Intraspecific traits change biodiversity effects on ecosystem functioning under metal stress |
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Authors: | Isabel Fernandes Cláudia Pascoal Fernanda Cássio |
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Institution: | (1) Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology (CBMA), Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; |
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Abstract: | Studies investigating the impacts of biodiversity loss on ecosystem processes have often reached different conclusions, probably
because insufficient attention has been paid to some aspects including (1) which biodiversity measure (e.g., species number,
species identity or trait) better explains ecosystem functioning, (2) the mechanisms underpinning biodiversity effects, and
(3) how can environmental context modulates biodiversity effects. Here, we investigated how species number (one to three species)
and traits of aquatic fungal decomposers (by replacement of a functional type from an unpolluted site by another from a metal-polluted
site) affect fungal production (biomass acumulation) and plant litter decomposition in the presence and absence of metal stress.
To examine the putative mechanisms that explain biodiversity effects, we determined the contribution of each fungal species
to the total biomass produced in multicultures by real-time PCR. In the absence of metal, positive diversity effects were
observed for fungal production and leaf decomposition as a result of species complementarity. Metal stress decreased diversity
effects on leaf decomposition in assemblages containing the functional type from the unpolluted site, probably due to competitive
interactions between fungi. However, dominance effect maintained positive diversity effects under metal stress in assemblages
containing the functional type from the metal-polluted site. These findings emphasize the importance of intraspecific diversity
in modulating diversity effects under metal stress, providing evidence that trait-based diversity measures should be incorporated
when examining biodiversity effects. |
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