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The diversity–stability debate

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  • Kevin Shear McCann

    (McGill University)

Abstract

There exists little doubt that the Earth's biodiversity is declining. The Nature Conservancy, for example, has documented that one-third of the plant and animal species in the United States are now at risk of extinction. The problem is a monumental one, and forces us to consider in depth how we expect ecosystems, which ultimately are our life-support systems, to respond to reductions in diversity. This issue — commonly referred to as the diversity–stability debate — is the subject of this review, which synthesizes historical ideas with recent advances. Both theory and empirical evidence agree that we should expect declines in diversity to accelerate the simplification of ecological communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Kevin Shear McCann, 2000. "The diversity–stability debate," Nature, Nature, vol. 405(6783), pages 228-233, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:405:y:2000:i:6783:d:10.1038_35012234
    DOI: 10.1038/35012234
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    Cited by:

    1. Ilan Vertinsky & Yingqiu Kuang & Dongsheng Zhou & Victor Cui, 2023. "The political economy and dynamics of bifurcated world governance and the decoupling of value chains: An alternative perspective," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(7), pages 1351-1377, September.
    2. Dardonville, Manon & Bockstaller, Christian & Villerd, Jean & Therond, Olivier, 2022. "Resilience of agricultural systems: biodiversity-based systems are stable, while intensified ones are resistant and high-yielding," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    3. dos Anjos, Lucas & Weber, Igor Daniel & Godoy, Wesley Augusto Conde, 2023. "Modelling the biocontrol of Spodoptera frugiperda: A mechanistic approach considering Bt crops and oviposition behaviour," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 484(C).
    4. Xu, Meng & Jiang, Mengke & Wang, Hua-Feng, 2021. "Integrating metabolic scaling variation into the maximum entropy theory of ecology explains Taylor's law for individual metabolic rate in tropical forests," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 455(C).
    5. Samadder, Amit & Chattopadhyay, Arnab & Sau, Anurag & Bhattacharya, Sabyasachi, 2024. "Interconnection between density-regulation and stability in competitive ecological network," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 33-46.
    6. Candiani, Juan Antonio & Gilsing, Victor & Mastrogiorgio, Mariano, 2022. "Technological entry in new niches: Diversity, crowding and generalism," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    7. Nonaka, Etsuko & Kuparinen, Anna, 2023. "Limited effects of size-selective harvesting and harvesting-induced life-history changes on the temporal variability of biomass dynamics in complex food webs," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 476(C).
    8. Pakarinen, Suvi & Mattila, Tuomas & Melanen, Matti & Nissinen, Ari & Sokka, Laura, 2010. "Sustainability and industrial symbiosis—The evolution of a Finnish forest industry complex," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 54(12), pages 1393-1404.
    9. Qinghua Zhao & Paul J. Brink & Chi Xu & Shaopeng Wang & Adam T. Clark & Canan Karakoç & George Sugihara & Claire E. Widdicombe & Angus Atkinson & Shin-ichiro S. Matsuzaki & Ryuichiro Shinohara & Shuiq, 2023. "Relationships of temperature and biodiversity with stability of natural aquatic food webs," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    10. M. Barna, 2008. "The effects of cutting regimes on natural regeneration in submountain beech forests: species diversity and abundance," Journal of Forest Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 54(12), pages 533-544.
    11. Donohue, Ian & Coscieme, Luca & Gellner, Gabriel & Yang, Qiang & Jackson, Andrew L. & Kubiszewski, Ida & Costanza, Robert & McCann, Kevin S., 2023. "Accelerated economic recovery in countries powered by renewables," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).

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