenced by the dominant species. However, it remains unclear whether a species must be abundant to exert functional dominance. We conducted a removal experiment in an alpine grassland near Pudacuo National Park, Yunnan, China, to assess the community and ecosystem impacts of the removed species. We implemented four treatments as follows: exclusive removal of the most abundant species (Blysmus sinocompressus), exclusive removal of a sparse species with high individual biomass (Primula secundiflora), simultaneous removal of both species, and a control with no removals. Results showed that removing B. sinocompressus significantly reduced biomass production, supporting the mass ratio hypothesis, while removal of P. secundiflora had negligible effects. B. sinocompressus removal positively impacted community metrics like coverage, species evenness, and the Shannon diversity index, but not species richness, likely due to its spatial dominance. Conversely, P. secundiflora removal had minimal community impact, probably due to its limited influence on nearby species. This study underscores the proportionate roles of the dominant species in alpine grasslands, emphasizing that their community and ecosystem impacts are proportional to their abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wei Li
- Soil and Water Conservation Institute, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming 650224, China;
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Smeti E, Tsirtsis G, Skoulikidis NT. Geology Can Drive the Diversity-Ecosystem Functioning Relationship in River Benthic Diatoms by Selecting for Species Functional Traits. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:81. [PMID: 36671773 PMCID: PMC9855886 DOI: 10.3390/biology12010081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) relationship has been studied extensively for the past 30 years, mainly in terrestrial plant ecosystems using experimental approaches. Field studies in aquatic systems are scarce, and considering primary producers, they mainly focus on phytoplankton assemblages, whereas benthic diatoms in rivers are considerably understudied in this regard. We performed a field study across nine rivers in Greece, and we coupled the observed field results with model simulations. We tested the hypothesis that the diversity-biomass (as a surrogate of ecosystem functioning) relationship in benthic diatoms would be affected by abiotic factors and would be time-dependent due to the highly dynamic nature of rivers. Indeed, geology played an important role in the form of the BEF relationship that was positive in siliceous and absent in calcareous substrates. Geology was responsible for nutrient concentrations, which, in turn, were responsible for the dominance of specific functional traits. Furthermore, model simulations showed the time dependence of the BEF form, as less mature assemblages tend to present a positive BEF. This was the first large-scale field study on the BEF relationship of benthic diatom assemblages, offering useful insights into the function and diversity of these overlooked ecosystems and assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelia Smeti
- Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 46.7 km Athinon-Souniou Ave., 19013 Anavyssos, Greece
| | - George Tsirtsis
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, University Hill, 81100 Mytilene, Greece
| | - Nikolaos Theodor Skoulikidis
- Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, 46.7 km Athinon-Souniou Ave., 19013 Anavyssos, Greece
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Weiskopf SR, Myers BJE, Arce-Plata MI, Blanchard JL, Ferrier S, Fulton EA, Harfoot M, Isbell F, Johnson JA, Mori AS, Weng E, HarmáCˇková ZV, Londoño-Murcia MC, Miller BW, Pereira LM, Rosa IMD. A Conceptual Framework to Integrate Biodiversity, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Service Models. Bioscience 2022; 72:1062-1073. [PMID: 36506699 PMCID: PMC9718641 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biac074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Global biodiversity and ecosystem service models typically operate independently. Ecosystem service projections may therefore be overly optimistic because they do not always account for the role of biodiversity in maintaining ecological functions. We review models used in recent global model intercomparison projects and develop a novel model integration framework to more fully account for the role of biodiversity in ecosystem function, a key gap for linking biodiversity changes to ecosystem services. We propose two integration pathways. The first uses empirical data on biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships to bridge biodiversity and ecosystem function models and could currently be implemented globally for systems and taxa with sufficient data. We also propose a trait-based approach involving greater incorporation of biodiversity into ecosystem function models. Pursuing both approaches will provide greater insight into biodiversity and ecosystem services projections. Integrating biodiversity, ecosystem function, and ecosystem service modeling will enhance policy development to meet global sustainability goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Weiskopf
- US Geological Survey National Climate Adaptation Science Center, in Reston, Virginia, United States
| | - Bonnie J E Myers
- North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
| | | | | | - Simon Ferrier
- Land and Water, CSIRO, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | | | - Mike Harfoot
- United Nations Environment Programme–World Conservation Monitoring Centre, Cambridge, England, United Kingdom
| | - Forest Isbell
- University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States
| | | | | | - Ensheng Weng
- Columbia University and with the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, both New York, New York, United States
| | - Zuzana V HarmáCˇková
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czechia and with the Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Brian W Miller
- US Geological Survey North Central Climate Adaptation Science Center, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Laura M Pereira
- University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa and with the Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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Luo YH, Cadotte MW, Liu J, Burgess KS, Tan SL, Ye LJ, Zou JY, Chen ZZ, Jiang XL, Li J, Xu K, Li DZ, Gao LM. Multitrophic diversity and biotic associations influence subalpine forest ecosystem multifunctionality. Ecology 2022; 103:e3745. [PMID: 35522230 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Biodiversity across multiple trophic levels is required to maintain multiple ecosystem functions. Yet, it remains unclear how multitrophic diversity and species interactions regulate ecosystem multifunctionality. Here, combining data from nine different trophic groups (including trees, shrubs, herbs, leaf mites, small mammals, bacteria, pathogenic fungi, saprophytic fungi and symbiotic fungi) and 13 ecosystem functions related to supporting, provisioning and regulating services, we used a multitrophic perspective to evaluate the effects of elevation, diversity and network complexity on scale-dependent subalpine forest multifunctionality. Our results demonstrate that elevation and soil pH significantly modified species composition and richness across multitrophic groups and influenced multiple functions simultaneously. We provide evidence that species richness across multiple trophic groups had stronger effects on multifunctionality than species richness at any single trophic level. Moreover, biotic associations, indicating the complexity of trophic networks, were positively associated with multifunctionality. The relative effects of diversity on multifunctionality increased at the scale of the larger community compared to a scale accounting for neighbouring interactions. Our results highlight the paramount importance of scale- and context- dependent multitrophic diversity and interactions for a better understanding of mountain ecosystem multifunctionality in a changing world. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Huang Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Germplasm Bank of Wild Species in Southwest China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, Yunnan, China
| | - Marc W Cadotte
- Biological Sciences, University of Toronto-Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jie Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Kevin S Burgess
- Department of Biology, College of Letters & Sciences, Columbus State University, University System of Georgia, Columbus, GA, USA
| | - Shao-Lin Tan
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lin-Jiang Ye
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Yun Zou
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhong-Zheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,School of Ecology and Environment, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, China
| | - Xue-Long Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Juan Li
- Institute of Entomology, Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Pest Management of Mountainous Region, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Kun Xu
- Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, Yunnan, China
| | - De-Zhu Li
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Germplasm Bank of Wild Species in Southwest China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lian-Ming Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,Lijiang Forest Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lijiang, Yunnan, China
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