Phytoplankton size-diversity mediates an emergent trade-off in ecosystem functioning for rare versus frequent disturbances.

ABSTRACT: Biodiversity is known to be an important determinant of ecosystem-level functions and processes. Although theories have been proposed to explain the generally positive relationship between, for example, biodiversity and productivity, it remains unclear which mechanisms underlie the observed variations in Biodiversity-Ecosystem Function (BEF) relationships. Using a continuous trait-distribution model for a phytoplankton community of gleaners competing with opportunists, and subjecting it to differing frequencies of disturbance, we find that species selection tends to enhance temporal species complementarity, which is maximised at high disturbance frequency and intermediate functional diversity. This leads to the emergence of a trade-off whereby increasing diversity tends to enhance short-te

SUBMITTER: Smith SL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5066229 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature