Higher effect of plant species diversity on productivity in natural than artificial ecosystems.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Pedro Flombaum, O E Sala

Abstract

Current and expected changes in biodiversity have motivated major experiments, which reported a positive relationship between plant species diversity and primary production. As a first step in addressing this relationship, these manipulative experiments controlled as many potential confounding covariables as possible and assembled artificial ecosystems for the purpose of the experiments. As a new step in this endeavor, we asked how plant species richness relates to productivity in a natural ecosystem. Here, we report on an experiment conducted in a natural ecosystem in the Patagonian steppe, in which we assessed the biodiversity effect on primary production. Using a plant species diversity gradient generated by removing species while maintaining constant biomass, we found that aboveground net primary production increased with the number of plant species. We also found that the biodiversity effect was larger in natural than in artificial ecosystems. This result supports previous findings and also suggests that the effect of biodiversity in natural ecosystems may be much larger than currently thought.

References

May 20, 1998·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·M Loreau
Mar 10, 2000·Science·O E SalaD H Wall
May 23, 2000·Nature·F S ChapinS Díaz
Mar 4, 1997·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·D TilmanK T Thomson
Jul 14, 2001·Nature·O E Sala
Oct 27, 2006·Nature·Bradley J CardinaleClaire Jouseau
Jun 28, 2007·Ecology Letters·James B GraceMichael R Willig

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 25, 2010·Oecologia·Santiago R VerónMartín Oesterheld
Aug 1, 2012·Oecologia·Stefanie SchabhüttlMaren Striebel
Jan 17, 2012·Science·Fernando T MaestreEli Zaady
Apr 23, 2009·PloS One·Andrew H AltieriMatthew E S Bracken
Dec 4, 2009·PloS One·Chengyun LiYouyong Zhu
Aug 19, 2011·PloS One·Jenni J KorhonenJanne Soininen
Dec 5, 2013·PloS One·Martin BarrufolPascal A Niklaus
May 4, 2011·The New Phytologist·Colleen K KellyF Ian Woodward
Jun 5, 2019·Oecologia·Juan Manuel Piñeiro-GuerraGervasio Piñeiro
Oct 4, 2017·Nature Ecology & Evolution·Nathaly R Guerrero-RamírezNico Eisenhauer
Feb 28, 2017·Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics·Fernando T MaestreMiguel Berdugo
Dec 20, 2017·Nature Ecology & Evolution·Nicolas FaninDavid A Wardle

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.