Compensatory responses can alter the form of the biodiversity-function relation curve.

ABSTRACT: There is now strong evidence that ecosystem properties are influenced by alterations in biodiversity. The consensus that has emerged from over two decades of research is that the form of the biodiversity-functioning relationship follows a saturating curve. However, the foundation from which these conclusions are drawn mostly stems from empirical investigations that have not accounted for post-extinction changes in community composition and structure, or how surviving species respond to new circumstances and modify their contribution to functioning. Here, we use marine sediment-dwelling invertebrate communities to experimentally assess whether post-extinction compensatory mechanisms (simulated by increasing species biomass) have the potential to alter biodiversity-ecosystem function relatio

SUBMITTER: Thomsen MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6501933 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature