Regime Shifts, Resilience, and Biodiversity in Ecosystem Management

Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics, Journal Year: 2004, Volume and Issue: 35(1), P. 557 - 581

Published: Nov. 2, 2004

▪ Abstract We review the evidence of regime shifts in terrestrial and aquatic environments relation to resilience complex adaptive ecosystems functional roles biological diversity this context. The reveals that likelihood may increase when humans reduce by such actions as removing response diversity, whole groups species, or trophic levels; impacting on via emissions waste pollutants climate change; altering magnitude, frequency, duration disturbance regimes. combined often synergistic effects those pressures can make more vulnerable changes previously could be absorbed. As a consequence, suddenly shift from desired less states their capacity generate ecosystem services. Active management governance will required sustain transform degraded into fundamentally new desirable configurations.

Language: Английский

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Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning

Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 45(1), P. 471 - 493

Published: Oct. 8, 2014

Species diversity is a major determinant of ecosystem productivity, stability, invasibility, and nutrient dynamics. Hundreds studies spanning terrestrial, aquatic, marine ecosystems show that high-diversity mixtures are approximately twice as productive monocultures the same species this difference increases through time. These impacts higher have multiple causes, including interspecific complementarity, greater use limiting resources, decreased herbivory disease, nutrient-cycling feedbacks increase stores supply rates over long term. experimentally observed effects consistent with predictions based on variety theories share common feature: All trade-off-based mechanisms allow long-term coexistence many different competing species. Diversity loss has an effect great as, or than, herbivory, fire, drought, nitrogen addition, elevated CO 2 , other drivers environmental change. The preservation, conservation, restoration biodiversity should be high global priority.

Language: Английский

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CAN STABLE ISOTOPE RATIOS PROVIDE FOR COMMUNITY-WIDE MEASURES OF TROPHIC STRUCTURE?

Ecology, Journal Year: 2007, Volume and Issue: 88(1), P. 42 - 48

Published: Jan. 1, 2007

Stable isotope ratios (typically of carbon and nitrogen) provide one representation an organism's trophic niche are widely used to examine aspects food web structure. Yet stable isotopes have not been applied quantitatively characterize community-wide structure (i.e., at the level entire web). We propose quantitative metrics that can be this end, drawing on similar approaches from ecomorphology research. For example, convex hull area occupied by species in δ13C–δ15N space is a total extent diversity within web, whereas mean nearest neighbor distance among all pairs measure packing space. To facilitate discussion opportunities limitations metrics, we empirical conceptual examples drawn Bahamian tidal creek webs. These illustrate how methodology quantify redundancy webs, as well link individual characteristics which they embedded. Building extensive applications ecologists, may new perspective structure, function, dynamics.

Language: Английский

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Cascading Effects of the Loss of Apex Predatory Sharks from a Coastal Ocean

Science, Journal Year: 2007, Volume and Issue: 315(5820), P. 1846 - 1850

Published: March 30, 2007

Impacts of chronic overfishing are evident in population depletions worldwide, yet indirect ecosystem effects induced by predator removal from oceanic food webs remain unpredictable. As abundances all 11 great sharks that consume other elasmobranchs (rays, skates, and small sharks) fell over the past 35 years, 12 14 these prey species increased coastal northwest Atlantic ecosystems. Effects this community restructuring have cascaded downward cownose ray, whose enhanced predation on its bay scallop was sufficient to terminate a century-long fishery. Analogous top-down may be predictable consequence eliminating entire functional groups predators.

Language: Английский

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The functional role of producer diversity in ecosystems

American Journal of Botany, Journal Year: 2011, Volume and Issue: 98(3), P. 572 - 592

Published: March 1, 2011

Over the past several decades, a rapidly expanding field of research known as biodiversity and ecosystem functioning has begun to quantify how world's biological diversity can, an independent variable, control ecological processes that are both essential for, fundamental to, ecosystems. Research in this area often been justified on grounds (1) loss ranks among most pronounced changes global environment (2) reductions diversity, corresponding species composition, could alter important services ecosystems provide humanity (e.g., food production, pest/disease control, water purification). Here we review over two decades experiments have examined richness primary producers influences suite controlled by plants algae terrestrial, marine, freshwater Using formal meta-analyses, assess balance evidence for eight questions hypotheses about functional role producer These include efficiency resource use biomass production ecosystems, transfer recycling other trophic groups web, number spatial /temporal scales at which effects apparent. After summarizing stating our own confidence conclusions, outline new must now be addressed if is going evolve into predictive science can help conserve manage

Language: Английский

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Biodiversity and Resilience of Ecosystem Functions

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 30(11), P. 673 - 684

Published: Oct. 4, 2015

Language: Английский

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The functional role of biodiversity in ecosystems: incorporating trophic complexity

Ecology Letters, Journal Year: 2007, Volume and Issue: 10(6), P. 522 - 538

Published: April 23, 2007

Understanding how biodiversity affects functioning of ecosystems requires integrating diversity within trophic levels (horizontal diversity) and across (vertical diversity, including food chain length omnivory). We review theoretical experimental progress toward this goal. Generally, experiments show that biomass resource use increase similarly with horizontal either producers or consumers. Among prey, higher often increases resistance to predation, due increased probability inedible species reduced efficiency specialist predators confronted diverse prey. predators, changing can cascade affect plant biomass, but the strength sign effect depend on degree omnivory prey behaviour. Horizontal vertical also interact: adding a level qualitatively change effects at adjacent levels. Multitrophic interactions produce richer variety diversity-functioning relationships than monotonic changes predicted for single This complexity depends consumer dietary generalism, trade-offs between competitive ability intraguild predation openness migration. Although complementarity selection occur in both animals plants, few studies have conclusively documented mechanisms mediating effects. complex will benefit from theory simulations network-based approaches.

Language: Английский

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CONSEQUENCES OF DOMINANCE: A REVIEW OF EVENNESS EFFECTS ON LOCAL AND REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES

Ecology, Journal Year: 2008, Volume and Issue: 89(6), P. 1510 - 1520

Published: May 30, 2008

The composition of communities is strongly altered by anthropogenic manipulations biogeochemical cycles, abiotic conditions, and trophic structure in all major ecosystems. Whereas the effects species loss on ecosystem processes have received broad attention, consequences dominance for emergent properties ecosystems are poorly investigated. Here we propose a framework guiding our understanding how affects interactions within communities, ecosystems, dynamics regional scales. Dominance (or complementary term, evenness) reflects distribution traits community, which turn strength sign both intraspecifc interspecific interactions. Consequently, also mediates effect such coexistence. We review evidence fact that directly functions as process rates via identity (the dominant trait) evenness frequency traits), indirectly alters relationship between richness. influences temporal spatial variability aggregate community compositional stability (invasibility). Finally, coexistence altering metacommunity dynamics. Local leads to high beta diversity, rare can persist because source-sink dynamics, but anthropogenically induced environmental changes result low reducing Given rapid alterations many strong implications these changes, should be considered explicitly analysis biodiversity.

Language: Английский

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Cascading top‐down effects of changing oceanic predator abundances

Journal of Animal Ecology, Journal Year: 2009, Volume and Issue: 78(4), P. 699 - 714

Published: March 9, 2009

Summary Top‐down control can be an important determinant of ecosystem structure and function, but in oceanic ecosystems, where cascading effects predator depletions, recoveries, invasions could significant, such had rarely been demonstrated until recently. Here we synthesize the evidence for top‐down that has emerged over last decade, focusing on large, high trophic‐level predators inhabiting continental shelves, seas, open ocean. In these controlled manipulations are largely infeasible, ‘pseudo‐experimental’ analyses predator–prey interactions treat independent populations as ‘replicates’, temporal or spatial contrasts climate ‘treatments’, increasingly employed to help disentangle from environmental variation noise. Substantial reductions marine mammals, sharks, piscivorous fishes have led mesopredator invertebrate increases. Conversely, abundant suppressed prey abundances. Predation also inhibited recovery depleted species, sometimes through role reversals. Trophic cascades initiated by linking neritic food webs, seem inconsistent pelagic realm with often attenuating at plankton. is not uniformly strong ocean, appears contingent intensity nature perturbations Predator diversity may dampen except nonselective fisheries deplete entire functional groups. other cases, simultaneous exploitation inhibit responses. Explicit consideration anthropogenic modifications foodwebs should inform predictions about trophic control. Synthesis applications . Oceanic socio‐economic, conservation, management implications mesopredators invertebrates assume dominance, overexploited impaired. Continued research aimed integrating across levels needed understand forecast changing abundances, relative strength bottom‐up control, intensifying stressors change.

Language: Английский

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Ecological role and services of tropical mangrove ecosystems: a reassessment

Global Ecology and Biogeography, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 23(7), P. 726 - 743

Published: March 6, 2014

Abstract Aim To reassess the capacity of mangroves for ecosystem services in light recent data. Location Global mangrove ecosystems. Methods We review four long‐standing roles mangroves: (1) carbon dynamics – export or sink; (2) nursery role; (3) shoreline protection; (4) land‐building capacity. The origins pertinent hypotheses, current understanding and gaps our knowledge are highlighted with reference to biogeographic, geographic socio‐economic influences. Results role as C sinks needs be evaluated a wide range biogeographic regions forest conditions. Mangrove assimilation may under‐estimated because flawed methodology scanty data on key components dynamics. Peri‐urban manipulated provide local offsets emission. function is not ubiquitous but varies spatio‐temporal accessibility. Connectivity complementarity adjacent habitats enhance their through trophic relay ontogenetic migrations. effectiveness coastal protection depends factors at landscape/geomorphic community scales local/species scales. Shifts species due climate change, degradation loss habitat connectivity reduce protective mangroves. Early views land builders (especially lateral expansion) were questionable. Evidence now indicates that mangroves, once established, directly influence vertical development by enhancing sedimentation and/or direct organic contributions soil volume (peat formation) some settings. Main conclusions Knowledge thresholds, scaling variability geographic, settings will improve management services. Many drivers respond global trends change changes such urbanization. While have traditionally been managed subsistence, future governance models must involve partnerships between custodians offsite beneficiaries

Language: Английский

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