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The role of recurrent disturbances for ecosystem multifunctionality
Anna Villnäs1, Joanna Norkko2, Susanna Hietanen2
1Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, J.A. Palméns väg 260, FI-10900 Hanko, Finland. anna.villnas@environment.fi
Ecology
|December 24, 2013
Summary
Ecosystems degrade gradually under repeated disturbances, but overall function declines faster, signaling reduced resilience. Early warning signs in ecosystem functions can guide remediation efforts.
Area of Science:
- Marine ecology
- Environmental science
- Ecosystem resilience
Background:
- Anthropogenic stressors increasingly threaten ecosystem functioning and resilience.
- Limited empirical data exist on ecosystem tolerance to repeated disturbances and sustained functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess ecosystem tolerance to recurring disturbances.
- To investigate the impact of repeated hypoxic disturbances on sedimentary ecosystem functions.
Main Methods:
- Inducing recurring hypoxic disturbances in a sedimentary ecosystem.
- Analyzing degradation patterns of individual and overall ecosystem functions.
- Examining the influence of disturbance regimes, benthic traits, and habitat heterogeneity.
Main Results:
- Most individual ecosystem functions showed gradual degradation with repeated hypoxia.
- Overall ecosystem functioning degraded earlier than individual functions, after a 3-day hypoxia pulse.
- Repeated disturbances shifted the system towards a press response, with benthic traits and habitat heterogeneity influencing variability.
Conclusions:
- Disturbance-induced responses in multiple ecosystem functions can signal reduced adaptive capacity.
- Early warning signals from ecosystem functions can inform timely remediation efforts.
- Understanding ecosystem tolerance to repeated stressors is crucial for environmental management.
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