Wild Pollinators Enhance Fruit Set of Crops Regardless of Honey Bee Abundance

Science, Journal Year: 2013, Volume and Issue: 339(6127), P. 1608 - 1611

Published: March 1, 2013

The diversity and abundance of wild insect pollinators have declined in many agricultural landscapes. Whether such declines reduce crop yields, or are mitigated by managed as honey bees, is unclear. We found universally positive associations fruit set with flower visitation insects 41 systems worldwide. In contrast, increased significantly bees only 14% the surveyed. Overall, pollinated crops more effectively; an increase enhanced twice much equivalent bee visitation. Visitation promoted independently, so pollination supplemented, rather than substituted for, insects. Our results suggest that new practices for integrated management both diverse assemblages will enhance global yields.

Language: Английский

---

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

---

Beyond species: functional diversity and the maintenance of ecological processes and services

Journal of Applied Ecology, Journal Year: 2011, Volume and Issue: 48(5), P. 1079 - 1087

Published: Aug. 19, 2011

Summary 1. The goal of conservation and restoration activities is to maintain biological diversity the ecosystem services that this provides. These traditionally focus on measures species include only information presence abundance species. Yet how influences function depends traits niches filled by 2. Biological can be quantified in ways account for functional phenotypic differences. A number such (FD) have been created, quantifying distribution a community or relative magnitude similarities We review FD why they are intuitively useful understanding ecological patterns important management. 3. In order meaningful worth measuring, it must correlated with function, should provide above beyond what richness explain. these two propositions, examining whether strength correlation between varies across differing environmental gradients offers greater explanatory power than richness. 4. Previous research shows relationship complex context dependent. Different show individual responses different gradients, meaning changes occur minimal change Further, explain variation even when does not. 5. Synthesis applications . those aspects potentially affect assembly function. Given power, incorporated into decision‐making, especially efforts attempting reconstruct preserve healthy, functioning ecosystems.

Language: Английский

---

Manipulating the soil microbiome to increase soil health and plant fertility

Biology and Fertility of Soils, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 48(5), P. 489 - 499

Published: May 12, 2012

Language: Английский

---

Forest productivity increases with evenness, species richness and trait variation: a global meta‐analysis

Journal of Ecology, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 100(3), P. 742 - 749

Published: Jan. 12, 2012

Summary 1. Although there is ample support for positive species richness–productivity relationships in planted grassland experiments, a recent 48‐site study found no diversity–productivity relationship (DPR) herbaceous communities. Thus, debate persists about diversity effects natural versus systems. Additionally, current knowledge weak regarding the influence of evenness on DPRs, how DPRs are affected by variation life‐history traits among constituent polycultures and differ biomes. The impacts these factors forest ecosystems even more poorly understood. 2. We performed meta‐analysis 54 studies to reconcile ecosystems. quantified net effect as log size [ln(ES)], ratio productivity average those monocultures within same type mixture, site condition stand age each study. first use boosted regression tree model meta‐analysis, useful method partition multiple predictors rather than relying vote‐counting individual studies, unveiled relative influences predictors. 3. Global ln(ES) was 0.2128, indicating 23.7% higher monocultures. final explained 21% ln(ES). that substantially accounted included (34%), heterogeneity shade tolerance (29%), richness (13%) (15%). In contrast, nitrogen fixation growth habits, biome origin (naturally established planted) contributed negligibly (each ≤ 4%). Log strongly increased with from 0.6 1 2 6. Furthermore, it generally age. 4. Synthesis. Our analysis is, our knowledge, demonstrate critical role evenness, importance contrasting defining polycultures. While testing specific mechanisms beyond scope analysis, results should motivate future link richness, stage expected produce biodiversity such niche differentiation, facilitation reduced Janzen–Connell effects.

Language: Английский

---

Biodiversity at multiple trophic levels is needed for ecosystem multifunctionality

Nature, Journal Year: 2016, Volume and Issue: 536(7617), P. 456 - 459

Published: Aug. 1, 2016

Language: Английский

---

Functional identity and diversity of animals predict ecosystem functioning better than species-based indices

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2015, Volume and Issue: 282(1801), P. 20142620 - 20142620

Published: Jan. 7, 2015

Drastic biodiversity declines have raised concerns about the deterioration of ecosystem functions and motivated much recent research on relationship between species diversity functioning. A functional trait framework has been proposed to improve mechanistic understanding this relationship, but rarely tested for organisms other than plants. We analysed eight datasets, including five animal groups, examine how well a trait-based approach, compared with more traditional taxonomic predicts seven below- above-ground. Trait-based indices consistently provided greater explanatory power richness or abundance. The frequency distributions single multiple traits in community were best predictors This implies that we investigated underpinned by combination identities (i.e. single-trait indices) complementarity multi-trait communities. Our study provides new insights into general mechanisms link functioning natural communities suggests observed responses due identity dominance patterns composition rather number abundance per se .

Language: Английский

---

Response diversity determines the resilience of ecosystems to environmental change

Biological reviews/Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Journal Year: 2012, Volume and Issue: 88(2), P. 349 - 364

Published: Dec. 6, 2012

ABSTRACT A growing body of evidence highlights the importance biodiversity for ecosystem stability and maintenance optimal functionality. Conservation measures are thus essential to safeguard services that provides human society needs. Current anthropogenic threats may lead detrimental (and perhaps irreversible) degradation, providing strong motivation evaluate response ecological communities various pressures. In particular, functions sustain key should be identified prioritized conservation action. Traditional diversity (e.g. ‘species richness’) not adequately capture aspects most relevant functionality, but several new concepts more appropriate. These include ‘response diversity’, describing variation responses environmental change among species a particular community. Response also determinant resilience in face pressures uncertainty. However, current understanding is poor, we see an urgent need disentangle conceptual strands pervade studies relationship between functioning. Our review clarifies links functionality by focusing on insurance hypothesis concept functional redundancy. We provide model describe how loss cause degradation through decreased resilience. explicitly explain contributes compensation spatio‐temporal complementarity species, leading long‐term multifunctionality. Recent quantitative suggest traditional often uncoupled from (such as diversity) effective proxies Certain conclusions recommendations earlier using these indicators suspect. believe ecology perspectives incorporating effects development management strategies restore) (especially multifunctionality). issues envision our work generating debate around improved priorities practices maximize uncertain change.

Language: Английский

---

Resistance and resilience of a grassland ecosystem to climate extremes

Ecology, Journal Year: 2014, Volume and Issue: 95(9), P. 2646 - 2656

Published: March 12, 2014

Climate change forecasts of more frequent climate extremes suggest that such events will become increasingly important drivers future ecosystem dynamics and function. Because the rarity unpredictability naturally occurring limits assessment their ecological impacts, we experimentally imposed extreme drought a mid‐summer heat wave over two years in central U.S. grassland. While was resistant to waves, it not drought, which reduced aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) below lowest level measured this grassland almost 30 years. This reduction function consequence both C 4 grasses 3 forbs. However, dominant forb negatively impacted by than grass, led reordering species abundances within plant community. Although community composition persisted post‐drought, ANPP recovered completely year after due rapid demographic responses compensating for loss forb. Overall, these results show an attributable (e.g., low resistance) does preclude recovery. Given dominance few is characteristic most ecosystems, knowledge traits be key predicting

Language: Английский

---

Emerging horizons in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning research

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2009, Volume and Issue: 24(9), P. 505 - 514

Published: July 12, 2009

Language: Английский

---