Functional structure of biological communities predicts ecosystem multifunctionality.

ABSTRACT: The accelerating rate of change in biodiversity patterns, mediated by ever increasing human pressures and global warming, demands a better understanding of the relationship between the structure of biological communities and ecosystem functioning (BEF). Recent investigations suggest that the functional structure of communities, i.e. the composition and diversity of functional traits, is the main driver of ecological processes. However, the predictive power of BEF research is still low, the integration of all components of functional community structure as predictors is still lacking, and the multifunctionality of ecosystems (i.e. rates of multiple processes) must be considered. Here, using a multiple-processes framework from grassland biodiversity experiments, we show that functional ident

SUBMITTER: Mouillot D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3053366 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature