Abstract
Our understanding of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) applies mainly to fine spatial scales. New research is required if we are to extend this knowledge to broader spatial scales that are relevant for conservation decisions. Here, we use simulations to examine conditions that generate scale dependence of the BEF relationship.We study scale by assessing how the BEF relationship (slope and R 2 ) changes when habitat patches are spatially aggregated. We find three ways for the BEF relationship to be scale-dependent: (i) variation among local patches in local (α) diversity, (ii) spatial variation in the local BEF relationship and (iii) incomplete compositional turnover in species composition among patches. The first two cause the slope of the BEF relationship to increase moderately with spatial scale, reflecting nonlinear averaging of spatial variation in diversity or the BEF relationship. The third mechanism results in much stronger scale dependence, with the BEF relationship increasing in the rising portion of the species area relationship, but then decreasing as it saturates. An analysis of data from the Cedar Creek grassland BEF experiment revealed a positive but saturating slope of the relationship with scale. Overall, our findings suggest that the BEF relationship is likely to be scale dependent.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 20180038 |
| Journal | Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |
| Volume | 285 |
| Issue number | 1880 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 13 2018 |
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Keywords
- B-diversity
- Ecosystem functioning
- Jensen’s inequality
- Nonlinear averaging
- Spatial scale
- Species richness
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Journal Article
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Cite this
The strength of the biodiversity-ecosystem function relationship depends on spatial scale. / Thompson, Patrick L.; Isbell, Forest; Loreau, Michel; O'connor, Mary I.; Gonzalez, Andrew.
In: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Vol. 285, No. 1880, 20180038, 13.06.2018.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The strength of the biodiversity-ecosystem function relationship depends on spatial scale
AU - Thompson, Patrick L.
AU - Isbell, Forest
AU - Loreau, Michel
AU - O'connor, Mary I.
AU - Gonzalez, Andrew
PY - 2018/6/13
Y1 - 2018/6/13
N2 - Our understanding of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) applies mainly to fine spatial scales. New research is required if we are to extend this knowledge to broader spatial scales that are relevant for conservation decisions. Here, we use simulations to examine conditions that generate scale dependence of the BEF relationship.We study scale by assessing how the BEF relationship (slope and R 2 ) changes when habitat patches are spatially aggregated. We find three ways for the BEF relationship to be scale-dependent: (i) variation among local patches in local (α) diversity, (ii) spatial variation in the local BEF relationship and (iii) incomplete compositional turnover in species composition among patches. The first two cause the slope of the BEF relationship to increase moderately with spatial scale, reflecting nonlinear averaging of spatial variation in diversity or the BEF relationship. The third mechanism results in much stronger scale dependence, with the BEF relationship increasing in the rising portion of the species area relationship, but then decreasing as it saturates. An analysis of data from the Cedar Creek grassland BEF experiment revealed a positive but saturating slope of the relationship with scale. Overall, our findings suggest that the BEF relationship is likely to be scale dependent.
AB - Our understanding of the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) applies mainly to fine spatial scales. New research is required if we are to extend this knowledge to broader spatial scales that are relevant for conservation decisions. Here, we use simulations to examine conditions that generate scale dependence of the BEF relationship.We study scale by assessing how the BEF relationship (slope and R 2 ) changes when habitat patches are spatially aggregated. We find three ways for the BEF relationship to be scale-dependent: (i) variation among local patches in local (α) diversity, (ii) spatial variation in the local BEF relationship and (iii) incomplete compositional turnover in species composition among patches. The first two cause the slope of the BEF relationship to increase moderately with spatial scale, reflecting nonlinear averaging of spatial variation in diversity or the BEF relationship. The third mechanism results in much stronger scale dependence, with the BEF relationship increasing in the rising portion of the species area relationship, but then decreasing as it saturates. An analysis of data from the Cedar Creek grassland BEF experiment revealed a positive but saturating slope of the relationship with scale. Overall, our findings suggest that the BEF relationship is likely to be scale dependent.
KW - B-diversity
KW - Ecosystem functioning
KW - Jensen’s inequality
KW - Nonlinear averaging
KW - Spatial scale
KW - Species richness
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85048253627&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1098/rspb.2018.0038
DO - 10.1098/rspb.2018.0038
M3 - Article
VL - 285
JO - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
JF - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
SN - 0800-4622
IS - 1880
M1 - 20180038
ER -