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Land use imperils plant and animal community stability through changes in asynchrony rather than diversity

Author

Listed:
  • Nico Blüthgen

    (Technische Universität Darmstadt)

  • Nadja K. Simons

    (Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Center for Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München)

  • Kirsten Jung

    (Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm)

  • Daniel Prati

    (Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern)

  • Swen C. Renner

    (Institute of Zoology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences
    Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute at the National Zoological Park)

  • Steffen Boch

    (Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern)

  • Markus Fischer

    (Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern
    Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F))

  • Norbert Hölzel

    (Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster)

  • Valentin H. Klaus

    (Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster)

  • Till Kleinebecker

    (Institute of Landscape Ecology, University of Münster)

  • Marco Tschapka

    (Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm)

  • Wolfgang W. Weisser

    (Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Center for Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München)

  • Martin M. Gossner

    (Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Center for Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München)

Abstract

Human land use may detrimentally affect biodiversity, yet long-term stability of species communities is vital for maintaining ecosystem functioning. Community stability can be achieved by higher species diversity (portfolio effect), higher asynchrony across species (insurance hypothesis) and higher abundance of populations. However, the relative importance of these stabilizing pathways and whether they interact with land use in real-world ecosystems is unknown. We monitored inter-annual fluctuations of 2,671 plant, arthropod, bird and bat species in 300 sites from three regions. Arthropods show 2.0-fold and birds 3.7-fold higher community fluctuations in grasslands than in forests, suggesting a negative impact of forest conversion. Land-use intensity in forests has a negative net impact on stability of bats and in grasslands on birds. Our findings demonstrate that asynchrony across species—much more than species diversity alone—is the main driver of variation in stability across sites and requires more attention in sustainable management.

Suggested Citation

  • Nico Blüthgen & Nadja K. Simons & Kirsten Jung & Daniel Prati & Swen C. Renner & Steffen Boch & Markus Fischer & Norbert Hölzel & Valentin H. Klaus & Till Kleinebecker & Marco Tschapka & Wolfgang W. W, 2016. "Land use imperils plant and animal community stability through changes in asynchrony rather than diversity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-7, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms10697
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10697
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    Cited by:

    1. Alejandro M. Bellon, 2019. "Does animal charisma influence conservation funding for vertebrate species under the US Endangered Species Act?," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 21(3), pages 399-411, July.
    2. Lisandro Benedetti-Cecchi & Amanda E. Bates & Giovanni Strona & Fabio Bulleri & Barbara Horta e Costa & Graham J. Edgar & Bernat Hereu & Dan C. Reed & Rick D. Stuart-Smith & Neville S. Barrett & David, 2024. "Marine protected areas promote stability of reef fish communities under climate warming," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.

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