IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nature/v390y1997i6656d10.1038_36561.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Biodiversity regulates ecosystem predictability

Author

Listed:
  • Jill McGrady-Steed

    (Evolution & Natural Resources
    Cook College, Rutgers University)

  • Patricia M. Harris

    (Evolution & Natural Resources
    Cook College, Rutgers University)

  • Peter J. Morin

    (Evolution & Natural Resources
    Cook College, Rutgers University)

Abstract

Links between biodiversity and ecosystem function provide compelling reasons for conserving maximal numbers of species in ecosystems1,2,3,4,5,6. Here we describe a previously unrecognized effect of biodiversity on ecosystem predictability, where predictability is inversely related to temporal and spatial variation in ecosystem properties. By manipulating biodiversity in aquatic microbial communities, we show that one process, ecosystem respiration, becomes more predictable as biodiversity increases. Analysis of similar patterns extracted from other studies2,3,6 indicates that biodiversity also enhances predictability in terrestrial ecosystems. Biodiversity can also affect average levels of ecosystem performance, but the extent to which different species make unique or redundant contributions to ecosystem processes remains controversial3,7,8,9,10. Nonlinear effects of biodiversity on the decomposition of particulate organic matter and resistance of communities to invasion indicate that different species have redundant functions in our system. The consequences of biodiversity are also not restricted to early successional situations as described in previous studies1,2,3,4,6, because strong effects persist even after ecosystems develop for periods corresponding to 40–80 generations of dominant organisms.

Suggested Citation

  • Jill McGrady-Steed & Patricia M. Harris & Peter J. Morin, 1997. "Biodiversity regulates ecosystem predictability," Nature, Nature, vol. 390(6656), pages 162-165, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:390:y:1997:i:6656:d:10.1038_36561
    DOI: 10.1038/36561
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/36561
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/36561?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kohn, Robert E., 1999. "Thresholds and complementarities in an economic model of preserving and conserving biodiversity," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 151-172, June.
    2. Chen, Guanyi & Zhao, Liu & Qi, Yun, 2015. "Enhancing the productivity of microalgae cultivated in wastewater toward biofuel production: A critical review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 282-291.
    3. Molyneaux, Lynette & Brown, Colin & Wagner, Liam & Foster, John, 2016. "Measuring resilience in energy systems: Insights from a range of disciplines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 1068-1079.
    4. Baumgärtner, Stefan & Quaas, Martin, 2005. "The private and public insurance value of conservative biodiversity management," UFZ Discussion Papers 27/2005, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    5. Wang Tian & Huayong Zhang & Lei Zhao & Feifan Zhang & Hai Huang, 2017. "Phytoplankton Diversity Effects on Community Biomass and Stability along Nutrient Gradients in a Eutrophic Lake," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, January.
    6. Muradian, Roldan, 2001. "Ecological thresholds: a survey," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 7-24, July.
    7. Nuppenau, Ernst-August, 2002. "Towards a genuine exchange value of nature: interactions between humans and nature in a principal-agent-framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(1), pages 33-47, November.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:390:y:1997:i:6656:d:10.1038_36561. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.