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Biodiversity as spatial insurance in heterogeneous landscapes
Michel Loreau1, Nicolas Mouquet, Andrew Gonzalez
1Laboratoire d'Ecologie, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7625, Ecole Normale Supérieure, 46 Rue d'Ulm, F-75230 Paris Cedex 05, France. Loreau@ens.fr
Summary
Biodiversity loss impacts local ecosystems, but its large-scale effects are unclear. This study reveals biodiversity offers spatial insurance for ecosystem functioning through species diversity and dispersal, crucial for conservation.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Theoretical Ecology
Background:
- Local biodiversity loss impacts on ecosystem functioning are well-studied.
- The effects of biodiversity on ecosystem processes and stability at larger spatial scales remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how biodiversity influences ecosystem functioning and stability across larger spatial scales.
- To explore the hypothesis that biodiversity provides spatial insurance for ecosystem functioning via spatial exchanges in heterogeneous landscapes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a theoretical metacommunity model incorporating local consumer-resource dynamics.
- Simulated dispersal among local systems to analyze effects on ecosystem processes.
Main Results:
- Dispersal rates significantly impact ecosystem productivity's mean and variability through spatial averaging and functional compensation.
- Spatial insurance effects of species diversity are maximized at intermediate dispersal rates, which also maximize local diversity.
Conclusions:
- Species diversity and dispersal are critical for maintaining ecosystem functioning and stability at larger scales.
- Understanding spatial processes is vital for predicting landscape change impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services for conservation and management.