Abstract
Plant diversity can increase biomass production in plot-scale studies, but applying these results to ecosystem carbon (C) storage at larger spatial and temporal scales remains problematic. Other ecosystem controls interact with diversity and plant production, and may influence soil pools differently from plant pools. We integrated diversity with the state-factor framework, which identifies key controls, or ‘state factors’, over ecosystem properties and services such as C storage. We used this framework to assess the effects of diversity, plant traits and state factors (climate, topography, time) on live tree, standing dead, organic horizon and total C in Québec forests. Four patterns emerged: (1) while state factors were usually the most important model predictors, models with both state and biotic factors (mean plant traits and diversity) better predicted C pools; (2) mean plant traits were better predictors than diversity; (3) diversity increased live tree C but reduced organic horizon C; (4) different C pools responded to different traits and diversity metrics. These results suggest that, where ecosystem properties result from multiple processes, no simple relationship may exist with any one organismal factor. Integrating biodiversity into ecosystem ecology and assessing both traits and diversity improves our mechanistic understanding of biotic effects on ecosystems.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1604-1619 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Ecology Letters |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 1 2018 |
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Keywords
- biodiversity
- community-weighted mean
- ecosystem functioning
- ecosystem services
- functional diversity
- functional traits
- interactive factors
- phylogenetic diversity
- species richness
- state factors
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cite this
Ecosystem context illuminates conflicting roles of plant diversity in carbon storage. / Carol Adair, E.; Hooper, David U.; Paquette, Alain; Hungate, Bruce A.
In: Ecology Letters, Vol. 21, No. 11, 01.11.2018, p. 1604-1619.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Ecosystem context illuminates conflicting roles of plant diversity in carbon storage
AU - Carol Adair, E.
AU - Hooper, David U.
AU - Paquette, Alain
AU - Hungate, Bruce A
PY - 2018/11/1
Y1 - 2018/11/1
N2 - Plant diversity can increase biomass production in plot-scale studies, but applying these results to ecosystem carbon (C) storage at larger spatial and temporal scales remains problematic. Other ecosystem controls interact with diversity and plant production, and may influence soil pools differently from plant pools. We integrated diversity with the state-factor framework, which identifies key controls, or ‘state factors’, over ecosystem properties and services such as C storage. We used this framework to assess the effects of diversity, plant traits and state factors (climate, topography, time) on live tree, standing dead, organic horizon and total C in Québec forests. Four patterns emerged: (1) while state factors were usually the most important model predictors, models with both state and biotic factors (mean plant traits and diversity) better predicted C pools; (2) mean plant traits were better predictors than diversity; (3) diversity increased live tree C but reduced organic horizon C; (4) different C pools responded to different traits and diversity metrics. These results suggest that, where ecosystem properties result from multiple processes, no simple relationship may exist with any one organismal factor. Integrating biodiversity into ecosystem ecology and assessing both traits and diversity improves our mechanistic understanding of biotic effects on ecosystems.
AB - Plant diversity can increase biomass production in plot-scale studies, but applying these results to ecosystem carbon (C) storage at larger spatial and temporal scales remains problematic. Other ecosystem controls interact with diversity and plant production, and may influence soil pools differently from plant pools. We integrated diversity with the state-factor framework, which identifies key controls, or ‘state factors’, over ecosystem properties and services such as C storage. We used this framework to assess the effects of diversity, plant traits and state factors (climate, topography, time) on live tree, standing dead, organic horizon and total C in Québec forests. Four patterns emerged: (1) while state factors were usually the most important model predictors, models with both state and biotic factors (mean plant traits and diversity) better predicted C pools; (2) mean plant traits were better predictors than diversity; (3) diversity increased live tree C but reduced organic horizon C; (4) different C pools responded to different traits and diversity metrics. These results suggest that, where ecosystem properties result from multiple processes, no simple relationship may exist with any one organismal factor. Integrating biodiversity into ecosystem ecology and assessing both traits and diversity improves our mechanistic understanding of biotic effects on ecosystems.
KW - biodiversity
KW - community-weighted mean
KW - ecosystem functioning
KW - ecosystem services
KW - functional diversity
KW - functional traits
KW - interactive factors
KW - phylogenetic diversity
KW - species richness
KW - state factors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85053194879&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85053194879&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/ele.13145
DO - 10.1111/ele.13145
M3 - Article
VL - 21
SP - 1604
EP - 1619
JO - Ecology Letters
JF - Ecology Letters
SN - 1461-023X
IS - 11
ER -