Inconsistent impacts of decomposer diversity on the stability of aboveground and belowground ecosystem functions |
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Authors: | Nico Eisenhauer Martin Schädler |
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Institution: | 1.J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology,Georg-August-University G?ttingen,G?ttingen,Germany;2.Department of Forest Resources,University of Minnesota,St. Paul,USA;3.Department Community Ecology, UFZ,Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research, UFZ,Halle,Germany |
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Abstract: | The intensive discussion on the importance of biodiversity for the stability of essential processes in ecosystems has prompted
a multitude of studies since the middle of the last century. Nevertheless, research has been extremely biased by focusing
on the producer level, while studies on the impacts of decomposer diversity on the stability of ecosystem functions are lacking.
Here, we investigate the impacts of decomposer diversity on the stability (reliability) of three important aboveground and
belowground ecosystem functions: primary productivity (shoot and root biomass), litter decomposition, and herbivore infestation.
For this, we analyzed the results of three laboratory experiments manipulating decomposer diversity (1–3 species) in comparison
to decomposer-free treatments in terms of variability of the measured variables. Decomposer diversity often significantly
but inconsistently affected the stability of all aboveground and belowground ecosystem functions investigated in the present
study. While primary productivity was mainly destabilized, litter decomposition and aphid infestation were essentially stabilized
by increasing decomposer diversity. However, impacts of decomposer diversity varied between plant community and fertility
treatments. There was no general effect of the presence of decomposers on stability and no trend toward weaker effects in
fertilized communities and legume communities. This indicates that impacts of decomposers are based on more than effects on
nutrient availability. Although inconsistent impacts complicate the estimation of consequences of belowground diversity loss,
underpinning mechanisms of the observed patterns are discussed. Impacts of decomposer diversity on the stability of essential
ecosystem functions differed between plant communities of varying composition and fertility, implicating that human-induced
changes of biodiversity and land-use management might have unpredictable effects on the processes mankind relies on. This
study therefore points to the necessity of also considering soil feedback mechanisms in order to gain a comprehensive and
holistic understanding of the impacts of current global change phenomena on the stability of essential ecosystem functions. |
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