Biodiversity influences plant productivity through niche–efficiency

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Persistent link to this item

Statistics
View Statistics

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Title

Biodiversity influences plant productivity through niche–efficiency

Published Date

2015

Publisher

National Academy of Sciences

Type

Article

Abstract

Edited by Charles Perrings, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, and accepted by the Editorial Board March 25, 2015 (received for review May 27, 2014) The loss of biodiversity is threatening ecosystem productivity and services worldwide, spurring efforts to quantify its effects on the functioning of natural ecosystems. Previous research has focused on the positive role of biodiversity on resource acquisition (i.e., niche complementarity), but a lack of study on resource utilization efficiency, a link between resource and productivity, has rendered it difficult to quantify the biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationship. Here we demonstrate that biodiversity loss reduces plant productivity, other things held constant, through theory, empirical evidence, and simulations under gradually relaxed assumptions. We developed a theoretical model named niche–efficiency to integrate niche complementarity and a heretofore-ignored mechanism of diminishing marginal productivity in quantifying the effects of biodiversity loss on plant productivity. Based on niche–efficiency, we created a relative productivity metric and a productivity impact index (PII) to assist in biological conservation and resource management. Relative productivity provides a standardized measure of the influence of biodiversity on individual productivity, and PII is a functionally based taxonomic index to assess individual species’ inherent value in maintaining current ecosystem productivity. Empirical evidence from the Alaska boreal forest suggests that every 1% reduction in overall plant diversity could render an average of 0.23% decline in individual tree productivity. Out of the 283 plant species of the region, we found that large woody plants generally have greater PII values than other species. This theoretical model would facilitate the integration of biological conservation in the international campaign against several pressing global issues involving energy use, climate change, and poverty.

Description

http://www.pnas.org/content/112/18/5738

Related to

Replaces

License

Collections

Series/Report Number

Funding information

Isbn identifier

Doi identifier

10.1073/pnas.1409853112

Previously Published Citation

Liang, J., Zhou, M., Tobin, P. C., McGuire, A. D., & Reich, P. B. (2015). Biodiversity influences plant productivity through niche–efficiency. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112(18), 5738–5743. http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1409853112

Suggested citation

Liang, Jingjing; Zhou, Mo; Tobin, Patrick C; McGuire, A David; Reich, Peter B. (2015). Biodiversity influences plant productivity through niche–efficiency. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, 10.1073/pnas.1409853112.

Content distributed via the University Digital Conservancy may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor. By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use. Materials in the UDC may contain content that is disturbing and/or harmful. For more information, please see our statement on harmful content in digital repositories.