A multitrophic perspective on biodiversity–ecosystem functioning research

Eisenhauer, Nico; Schielzeth, Holger; Barnes, Andrew D.; Barry, Kathryn; Bonn, Aletta; Brose, Ulrich; Bruelheide, Helge; Buchmann, Nina; Buscot, François; Ebeling, Anne; Ferlian, Olga; Freschet, Grégoire T.; Giling, Darren P.; Hättenschwiler, Stephan; Hillebrand, Helmut; Hines, Jes; Isbell, Forest; Koller-France, Eva; König-Ries, Birgitta; de Kroon, Hans; ... (2019). A multitrophic perspective on biodiversity–ecosystem functioning research. In: Eisenhauer, Nico; Bohan, David A.; Dumbrell, Alex J. (eds.) Mechanisms underlying the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function. Advances in Ecological Research: Vol. 61 (pp. 1-54). Amsterdam: Elsevier 10.1016/bs.aecr.2019.06.001

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Concern about the functional consequences of unprecedented loss in biodiversity has prompted biodiversity–ecosystem functioning (BEF) research to become one of the most active fields of ecological research in the past 25 years. Hundreds of experiments have manipulated biodiversity as an independent variable and found compelling support that the functioning of ecosystems increases with the diversity of their ecological communities. This research has also identified some of the mechanisms underlying BEF relationships, some context-dependencies of the strength of relationships, as well as implications for various ecosystem services that humankind depends upon. In this chapter, we argue that a multitrophic perspective of biotic interactions in random and non-random biodiversity change scenarios is key to advance future BEF research and to address some of its most important remaining challenges. We discuss that the study and the quantification of multitrophic interactions in space and time facilitates scaling up from small-scale biodiversity manipulations and ecosystem function assessments to management-relevant spatial scales across ecosystem boundaries. We specifically consider multitrophic conceptual frameworks to understand and predict the context-dependency of BEF relationships. Moreover, we highlight the importance of the eco-evolutionary underpinnings of multitrophic BEF relationships. We outline that FAIR data (meeting the standards of findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability) and reproducible processing will be key to advance this field of research by making it more integrative. Finally, we show how these BEF insights may be implemented for ecosystem management, society, and policy. Given that human well-being critically depends on the multiple services provided by diverse, multitrophic communities, integrating the approaches of evolutionary ecology, community ecology, and ecosystem ecology in future BEF research will be key to refine conservation targets and develop sustainable management strategies.

Item Type:

Book Section (Book Chapter)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS) > Plant Ecology
08 Faculty of Science > Department of Biology > Institute of Plant Sciences (IPS)

UniBE Contributor:

van der Plas, Alfons Leendert Derk, Jochum, Malte

Subjects:

500 Science > 580 Plants (Botany)

ISSN:

0065-2504

ISBN:

978-0-08-102912-1

Series:

Advances in Ecological Research

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Peter Alfred von Ballmoos-Haas

Date Deposited:

06 Nov 2019 09:40

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:30

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/bs.aecr.2019.06.001

Uncontrolled Keywords:

biodiversity change; eco-evolution; ecosystem functions; food web; landscape; management; multifunctionality; real-world biodiversity change; spatial scaling

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.132363

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/132363

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