@article{EccardMendesFerreiraPeredoArceetal.2022, author = {Eccard, Jana and Mendes Ferreira, Clara and Peredo Arce, Andres and Dammhahn, Melanie}, title = {Top-down effects of foraging decisions on local, landscape and regional biodiversity of resources (DivGUD)}, series = {Ecology letters}, volume = {25}, journal = {Ecology letters}, number = {1}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Oxford [u.a.]}, issn = {1461-0248}, doi = {10.1111/ele.13901}, pages = {3 -- 16}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Foraging by consumers acts as a biotic filtering mechanism for biodiversity at the trophic level of resources. Variation in foraging behaviour has cascading effects on abundance, diversity, and functional trait composition of the community of resource species. Here we propose diversity at giving-up density (DivGUD), i.e. when foragers quit exploiting a patch, as a novel concept and simple measure quantifying cascading effects at multiple spatial scales. In experimental landscapes with an assemblage of plant seeds, patch residency of wild rodents decreased local alpha-DivGUD (via elevated mortality of species with large seeds) and regional gamma-DivGUD, while dissimilarity among patches in a landscape (beta-DivGUD) increased. By linking theories of adaptive foraging behaviour with community ecology, DivGUD allows to investigate cascading indirect predation effects, e.g. the ecology-of-fear framework, feedbacks between functional trait composition of resource species and consumer communities, and effects of inter-individual differences among foragers on the biodiversity of resource communities.}, language = {en} } @article{MooijTrolleJeppesenetal.2010, author = {Mooij, Wolf M. and Trolle, Dennis and Jeppesen, Erik and Arhonditsis, George B. and Belolipetsky, Pavel V. and Chitamwebwa, Deonatus B. R. and Degermendzhy, Andrey G. and DeAngelis, Donald L. and Domis, Lisette Nicole de Senerpont and Downing, Andrea S. and Elliott, J. Alex and Fragoso Jr, Carlos Ruberto and Gaedke, Ursula and Genova, Svetlana N. and Gulati, Ramesh D. and H{\aa}kanson, Lars and Hamilton, David P. and Hipsey, Matthew R. and 't Hoen, Jochem and H{\"u}lsmann, Stephan and Los, F. Hans and Makler-Pick, Vardit and Petzoldt, Thomas and Prokopkin, Igor G. and Rinke, Karsten and Schep, Sebastiaan A. and Tominaga, Koji and Van Dam, Anne A. and Van Nes, Egbert H. and Wells, Scott A. and Janse, Jan H.}, title = {Challenges and opportunities for integrating lake ecosystem modelling approaches}, series = {Aquatic ecology}, volume = {44}, journal = {Aquatic ecology}, publisher = {Springer Science + Business Media B.V.}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {1573-5125}, doi = {10.1007/s10452-010-9339-3}, pages = {633 -- 667}, year = {2010}, abstract = {A large number and wide variety of lake ecosystem models have been developed and published during the past four decades. We identify two challenges for making further progress in this field. One such challenge is to avoid developing more models largely following the concept of others ('reinventing the wheel'). The other challenge is to avoid focusing on only one type of model, while ignoring new and diverse approaches that have become available ('having tunnel vision'). In this paper, we aim at improving the awareness of existing models and knowledge of concurrent approaches in lake ecosystem modelling, without covering all possible model tools and avenues. First, we present a broad variety of modelling approaches. To illustrate these approaches, we give brief descriptions of rather arbitrarily selected sets of specific models. We deal with static models (steady state and regression models), complex dynamic models (CAEDYM, CE-QUAL-W2, Delft 3D-ECO, LakeMab, LakeWeb, MyLake, PCLake, PROTECH, SALMO), structurally dynamic models and minimal dynamic models. We also discuss a group of approaches that could all be classified as individual based: super-individual models (Piscator, Charisma), physiologically structured models, stage-structured models and traitbased models. We briefly mention genetic algorithms, neural networks, Kalman filters and fuzzy logic. Thereafter, we zoom in, as an in-depth example, on the multi-decadal development and application of the lake ecosystem model PCLake and related models (PCLake Metamodel, Lake Shira Model, IPH-TRIM3D-PCLake). In the discussion, we argue that while the historical development of each approach and model is understandable given its 'leading principle', there are many opportunities for combining approaches. We take the point of view that a single 'right' approach does not exist and should not be strived for. Instead, multiple modelling approaches, applied concurrently to a given problem, can help develop an integrative view on the functioning of lake ecosystems. We end with a set of specific recommendations that may be of help in the further development of lake ecosystem models.}, language = {en} } @article{Eccard2022, author = {Eccard, Jana}, title = {Can rolling composite wildflower blocks increase biodiversity in agricultural landscapes better than wildflowers strips?}, series = {Journal of applied ecology : an official journal of the British Ecological Society}, volume = {59}, journal = {Journal of applied ecology : an official journal of the British Ecological Society}, number = {5}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0021-8901}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2664.14147}, pages = {1172 -- 1177}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Biodiversity and abundance of wildlife has dramatically declined in agricultural landscapes. Sown, short-lived wildflower (WF) strips along the margins of crop fields are a widespread and often subsidised in agri-environmental schemes, intended to enhance biodiversity, provide refuges for wild plant and arthropod populations and to provide ecosystem services to crops. Meanwhile, WF elements are also criticised, since their functionality decreases with plant succession, the removal of aged WF strip poses an ecological trap for the attracted arthropod populations and only common and mobile species benefit. Further, insects in WF strips are impacted by pesticides from agricultural fields due to shared boundaries with crop fields and by edge effects. The performance of the measure could be improved by combining several WF strips of different successional stages, each harbouring a unique community of plants and arthropods, into persistent, composite WF block, where successional stages exist in parallel. Monitoring data on many taxa in the literature shows, that a third of species are temporarily present in an ageing WF stip, thus offering composite WF blocks should increase cumulative species richness by 28\%-39\% compared to annual richness in WF strips. Persistence of composite WF blocks would offer reliable refuge for animal and plant populations, also supporting their predators and herbivores. Further, WF blocks have less boundaries to crops compared to WF strips of the same area, and are less impacted by edge effects and pesticides. Policy implications. Here I suggest a change of conservation practice changing from successional WF strips to composite WF blocks. By regular removal and replacement of aged WF strips either within the block (rotational) or at its margins (rolling), the habitat heterogeneity in composite WF block could be perpetuated. Rolling composite WF blocks change locations over years, and the original location can be reconverted to arable land while a nearby WF block is still available to wildlife. A change in agricultural schemes would be necessary, since in some European countries clustered WF strips are explicitly not subsidised.}, language = {en} } @article{EstendorferStempfhuberHauryetal.2017, author = {Estendorfer, Jennifer and Stempfhuber, Barbara and Haury, Paula and Vestergaard, Gisle and Rillig, Matthias C. and Joshi, Jasmin Radha and Schr{\"o}der, Peter and Schloter, Michael}, title = {The Influence of Land Use Intensity on the Plant-Associated Microbiome of Dactylis glomerata L.}, series = {Frontiers in plant science}, volume = {8}, journal = {Frontiers in plant science}, publisher = {Frontiers Research Foundation}, address = {Lausanne}, issn = {1664-462X}, doi = {10.3389/fpls.2017.00930}, pages = {10}, year = {2017}, abstract = {In this study, we investigated the impact of different land use intensities (LUI) on the root-associated microbiome of Dactylis glomerata (orchardgrass). For this purpose, eight sampling sites with different land use intensity levels but comparable soil properties were selected in the southwest of Germany. Experimental plots covered land use levels from natural grassland up to intensively managed meadows. We used 16S rRNA gene based barcoding to assess the plant-associated community structure in the endosphere, rhizosphere and bulk soil of D. glomerata. Samples were taken at the reproductive stage of the plant in early summer. Our data indicated that roots harbor a distinct bacterial community, which clearly differed from the microbiome of the rhizosphere and bulk soil. Our results revealed Pseudomonadaceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Comamonadaceae as the most abundant endophytes independently of land use intensity. Rhizosphere and bulk soil were dominated also by Proteobacteria, but the most abundant families differed from those obtained from root samples. In the soil, the effect of land use intensity was more pronounced compared to root endophytes leading to a clearly distinct pattern of bacterial communities under different LUI from rhizosphere and bulk soil vs. endophytes. Overall, a change of community structure on the plant-soil interface was observed, as the number of shared OTUs between all three compartments investigated increased with decreasing land use intensity. Thus, our findings suggest a stronger interaction of the plant with its surrounding soil under low land use intensity. Furthermore, the amount and quality of available nitrogen was identified as a major driver for shifts in the microbiome structure in all compartments.}, language = {en} } @article{DenglerWagnerDembiczetal.2018, author = {Dengler, J{\"u}rgen and Wagner, Viktoria and Dembicz, Iwona and Garcia-Mijangos, Itziar and Naqinezhad, Alireza and Boch, Steffen and Chiarucci, Alessandro and Conradi, Timo and Filibeck, Goffredo and Guarino, Riccardo and Janisova, Monika and Steinbauer, Manuel J. and Acic, Svetlana and Acosta, Alicia T. R. and Akasaka, Munemitsu and Allers, Marc-Andre and Apostolova, Iva and Axmanova, Irena and Bakan, Branko and Baranova, Alina and Bardy-Durchhalter, Manfred and Bartha, Sandor and Baumann, Esther and Becker, Thomas and Becker, Ute and Belonovskaya, Elena and Bengtsson, Karin and Benito Alonso, Jose Luis and Berastegi, Asun and Bergamini, Ariel and Bonini, Ilaria and Bruun, Hans Henrik and Budzhak, Vasyl and Bueno, Alvaro and Antonio Campos, Juan and Cancellieri, Laura and Carboni, Marta and Chocarro, Cristina and Conti, Luisa and Czarniecka-Wiera, Marta and De Frenne, Pieter and Deak, Balazs and Didukh, Yakiv P. and Diekmann, Martin and Dolnik, Christian and Dupre, Cecilia and Ecker, Klaus and Ermakov, Nikolai and Erschbamer, Brigitta and Escudero, Adrian and Etayo, Javier and Fajmonova, Zuzana and Felde, Vivian A. and Fernandez Calzado, Maria Rosa and Finckh, Manfred and Fotiadis, Georgios and Fracchiolla, Mariano and Ganeva, Anna and Garcia-Magro, Daniel and Gavilan, Rosario G. and Germany, Markus and Giladi, Itamar and Gillet, Francois and Giusso del Galdo, Gian Pietro and Gonzalez, Jose M. and Grytnes, John-Arvid and Hajek, Michal and Hajkova, Petra and Helm, Aveliina and Herrera, Mercedes and Hettenbergerova, Eva and Hobohm, Carsten and Huellbusch, Elisabeth M. and Ingerpuu, Nele and Jandt, Ute and Jeltsch, Florian and Jensen, Kai and Jentsch, Anke and Jeschke, Michael and Jimenez-Alfaro, Borja and Kacki, Zygmunt and Kakinuma, Kaoru and Kapfer, Jutta and Kavgaci, Ali and Kelemen, Andras and Kiehl, Kathrin and Koyama, Asuka and Koyanagi, Tomoyo F. and Kozub, Lukasz and Kuzemko, Anna and Kyrkjeeide, Magni Olsen and Landi, Sara and Langer, Nancy and Lastrucci, Lorenzo and Lazzaro, Lorenzo and Lelli, Chiara and Leps, Jan and Loebel, Swantje and Luzuriaga, Arantzazu L. and Maccherini, Simona and Magnes, Martin and Malicki, Marek and Marceno, Corrado and Mardari, Constantin and Mauchamp, Leslie and May, Felix and Michelsen, Ottar and Mesa, Joaquin Molero and Molnar, Zsolt and Moysiyenko, Ivan Y. and Nakaga, Yuko K. and Natcheva, Rayna and Noroozi, Jalil and Pakeman, Robin J. and Palpurina, Salza and Partel, Meelis and Paetsch, Ricarda and Pauli, Harald and Pedashenko, Hristo and Peet, Robert K. and Pielech, Remigiusz and Pipenbaher, Natasa and Pirini, Chrisoula and Pleskova, Zuzana and Polyakova, Mariya A. and Prentice, Honor C. and Reinecke, Jennifer and Reitalu, Triin and Pilar Rodriguez-Rojo, Maria and Rolecek, Jan and Ronkin, Vladimir and Rosati, Leonardo and Rosen, Ejvind and Ruprecht, Eszter and Rusina, Solvita and Sabovljevic, Marko and Maria Sanchez, Ana and Savchenko, Galina and Schuhmacher, Oliver and Skornik, Sonja and Sperandii, Marta Gaia and Staniaszek-Kik, Monika and Stevanovic-Dajic, Zora and Stock, Marin and Suchrow, Sigrid and Sutcliffe, Laura M. E. and Swacha, Grzegorz and Sykes, Martin and Szabo, Anna and Talebi, Amir and Tanase, Catalin and Terzi, Massimo and Tolgyesi, Csaba and Torca, Marta and Torok, Peter and Tothmeresz, Bela and Tsarevskaya, Nadezda and Tsiripidis, Ioannis and Tzonev, Rossen and Ushimaru, Atushi and Valko, Orsolya and van der Maarel, Eddy and Vanneste, Thomas and Vashenyak, Iuliia and Vassilev, Kiril and Viciani, Daniele and Villar, Luis and Virtanen, Risto and Kosic, Ivana Vitasovic and Wang, Yun and Weiser, Frank and Went, Julia and Wesche, Karsten and White, Hannah and Winkler, Manuela and Zaniewski, Piotr T. and Zhang, Hui and Ziv, Yaron and Znamenskiy, Sergey and Biurrun, Idoia}, title = {GrassPlot - a database of multi-scale plant diversity in Palaearctic grasslands}, series = {Phytocoenologia}, volume = {48}, journal = {Phytocoenologia}, number = {3}, publisher = {Cramer}, address = {Stuttgart}, issn = {0340-269X}, doi = {10.1127/phyto/2018/0267}, pages = {331 -- 347}, year = {2018}, abstract = {GrassPlot is a collaborative vegetation-plot database organised by the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) and listed in the Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases (GIVD ID EU-00-003). GrassPlot collects plot records (releves) from grasslands and other open habitats of the Palaearctic biogeographic realm. It focuses on precisely delimited plots of eight standard grain sizes (0.0001; 0.001;... 1,000 m(2)) and on nested-plot series with at least four different grain sizes. The usage of GrassPlot is regulated through Bylaws that intend to balance the interests of data contributors and data users. The current version (v. 1.00) contains data for approximately 170,000 plots of different sizes and 2,800 nested-plot series. The key components are richness data and metadata. However, most included datasets also encompass compositional data. About 14,000 plots have near-complete records of terricolous bryophytes and lichens in addition to vascular plants. At present, GrassPlot contains data from 36 countries throughout the Palaearctic, spread across elevational gradients and major grassland types. GrassPlot with its multi-scale and multi-taxon focus complements the larger international vegetationplot databases, such as the European Vegetation Archive (EVA) and the global database " sPlot". Its main aim is to facilitate studies on the scale-and taxon-dependency of biodiversity patterns and drivers along macroecological gradients. GrassPlot is a dynamic database and will expand through new data collection coordinated by the elected Governing Board. We invite researchers with suitable data to join GrassPlot. Researchers with project ideas addressable with GrassPlot data are welcome to submit proposals to the Governing Board.}, language = {en} } @article{StantonBooneSotoShoenderetal.2017, author = {Stanton, Richard A. and Boone, Wesley W. and Soto-Shoender, Jose and Fletcher, Robert J. and Blaum, Niels and McCleery, Robert A.}, title = {Shrub encroachment and vertebrate diversity}, series = {Global ecology and biogeography : a journal of macroecology}, volume = {27}, journal = {Global ecology and biogeography : a journal of macroecology}, number = {3}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1466-822X}, doi = {10.1111/geb.12675}, pages = {368 -- 379}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Aim: Across the planet, grass-dominated biomes are experiencing shrub encroachment driven by atmospheric CO2 enrichment and land-use change. By altering resource structure and availability, shrub encroachment may have important impacts on vertebrate communities. We sought to determine the magnitude and variability of these effects across climatic gradients, continents, and taxa, and to learn whether shrub thinning restores the structure of vertebrate communities. Location: Worldwide. Time period: Contemporary. Major taxa studied: Terrestrial vertebrates. Methods: We estimated relationships between percentage shrub cover and the structure of terrestrial vertebrate communities (species richness, Shannon diversity and community abundance) in experimentally thinned and unmanipulated shrub-encroached grass-dominated biomes using systematic review and meta-analyses of 43 studies published from 1978 to 2016. We modelled the effects of continent, biome, mean annual precipitation, net primary productivity and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) on the relationship between shrub cover and vertebrate community structure. Results: Species richness, Shannon diversity and total abundance had no consistent relationship with shrub encroachment and experimental thinning did not reverse encroachment effects on vertebrate communities. However, some effects of shrub encroachment on vertebrate communities differed with net primary productivity, amongst vertebrate groups, and across continents. Encroachment had negative effects on vertebrate diversity at low net primary productivity. Mammalian and herpetofaunal diversity decreased with shrub encroachment. Shrub encroachment also had negative effects on species richness and total abundance in Africa but positive effects in North America. Main conclusions: Biodiversity conservation and mitigation efforts responding to shrub encroachment should focus on low-productivity locations, on mammals and herpetofauna, and in Africa. However, targeted research in neglected regions such as central Asia and India will be needed to fill important gaps in our knowledge of shrub encroachment effects on vertebrates. Additionally, our findings provide an impetus for determining the mechanisms associated with changes in vertebrate diversity and abundance in shrub-encroached grass-dominated biomes.}, language = {en} } @article{DarwallBremerichDeWeveretal.2018, author = {Darwall, William and Bremerich, Vanessa and De Wever, Aaike and Dell, Anthony I. and Freyhof, Joerg and Gessner, Mark O. and Grossart, Hans-Peter and Harrison, Ian and Irvine, Ken and J{\"a}hnig, Sonja C. and Jeschke, Jonathan M. and Lee, Jessica J. and Lu, Cai and Lewandowska, Aleksandra M. and Monaghan, Michael T. and Nejstgaard, Jens C. and Patricio, Harmony and Schmidt-Kloiber, Astrid and Stuart, Simon N. and Thieme, Michele and Tockner, Klement and Turak, Eren and Weyl, Olaf}, title = {The alliance for freshwater life}, series = {Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems}, volume = {28}, journal = {Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems}, number = {4}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1052-7613}, doi = {10.1002/aqc.2958}, pages = {1015 -- 1022}, year = {2018}, abstract = {1. Global pressures on freshwater ecosystems are high and rising. Viewed primarily as a resource for humans, current practices of water use have led to catastrophic declines in freshwater species and the degradation of freshwater ecosystems, including their genetic and functional diversity. Approximately three-quarters of the world's inland wetlands have been lost, one-third of the 28 000 freshwater species assessed for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List are threatened with extinction, and freshwater vertebrate populations are undergoing declines that are more rapid than those of terrestrial and marine species. This global loss continues unchecked, despite the importance of freshwater ecosystems as a source of clean water, food, livelihoods, recreation, and inspiration. 2. The causes of these declines include hydrological alterations, habitat degradation and loss, overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, and the multiple impacts of climate change. Although there are policy initiatives that aim to protect freshwater life, these are rarely implemented with sufficient conviction and enforcement. Policies that focus on the development and management of fresh waters as a resource for people almost universally neglect the biodiversity that they contain. 3. Here we introduce the Alliance for Freshwater Life, a global initiative, uniting specialists in research, data synthesis, conservation, education and outreach, and policymaking. This expert network aims to provide the critical mass required for the effective representation of freshwater biodiversity at policy meetings, to develop solutions balancing the needs of development and conservation, and to better convey the important role freshwater ecosystems play in human well-being. Through this united effort we hope to reverse this tide of loss and decline in freshwater biodiversity. We introduce several short- and medium-term actions as examples for making positive change, and invite individuals, organizations, authorities, and governments to join the Alliance for Freshwater Life.}, language = {en} } @article{BachmannHeimbachHassenruecketal.2018, author = {Bachmann, Jennifer and Heimbach, Tabea and Hassenr{\"u}ck, Christiane and Kopprio, German A. and Iversen, Morten Hvitfeldt and Grossart, Hans-Peter and G{\"a}rdes, Astrid}, title = {Environmental Drivers of Free-Living vs. Particle-Attached Bacterial Community Composition in the Mauritania Upwelling System}, series = {Frontiers in microbiology}, volume = {9}, journal = {Frontiers in microbiology}, publisher = {Frontiers Research Foundation}, address = {Lausanne}, issn = {1664-302X}, doi = {10.3389/fmicb.2018.02836}, pages = {13}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Saharan dust input and seasonal upwelling along North-West Africa provide a model system for studying microbial processes related to the export and recycling of nutrients. This study offers the first molecular characterization of prokaryotic particle-attached (PA; > 3.0 mu m) and free-living (FL; 0.2-3.0 mu m) players in this important ecosystem during August 2016. Environmental drivers for alpha-diversity, bacterial community composition, and differences between FL and PA fractions were identified. The ultra-oligotrophic waters off Senegal were dominated by Cyanobacteria while higher relative abundances of Alphaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, and Planctomycetes (known particle-degraders) occurred in the upwelling area. Temperature, proxy for different water masses, was the best predictor for changes in FL communities. PA community variation was best explained by temperature and ammonium. Bray Curtis dissimilarities between FL and PA were generally very high and correlated with temperature and salinity in surface waters. Greatest similarities between FL and PA occurred at the deep chlorophyll maximum, where bacterial substrate availability was likely highest. This indicates that environmental drivers do not only influence changes among FL and PA communities but also differences between them. This could provide an explanation for contradicting results obtained by different studies regarding the dissimilarity/similarity between FL and PA communities and their biogeochemical functions.}, language = {en} } @article{EngelsMedeirosAxfordetal.2020, author = {Engels, Stefan and Medeiros, Andrew S. and Axford, Yarrow and Brooks, Steve and Heiri, Oliver and Luoto, Tomi P. and Nazarova, Larisa B. and Porinchu, David F. and Quinlan, Roberto and Self, Angela E.}, title = {Temperature change as a driver of spatial patterns and long-term trends in chironomid (Insecta: Diptera) diversity}, series = {Global change biology}, volume = {26}, journal = {Global change biology}, number = {3}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1354-1013}, doi = {10.1111/gcb.14862}, pages = {1155 -- 1169}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Anthropogenic activities have led to a global decline in biodiversity, and monitoring studies indicate that both insect communities and wetland ecosystems are particularly affected. However, there is a need for long-term data (over centennial or millennial timescales) to better understand natural community dynamics and the processes that govern the observed trends. Chironomids (Insecta: Diptera: Chironomidae) are often the most abundant insects in lake ecosystems, sensitive to environmental change, and, because their larval exoskeleton head capsules preserve well in lake sediments, they provide a unique record of insect community dynamics through time. Here, we provide the results of a metadata analysis of chironomid diversity across a range of spatial and temporal scales. First, we analyse spatial trends in chironomid diversity using Northern Hemispheric data sets overall consisting of 837 lakes. Our results indicate that in most of our data sets, summer temperature (T-jul) is strongly associated with spatial trends in modern-day chironomid diversity. We observe a strong increase in chironomid alpha diversity with increasing T-jul in regions with present-day T-jul between 2.5 and 14 degrees C. In some areas with T-jul > 14 degrees C, chironomid diversity stabilizes or declines. Second, we demonstrate that the direction and amplitude of change in alpha diversity in a compilation of subfossil chironomid records spanning the last glacial-interglacial transition (similar to 15,000-11,000 years ago) are similar to those observed in our modern data. A compilation of Holocene records shows that during phases when the amplitude of temperature change was small, site-specific factors had a greater influence on the chironomid fauna obscuring the chironomid diversity-temperature relationship. Our results imply expected overall chironomid diversity increases in colder regions such as the Arctic under sustained global warming, but with complex and not necessarily predictable responses for individual sites.}, language = {en} } @article{LozadaGobilardStangPirhoferWalzletal.2019, author = {Lozada Gobilard, Sissi Donna and Stang, Susanne and Pirhofer-Walzl, Karin and Kalettka, Thomas and Heinken, Thilo and Schr{\"o}der, Boris and Eccard, Jana and Joshi, Jasmin Radha}, title = {Environmental filtering predicts plant-community trait distribution and diversity}, series = {Ecology and evolution}, volume = {9}, journal = {Ecology and evolution}, number = {4}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {2045-7758}, doi = {10.1002/ece3.4883}, pages = {1898 -- 1910}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Meta-communities of habitat islands may be essential to maintain biodiversity in anthropogenic landscapes allowing rescue effects in local habitat patches. To understand the species-assembly mechanisms and dynamics of such ecosystems, it is important to test how local plant-community diversity and composition is affected by spatial isolation and hence by dispersal limitation and local environmental conditions acting as filters for local species sorting.We used a system of 46 small wetlands (kettle holes)natural small-scale freshwater habitats rarely considered in nature conservation policiesembedded in an intensively managed agricultural matrix in northern Germany. We compared two types of kettle holes with distinct topographies (flat-sloped, ephemeral, frequently plowed kettle holes vs. steep-sloped, more permanent ones) and determined 254 vascular plant species within these ecosystems, as well as plant functional traits and nearest neighbor distances to other kettle holes.Differences in alpha and beta diversity between steep permanent compared with ephemeral flat kettle holes were mainly explained by species sorting and niche processes and mass effect processes in ephemeral flat kettle holes. The plant-community composition as well as the community trait distribution in terms of life span, breeding system, dispersal ability, and longevity of seed banks significantly differed between the two habitat types. Flat ephemeral kettle holes held a higher percentage of non-perennial plants with a more persistent seed bank, less obligate outbreeders and more species with seed dispersal abilities via animal vectors compared with steep-sloped, more permanent kettle holes that had a higher percentage of wind-dispersed species. In the flat kettle holes, plant-species richness was negatively correlated with the degree of isolation, whereas no such pattern was found for the permanent kettle holes.Synthesis: Environment acts as filter shaping plant diversity (alpha and beta) and plant-community trait distribution between steep permanent compared with ephemeral flat kettle holes supporting species sorting and niche mechanisms as expected, but we identified a mass effect in ephemeral kettle holes only. Flat ephemeral kettle holes can be regarded as meta-ecosystems that strongly depend on seed dispersal and recruitment from a seed bank, whereas neighboring permanent kettle holes have a more stable local species diversity.}, language = {en} } @article{RojasJimenezGrossartCordesetal.2020, author = {Rojas-Jimenez, Keilor and Grossart, Hans-Peter and Cordes, Erik and Cort{\´e}s, Jorge}, title = {Fungal Communities in Sediments Along a Depth Gradient in the Eastern Tropical Pacific}, series = {Frontiers in Microbiology}, volume = {11}, journal = {Frontiers in Microbiology}, publisher = {Frontiers Media}, address = {Lausanne}, issn = {1664-302X}, doi = {10.3389/fmicb.2020.575207}, pages = {9}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Deep waters represent the largest biome on Earth and the largest ecosystem of Costa Rica. Fungi play a fundamental role in global biogeochemical cycling in marine sediments, yet, they remain little explored. We studied fungal diversity and community composition in several marine sediments from 16 locations sampled along a bathymetric gradient (from a depth of 380 to 3,474 m) in two transects of about 1,500 km length in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP) of Costa Rica. Sequence analysis of the V7-V8 region of the 18S rRNA gene obtained from sediment cores revealed the presence of 787 fungal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs). On average, we detected a richness of 75 fungal ASVs per sample. Ascomycota represented the most abundant phylum with Saccharomycetes constituting the dominant class. Three ASVs accounted for ca. 63\% of all fungal sequences: the yeast Metschnikowia (49.4\%), Rhizophydium (6.9\%), and Cladosporium (6.7\%). We distinguished a cluster composed mainly by yeasts, and a second cluster by filamentous fungi, but we were unable to detect a strong effect of depth and the overlying water temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), and pH on the composition of fungal communities. We highlight the need to understand further the ecological role of fungi in deep-sea ecosystems.}, language = {en} } @article{WrightAmesMitchelll2016, author = {Wright, Justin P. and Ames, Gregory M. and Mitchelll, Rachel M.}, title = {The more things change, the more they stay the same? When is trait variability important for stability of ecosystem function in a changing environment}, series = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London : B, Biological sciences}, volume = {371}, journal = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London : B, Biological sciences}, publisher = {Royal Society}, address = {London}, issn = {0962-8436}, doi = {10.1098/rstb.2015.0272}, pages = {7}, year = {2016}, abstract = {The importance of intraspecific trait variability for community dynamics and ecosystem functioning has been underappreciated. There are theoretical reasons for predicting that species that differ in intraspecific trait variability will also differ in their effects on ecosystem functioning, particularly in variable environments. We discuss whether species with greater trait variability are likely to exhibit greater temporal stability in their population dynamics, and under which conditions this might lead to stability in ecosystem functioning. Resolving this requires us to consider several questions. First, are species with high levels of variation for one trait equally variable in others? In particular, is variability in response and effects traits typically correlated? Second, what is the relative contribution of local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity to trait variability? If local adaptation dominates, then stability in function requires one of two conditions: (i) individuals of appropriate phenotypes present in the environment at high enough frequencies to allow for populations to respond rapidly to the changing environment, and (ii) high levels of dispersal and gene flow. While we currently lack sufficient information on the causes and distribution of variability in functional traits, filling in these key data gaps should increase our ability to predict how changing biodiversity will alter ecosystem functioning.}, language = {en} } @article{SoliveresManningPratietal.2016, author = {Soliveres, Santiago and Manning, Peter and Prati, Daniel and Gossner, Martin M. and Alt, Fabian and Arndt, Hartmut and Baumgartner, Vanessa and Binkenstein, Julia and Birkhofer, Klaus and Blaser, Stefan and Bluethgen, Nico and Boch, Steffen and Boehm, Stefan and Boerschig, Carmen and Buscot, Francois and Diekoetter, Tim and Heinze, Johannes and Hoelzel, Norbert and Jung, Kirsten and Klaus, Valentin H. and Klein, Alexandra-Maria and Kleinebecker, Till and Klemmer, Sandra and Krauss, Jochen and Lange, Markus and Morris, E. Kathryn and Mueller, Joerg and Oelmann, Yvonne and Overmann, J{\"o}rg and Pasalic, Esther and Renner, Swen C. and Rillig, Matthias C. and Schaefer, H. Martin and Schloter, Michael and Schmitt, Barbara and Schoening, Ingo and Schrumpf, Marion and Sikorski, Johannes and Socher, Stephanie A. and Solly, Emily F. and Sonnemann, Ilja and Sorkau, Elisabeth and Steckel, Juliane and Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf and Stempfhuber, Barbara and Tschapka, Marco and Tuerke, Manfred and Venter, Paul and Weiner, Christiane N. and Weisser, Wolfgang W. and Werner, Michael and Westphal, Catrin and Wilcke, Wolfgang and Wolters, Volkmar and Wubet, Tesfaye and Wurst, Susanne and Fischer, Markus and Allan, Eric}, title = {Locally rare species influence grassland ecosystem multifunctionality}, series = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London : B, Biological sciences}, volume = {371}, journal = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London : B, Biological sciences}, publisher = {Royal Society}, address = {London}, issn = {0962-8436}, doi = {10.1098/rstb.2015.0269}, pages = {3175 -- 3185}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Species diversity promotes the delivery of multiple ecosystem functions (multifunctionality). However, the relative functional importance of rare and common species in driving the biodiversity multifunctionality relationship remains unknown. We studied the relationship between the diversity of rare and common species (according to their local abundances and across nine different trophic groups), and multifunctionality indices derived from 14 ecosystem functions on 150 grasslands across a land use intensity (LUI) gradient. The diversity of above- and below-ground rare species had opposite effects, with rare above-ground species being associated with high levels of multifunctionality, probably because their effects on different functions did not trade off against each other. Conversely, common species were only related to average, not high, levels of multifunctionality, and their functional effects declined with LUI. Apart from the community level effects of diversity, we found significant positive associations between the abundance of individual species and multifunctionality in 6\% of the species tested. Species specific functional effects were best predicted by their response to LUI: species that declined in abundance with land use intensification were those associated with higher levels of multifunctionality. Our results highlight the importance of rare species for ecosystem multifunctionality and help guiding future conservation priorities.}, language = {en} } @article{JeltschGrimmReegetal.2019, author = {Jeltsch, Florian and Grimm, Volker and Reeg, Jette and Schl{\"a}gel, Ulrike E.}, title = {Give chance a chance}, series = {Ecosphere}, volume = {10}, journal = {Ecosphere}, number = {5}, publisher = {ESA}, address = {Ithaca, NY}, issn = {2150-8925}, doi = {10.1002/ecs2.2700}, pages = {19}, year = {2019}, abstract = {A large part of biodiversity theory is driven by the basic question of what allows species to coexist in spite of a confined number of niches. A substantial theoretical background to this question is provided by modern coexistence theory (MCT), which rests on mathematical approaches of invasion analysis to categorize underlying mechanisms into factors that reduce either niche overlap (stabilizing mechanisms) or the average fitness differences of species (equalizing mechanisms). While MCT has inspired biodiversity theory in the search for these underlying mechanisms, we feel that the strong focus on coexistence causes a bias toward the most abundant species and neglects the plethora of species that are less abundant and often show high local turnover. Given the more stochastic nature of their occurrence, we advocate a complementary cross-level approach that links individuals, small populations, and communities and explicitly takes into account (1) a more complete inclusion of environmental and demographic stochasticity affecting small populations, (2) intraspecific trait variation and behavioral plasticity, and (3) local heterogeneities, interactions, and feedbacks. Focusing on mechanisms that drive the temporary coviability of species rather than infinite coexistence, we suggest a new approach that could be dubbed coviability analysis (CVA). From a modeling perspective, CVA builds on the merged approaches of individual-based modeling and population viability analysis but extends them to the community level. From an empirical viewpoint, CVA calls for a stronger integration of spatiotemporal data on variability and noise, changing drivers, and interactions at the level of individuals. The resulting large volumes of data from multiple sources could be strongly supported by novel techniques tailored to the discovery of complex patterns in high-dimensional data. By complementing MCT through a stronger focus on the coviability of less common species, this approach can help make modern biodiversity theory more comprehensive, predictive, and relevant for applications.}, language = {en} } @article{LozadaGobilardStangPirhoferWalzletal.2019, author = {Lozada Gobilard, Sissi Donna and Stang, Susanne and Pirhofer-Walzl, Karin and Kalettka, Thomas and Heinken, Thilo and Schr{\"o}der, Boris and Eccard, Jana and Jasmin Radha, Jasmin}, title = {Environmental filtering predicts plant-community trait distribution and diversity}, series = {Ecology and Evolution}, journal = {Ecology and Evolution}, publisher = {John Wiley \& Sons, Inc.}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {2045-7758}, doi = {10.1002/ece3.4883}, pages = {13}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Meta-communities of habitat islands may be essential to maintain biodiversity in anthropogenic landscapes allowing rescue effects in local habitat patches. To understand the species-assembly mechanisms and dynamics of such ecosystems, it is important to test how local plant-community diversity and composition is affected by spatial isolation and hence by dispersal limitation and local environmental conditions acting as filters for local species sorting. We used a system of 46 small wetlands (kettle holes)—natural small-scale freshwater habitats rarely considered in nature conservation policies—embedded in an intensively managed agricultural matrix in northern Germany. We compared two types of kettle holes with distinct topographies (flatsloped, ephemeral, frequently plowed kettle holes vs. steep-sloped, more permanent ones) and determined 254 vascular plant species within these ecosystems, as well as plant functional traits and nearest neighbor distances to other kettle holes. Differences in alpha and beta diversity between steep permanent compared with ephemeral flat kettle holes were mainly explained by species sorting and niche processes and mass effect processes in ephemeral flat kettle holes. The plant-community composition as well as the community trait distribution in terms of life span, breeding system, dispersal ability, and longevity of seed banks significantly differed between the two habitat types. Flat ephemeral kettle holes held a higher percentage of non-perennial plants with a more persistent seed bank, less obligate outbreeders and more species with seed dispersal abilities via animal vectors compared with steep-sloped, more permanent kettle holes that had a higher percentage of wind-dispersed species. In the flat kettle holes, plant-species richness was negatively correlated with the degree of isolation, whereas no such pattern was found for the permanent kettle holes. Synthesis: Environment acts as filter shaping plant diversity (alpha and beta) and plant-community trait distribution between steep permanent compared with ephemeral flat kettle holes supporting species sorting and niche mechanisms as expected, but we identified a mass effect in ephemeral kettle holes only. Flat ephemeral kettle holes can be regarded as meta-ecosystems that strongly depend on seed dispersal and recruitment from a seed bank, whereas neighboring permanent kettle holes have a more stable local species diversity.}, language = {en} } @article{WeithoffRochaGaedke2015, author = {Weithoff, Guntram and Rocha, Marcia R. and Gaedke, Ursula}, title = {Comparing seasonal dynamics of functional and taxonomic diversity reveals the driving forces underlying phytoplankton community structure}, series = {Freshwater biology}, volume = {60}, journal = {Freshwater biology}, number = {4}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {0046-5070}, doi = {10.1111/fwb.12527}, pages = {758 -- 767}, year = {2015}, abstract = {In most biodiversity studies, taxonomic diversity is the measure for the multiplicity of species and is often considered to represent functional diversity. However, trends in taxonomic diversity and functional diversity may differ, for example, when many functionally similar but taxonomically different species co-occur in a community. The differences between these diversity measures are of particular interest in diversity research for understanding diversity patterns and their underlying mechanisms. We analysed a temporally highly resolved 20-year time series of lake phytoplankton to determine whether taxonomic diversity and functional diversity exhibit similar or contrasting seasonal patterns. We also calculated the functional mean of the community in n-dimensional trait space for each sampling day to gain further insights into the seasonal dynamics of the functional properties of the community. We found an overall weak positive relationship between taxonomic diversity and functional diversity with a distinct seasonal pattern. The two diversity measures showed synchronous behaviour from early spring to mid-summer and a more complex and diverging relationship from autumn to late winter. The functional mean of the community exhibited a recurrent annual pattern with the most prominent changes before and after the clear-water phase. From late autumn to winter, the functional mean of the community and functional diversity were relatively constant while taxonomic diversity declined, suggesting competitive exclusion during this period. A further decline in taxonomic diversity concomitant with increasing functional diversity in late winter to early spring is seen as a result of niche diversification together with competitive exclusion. Under these conditions, several different sets of traits are suitable to thrive, but within one set of functional traits only one, or very few, morphotypes can persist. Taxonomic diversity alone is a weak descriptor of trait diversity in phytoplankton. However, the combined analysis of taxonomic diversity and functional diversity, along with the functional mean of the community, allows for deeper insights into temporal patterns of community assembly and niche diversification.}, language = {en} } @article{VenailGrossOakleyetal.2015, author = {Venail, Patrick and Gross, Kevin and Oakley, Todd H. and Narwani, Anita and Allan, Eric and Flombaum, Pedro and Isbell, Forest and Joshi, Jasmin Radha and Reich, Peter B. and Tilman, David and van Ruijven, Jasper and Cardinale, Bradley J.}, title = {Species richness, but not phylogenetic diversity, influences community biomass production and temporal stability in a re-examination of 16 grassland biodiversity studies}, series = {Functional ecology : an official journal of the British Ecological Society}, volume = {29}, journal = {Functional ecology : an official journal of the British Ecological Society}, number = {5}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {0269-8463}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2435.12432}, pages = {615 -- 626}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Hundreds of experiments have now manipulated species richness (SR) of various groups of organisms and examined how this aspect of biological diversity influences ecosystem functioning. Ecologists have recently expanded this field to look at whether phylogenetic diversity (PD) among species, often quantified as the sum of branch lengths on a molecular phylogeny leading to all species in a community, also predicts ecological function. Some have hypothesized that phylogenetic divergence should be a superior predictor of ecological function than SR because evolutionary relatedness represents the degree of ecological and functional differentiation among species. But studies to date have provided mixed support for this hypothesis. Here, we reanalyse data from 16 experiments that have manipulated plant SR in grassland ecosystems and examined the impact on above-ground biomass production over multiple time points. Using a new molecular phylogeny of the plant species used in these experiments, we quantified how the PD of plants impacts average community biomass production as well as the stability of community biomass production through time. Using four complementary analyses, we show that, after statistically controlling for variation in SR, PD (the sum of branches in a molecular phylogenetic tree connecting all species in a community) is neither related to mean community biomass nor to the temporal stability of biomass. These results run counter to past claims. However, after controlling for SR, PD was positively related to variation in community biomass over time due to an increase in the variances of individual species, but this relationship was not strong enough to influence community stability. In contrast to the non-significant relationships between PD, biomass and stability, our analyses show that SR per se tends to increase the mean biomass production of plant communities, after controlling for PD. The relationship between SR and temporal variation in community biomass was either positive, non-significant or negative depending on which analysis was used. However, the increases in community biomass with SR, independently of PD, always led to increased stability. These results suggest that PD is no better as a predictor of ecosystem functioning than SR.Synthesis. Our study on grasslands offers a cautionary tale when trying to relate PD to ecosystem functioning suggesting that there may be ecologically important trait and functional variation among species that is not explained by phylogenetic relatedness. Our results fail to support the hypothesis that the conservation of evolutionarily distinct species would be more effective than the conservation of SR as a way to maintain productive and stable communities under changing environmental conditions.}, language = {en} } @article{SoliveresMaestreUlrichetal.2015, author = {Soliveres, Santiago and Maestre, Fernando T. and Ulrich, Werner and Manning, Peter and Boch, Steffen and Bowker, Matthew A. and Prati, Daniel and Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel and Quero, Jose L. and Sch{\"o}ning, Ingo and Gallardo, Antonio and Weisser, Wolfgang W. and M{\"u}ller, J{\"o}rg and Socher, Stephanie A. and Garcia-Gomez, Miguel and Ochoa, Victoria and Schulze, Ernst-Detlef and Fischer, Markus and Allan, Eric}, title = {Intransitive competition is widespread in plant communities and maintains their species richness}, series = {Ecology letters}, volume = {18}, journal = {Ecology letters}, number = {8}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1461-023X}, doi = {10.1111/ele.12456}, pages = {790 -- 798}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Intransitive competition networks, those in which there is no single best competitor, may ensure species coexistence. However, their frequency and importance in maintaining diversity in real-world ecosystems remain unclear. We used two large data sets from drylands and agricultural grasslands to assess: (1) the generality of intransitive competition, (2) intransitivity-richness relationships and (3) effects of two major drivers of biodiversity loss (aridity and land-use intensification) on intransitivity and species richness. Intransitive competition occurred in >65\% of sites and was associated with higher species richness. Intransitivity increased with aridity, partly buffering its negative effects on diversity, but was decreased by intensive land use, enhancing its negative effects on diversity. These contrasting responses likely arise because intransitivity is promoted by temporal heterogeneity, which is enhanced by aridity but may decline with land-use intensity. We show that intransitivity is widespread in nature and increases diversity, but it can be lost with environmental homogenisation.}, language = {en} } @article{WackerMarzetzSpijkerman2015, author = {Wacker, Alexander and Marzetz, Vanessa and Spijkerman, Elly}, title = {Interspecific competition in phytoplankton drives the availability of essential mineral and biochemical nutrients}, series = {Ecology : a publication of the Ecological Society of America}, volume = {96}, journal = {Ecology : a publication of the Ecological Society of America}, number = {9}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Washington}, issn = {0012-9658}, doi = {10.1890/14-1915.1}, pages = {2467 -- 2477}, year = {2015}, abstract = {The underlying mechanisms and consequences of competition and diversity are central themes in ecology. A higher diversity of primary producers often results in higher resource use efficiency in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. This may result in more food for consumers on one hand, while, on the other hand, it can also result in a decreased food quality for consumers; higher biomass combined with the same availability of the limiting compound directly reduces the dietary proportion of the limiting compound. Here we tested whether and how interspecific competition in phytoplankton communities leads to changes in resource use efficiency and cellular concentrations of nutrients and fatty acids. The measured particulate carbon : phosphorus ratios (C:P) and fatty acid concentrations in the communities were compared to the theoretically expected ratios and concentrations of measurements on simultaneously running monocultures. With interspecific competition, phytoplankton communities had higher concentrations of the monounsaturated fatty acid oleic acid and also much higher concentrations of the ecologically and physiologically relevant long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid than expected concentrations based on monocultures. Such higher availability of essential fatty acids may contribute to the positive relationship between phytoplankton diversity and zooplankton growth, and may compensate limitations by mineral nutrients in higher trophic levels.}, language = {en} } @article{BauerVosKlauschiesetal.2014, author = {Bauer, Barbara and Vos, Matthijs and Klauschies, Toni and Gaedke, Ursula}, title = {Diversity, functional similarity, and top-down control drive synchronization and the reliability of ecosystem function}, series = {The American naturalist : a bi-monthly journal devoted to the advancement and correlation of the biological sciences}, volume = {183}, journal = {The American naturalist : a bi-monthly journal devoted to the advancement and correlation of the biological sciences}, number = {3}, publisher = {Univ. of Chicago Press}, address = {Chicago}, issn = {0003-0147}, doi = {10.1086/674906}, pages = {394 -- 409}, year = {2014}, abstract = {The concept that diversity promotes reliability of ecosystem function depends on the pattern that community-level biomass shows lower temporal variability than species-level biomasses. However, this pattern is not universal, as it relies on compensatory or independent species dynamics. When in contrast within--trophic level synchronization occurs, variability of community biomass will approach population-level variability. Current knowledge fails to integrate how species richness, functional distance between species, and the relative importance of predation and competition combine to drive synchronization at different trophic levels. Here we clarify these mechanisms. Intense competition promotes compensatory dynamics in prey, but predators may at the same time increasingly synchronize, under increasing species richness and functional similarity. In contrast, predators and prey both show perfect synchronization under strong top-down control, which is promoted by a combination of low functional distance and high net growth potential of predators. Under such conditions, community-level biomass variability peaks, with major negative consequences for reliability of ecosystem function.}, language = {en} } @article{RottstockJoshiKummeretal.2014, author = {Rottstock, Tanja and Joshi, Jasmin Radha and Kummer, Volker and Fischer, Markus}, title = {Higher plant diversity promotes higher diversity of fungal pathogens, while it decreases pathogen infection per plant}, series = {Ecology : a publication of the Ecological Society of America}, volume = {95}, journal = {Ecology : a publication of the Ecological Society of America}, number = {7}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Washington}, issn = {0012-9658}, pages = {1907 -- 1917}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Fungal plant pathogens are common in natural communities where they affect plant physiology, plant survival, and biomass production. Conversely, pathogen transmission and infection may be regulated by plant community characteristics such as plant species diversity and functional composition that favor pathogen diversity through increases in host diversity while simultaneously reducing pathogen infection via increased variability in host density and spatial heterogeneity. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of multi-host multi-pathogen interactions is of high significance in the context of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning. We investigated the relationship between plant diversity and aboveground obligate parasitic fungal pathogen ("pathogens" hereafter) diversity and infection in grasslands of a long-term, large-scale, biodiversity experiment with varying plant species (1-60 species) and plant functional group diversity (1-4 groups). To estimate pathogen infection of the plant communities, we visually assessed pathogen-group presence (i.e., rusts, powdery mildews, downy mildews, smuts, and leaf-spot diseases) and overall infection levels (combining incidence and severity of each pathogen group) in 82 experimental plots on all aboveground organs of all plant species per plot during four surveys in 2006. Pathogen diversity, assessed as the cumulative number of pathogen groups on all plant species per plot, increased log-linearly with plant species diversity. However, pathogen incidence and severity, and hence overall infection, decreased with increasing plant species diversity. In addition, co-infection of plant individuals by two or more pathogen groups was less likely with increasing plant community diversity. We conclude that plant community diversity promotes pathogen-community diversity while at the same time reducing pathogen infection levels of plant individuals.}, language = {en} } @article{GuttZurellBracegridleetal.2012, author = {Gutt, Julian and Zurell, Damaris and Bracegridle, Thomas J. and Cheung, William and Clark, Melody S. and Convey, Peter and Danis, Bruno and David, Bruno and De Broyer, Claude and di Prisco, Guido and Griffiths, Huw and Laffont, Remi and Peck, Lloyd S. and Pierrat, Benjamin and Riddle, Martin J. and Saucede, Thomas and Turner, John and Verde, Cinzia and Wang, Zhaomin and Grimm, Volker}, title = {Correlative and dynamic species distribution modelling for ecological predictions in the Antarctic a cross-disciplinary concept}, series = {Polar research : a Norwegian journal of Polar research}, volume = {31}, journal = {Polar research : a Norwegian journal of Polar research}, number = {6}, publisher = {Co-Action Publ.}, address = {Jarfalla}, issn = {0800-0395}, doi = {10.3402/polar.v31i0.11091}, pages = {23}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Developments of future scenarios of Antarctic ecosystems are still in their infancy, whilst predictions of the physical environment are recognized as being of global relevance and corresponding models are under continuous development. However, in the context of environmental change simulations of the future of the Antarctic biosphere are increasingly demanded by decision makers and the public, and are of fundamental scientific interest. This paper briefly reviews existing predictive models applied to Antarctic ecosystems before providing a conceptual framework for the further development of spatially and temporally explicit ecosystem models. The concept suggests how to improve approaches to relating species' habitat description to the physical environment, for which a case study on sea urchins is presented. In addition, the concept integrates existing and new ideas to consider dynamic components, particularly information on the natural history of key species, from physiological experiments and biomolecular analyses. Thereby, we identify and critically discuss gaps in knowledge and methodological limitations. These refer to process understanding of biological complexity, the need for high spatial resolution oceanographic data from the entire water column, and the use of data from biomolecular analyses in support of such ecological approaches. Our goal is to motivate the research community to contribute data and knowledge to a holistic, Antarctic-specific, macroecological framework. Such a framework will facilitate the integration of theoretical and empirical work in Antarctica, improving our mechanistic understanding of this globally influential ecoregion, and supporting actions to secure this biodiversity hotspot and its ecosystem services.}, language = {en} } @article{SocherPratiBochetal.2012, author = {Socher, Stephanie A. and Prati, Daniel and Boch, Steffen and M{\"u}ller, J{\"o}rg and Klaus, Valentin H. and H{\"o}lzel, Norbert and Fischer, Markus}, title = {Direct and productivity-mediated indirect effects of fertilization, mowing and grazing on grassland species richness}, series = {The journal of ecology}, volume = {100}, journal = {The journal of ecology}, number = {6}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {0022-0477}, doi = {10.1111/j.1365-2745.2012.02020.x}, pages = {1391 -- 1399}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Recent declines in biodiversity have given new urgency to questions about the relationship between land-use change, biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Despite the existence of a large body of research on the effects of land use on species richness, it is unclear whether the effects of land use on species richness are principally direct or indirect, mediated by concomitant changes in ecosystem processes. Therefore, we compared the direct effects of land use (fertilization, mowing and grazing) on species richness with indirect ones (mediated via grassland productivity) for grasslands in central Europe. We measured the richness and above-ground biomass in 150 grassland plots in 3 regions of Germany (the so-called Biodiversity Exploratories). We used univariate and structural equation models to examine direct and indirect land-use effects. The direct effects of mowing (-0.37, effect size) and grazing (0.04) intensity on species richness were stronger compared with the indirect effects of mowing (-0.04) and grazing (-0.01). However, the strong negative effect of fertilization (-0.23) on species richness was mainly indirect, mediated by increased productivity compared with the weak direct negative effect (-0.07). Differences between regions in land-use effects showed five times weaker negative effects of mowing (-0.13) in the region with organic soils (Schorfheide-Chorin), strong overall negative effects of grazing (-0.29) for the region with organic soils opposed to a similar strong positive effect (0.30) in the Hainich-Dun region, whereas the Schwabische Alb region displayed a five times weaker positive effect (0.06) only. Further, fertilization effects on species richness were positive (0.03) for the region with organic soils compared to up to 25 times stronger negative effects in the other two regions. Synthesis. Our results clearly show the importance of studying both direct and indirect effects of land-use intensity. They demonstrate the indirect nature, via productivity, of the negative effect of fertilization intensity on plant species richness in the real-world context of management-induced gradients of intensity of fertilization, mowing and grazing. Finally, they highlight that careful consideration of regional environments is necessary before attempting to generalize land-use effects on species diversity.}, language = {en} } @article{SchwarzerHeinkenLuthardtetal.2013, author = {Schwarzer, Christian and Heinken, Thilo and Luthardt, Vera and Joshi, Jasmin Radha}, title = {Latitudinal shifts in species interactions interfere with resistance of southern but not of northern bog-plant communities to experimental climate change}, series = {The journal of ecology}, volume = {101}, journal = {The journal of ecology}, number = {6}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {0022-0477}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2745.12158}, pages = {1484 -- 1497}, year = {2013}, abstract = {The persistence of species under changed climatic conditions depends on adaptations and plastic responses to these conditions and on interactions with their local plant community resulting in direct and indirect effects of changed climatic conditions. Populations at species' range margins may be especially crucial in containing a gene pool comprising adaptations to extreme climatic conditions. Many species of northern European bog ecosystems reach their southern lowland range limit in central Europe. In a common-garden experiment, we experimentally assessed the impact of projected climatic changes on five bog-plant species (including peat moss Sphagnum magellanicum) sampled along a latitudinal gradient of 1400km from Scandinavia to the marginal lowland populations in Germany. Populations were cultivated in monocultures and in experimental communities composed of all five species from their local community, and exposed to five combinations of three climate treatments (warming, fluctuating water-tables, fertilization) in a southern common garden. Whereas most monocultures showed a decreasing biomass production from southern to northern origins under southern environmental conditions, in the experimental mixed-species communities, an increasing biomass production towards northern communities was observed together with a shift in interspecific interactions along the latitudinal gradient. While negative dominance effects prevailed in southern communities, higher net biodiversity effects were observed in northern subarctic communities. The combined effects of climate treatments increased biomass production in monocultures of most origins. In communities, however, overall the treatments did not result in significantly changed biomass production. Among individual treatments, water-table fluctuations caused a significant decrease in biomass production, but only in southern communities, indicating higher vulnerability to changed climatic conditions. Here, negative effects of climate treatments on graminoids were not compensated by the slightly increased growth of peat moss that benefited from interspecific interactions only in northern communities.Synthesis. We conclude that shifting interactions within multispecies communities caused pronounced responses to changed climatic conditions in wetland communities of temperate southern marginal, but not of northern subarctic origin. Therefore, future models investigating the impacts of climate change on plant communities should consider geographical variation in species interactions an important factor influencing community responses to changed climatic conditions.}, language = {en} }