Biotic Homogenization Can Decrease Landscape-Scale Forest Multifunctionality

Biotic Homogenization Can Decrease Landscape-Scale Forest Multifunctionality. van der Plas, F., Manning, P., Soliveres, S., Allan, E., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Verheyen, K., Wirth, C., Zavala, M. A., Ampoorter, E., Baeten, L., Barbaro, L., Bauhus, J., Benavides, R., Benneter, A., Bonal, D., Bouriaud, O., Bruelheide, H., Bussotti, F., Carnol, M., Castagneyrol, B., Charbonnier, Y., Coomes, D. A., Coppi, A., Bestias, C. C., Dawud, S. M., De Wandeler, H., Domisch, T., Finér, L., Gessler, A., Granier, A., Grossiord, C., Guyot, V., Hättenschwiler, S., Jactel, H., Jaroszewicz, B., Joly, F., Jucker, T., Koricheva, J., Milligan, H., Mueller, S., Muys, B., Nguyen, D., Pollastrini, M., Ratcliffe, S., Raulund-Rasmussen, K., Selvi, F., Stenlid, J., Valladares, F., Vesterdal, L., Zieĺınski, D., & Fischer, M. 113(13):3557–3562.

Paper doi abstract bibtex

[Significance] Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of biodiversity in maintaining multiple ecosystem functions and services (multifunctionality) at local spatial scales, but it is unknown whether similar relationships are found at larger spatial scales in real-world landscapes. Here, we show, for the first time to our knowledge, that biodiversity can also be important for multifunctionality at larger spatial scales in European forest landscapes. Both high local (α-) diversity and a high turnover in species composition between locations (high β-diversity) were found to be potentially important drivers of ecosystem multifunctionality. Our study provides evidence that it is important to conserve the landscape-scale biodiversity that is being eroded by biotic homogenization if ecosystem multifunctionality is to be maintained. [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 (α-diversity) and their turnover between plots (β-diversity) are related to landscape-scale multifunctionality. After accounting for variation in environmental conditions, we found that relationships between α-diversity and landscape-scale multifunctionality varied from positive to negative depending on the multifunctionality metric used. In contrast, when significant, relationships between β-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.

@article{vanderplasBioticHomogenizationCan2016,
  title = {Biotic Homogenization Can Decrease Landscape-Scale Forest Multifunctionality},
  author = {van der Plas, Fons and Manning, Pete and Soliveres, Santiago and Allan, Eric and Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael and Verheyen, Kris and Wirth, Christian and Zavala, Miguel A. and Ampoorter, Evy and Baeten, Lander and Barbaro, Luc and Bauhus, Jürgen and Benavides, Raquel and Benneter, Adam and Bonal, Damien and Bouriaud, Olivier and Bruelheide, Helge and Bussotti, Filippo and Carnol, Monique and Castagneyrol, Bastien and Charbonnier, Yohan and Coomes, David A. and Coppi, Andrea and Bestias, Cristina C. and Dawud, Seid M. and De Wandeler, Hans and Domisch, Timo and Finér, Leena and Gessler, Arthur and Granier, André and Grossiord, Charlotte and Guyot, Virginie and Hättenschwiler, Stephan and Jactel, Hervé and Jaroszewicz, Bogdan and Joly, François-xavier and Jucker, Tommaso and Koricheva, Julia and Milligan, Harriet and Mueller, Sandra and Muys, Bart and Nguyen, Diem and Pollastrini, Martina and Ratcliffe, Sophia and Raulund-Rasmussen, Karsten and Selvi, Federico and Stenlid, Jan and Valladares, Fernando and Vesterdal, Lars and Zieĺınski, Dawid and Fischer, Markus},
  date = {2016-03},
  journaltitle = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences},
  volume = {113},
  pages = {3557--3562},
  issn = {1091-6490},
  doi = {10.1073/pnas.1517903113},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1517903113},
  abstract = {[Significance]

Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of biodiversity in maintaining multiple ecosystem functions and services (multifunctionality) at local spatial scales, but it is unknown whether similar relationships are found at larger spatial scales in real-world landscapes. Here, we show, for the first time to our knowledge, that biodiversity can also be important for multifunctionality at larger spatial scales in European forest landscapes. Both high local (α-) diversity and a high turnover in species composition between locations (high β-diversity) were found to be potentially important drivers of ecosystem multifunctionality. Our study provides evidence that it is important to conserve the landscape-scale biodiversity that is being eroded by biotic homogenization if ecosystem multifunctionality is to be maintained.

[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 (α-diversity) and their turnover between plots (β-diversity) are related to landscape-scale multifunctionality. After accounting for variation in environmental conditions, we found that relationships between α-diversity and landscape-scale multifunctionality varied from positive to negative depending on the multifunctionality metric used. In contrast, when significant, relationships between β-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.},
  keywords = {*imported-from-citeulike-INRMM,~INRMM-MiD:c-13997231,~to-add-doi-URL,biodiversity,ecosystem-functions,ecosystem-services,europe,forest-resources,landscape-modelling,local-scale,multi-scale,multiplicity},
  number = {13},
  options = {useprefix=true}
}

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