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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.
Global change, especially land-use intensification, affects human well-being by impacting the delivery of multiple ecosystem services (multifunctionality). However, whether biodiversity loss is a major component of global change effects on multifunctionality in real-world ecosystems, as in experimental ones, remains unclear. Therefore, we assessed biodiversity, functional composition and 14 ecosystem services on 150 agricultural grasslands differing in land-use intensity. We also introduce five multifunctionality measures in which ecosystem services were weighted according to realistic land-use objectives. We found that indirect land-use effects, i.e. those mediated by biodiversity loss and by changes to functional composition, were as strong as direct effects on average. Their strength varied with land-use objectives and regional context. Biodiversity loss explained indirect effects in a region of intermediate productivity and was most damaging when land-use objectives favoured supporting and cultural services. In contrast, functional composition shifts, towards fast-growing plant species, strongly increased provisioning services in more inherently unproductive grasslands.
Background: Proteinuria is an established characteristic of renal disease in dogs, providing diagnostic and prognostic information. Little is known about the occurrence and severity of proteinuria in dogs with severe inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Hypothesis: The quantitative and qualitative urinary protein (UP) excretion is altered in dogs with SIRS. Animals: Thirty-nine dogs with SIRS and 15 healthy control dogs at admission. Methods: A case control study was performed. Diagnosis of SIRS was based on clinical and clinicopathological findings. Urinary protein (UP) was measured by a colorimetric assay. Urinary albumin (UAlb) and urinary retinol-binding protein (URBP) were measured by ELISA and quantified in relation to urinary creatinine (UC). Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamid-gel electrophoresis was conducted to identify the qualitative pattern of proteinuria. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to assess differences in UP/UC, UAlb/UC and URBP/UC between the groups. P-values <.05 were considered significant. Results: Dogs with SIRS had higher ratios of UP/UC, UAlb/UC and URBP/UC (all P <.001) in comparison to healthy control dogs. Dogs with SIRS had a total of 11 protein bands compared to 3 bands in healthy controls. In dogs with SIRS, 58% of the total counted bands were in the low molecular weight range (< 60 kDa) whereas 42% were in the middle (60-80 kDa)/high molecular weight range (>80 kDa). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: SIRS alters UP excretion in dogs. Further studies should evaluate whether or not the magnitude of proteinuria is predictive of the severity and outcome of dogs with SIRS.