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The links between ecosystem multifunctionality and above- and belowground biodiversity are mediated by climate
Xin Jing1, Nathan J Sanders2, Yu Shi3
1Department of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, and Key Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes of the Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
Nature Communications
|September 3, 2015
Summary
Understanding plant biodiversity
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Plant biodiversity influences ecosystem functioning in terrestrial environments.
- The combined effects of above- and belowground biodiversity on ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) and climate mediation are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on EMF.
- To differentiate the impacts of above- and belowground biodiversity on EMF.
- To explore climate's role in mediating these relationships on the Tibetan Plateau.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of biotic and abiotic variables influencing EMF.
- Quantification of the contribution of above- and belowground biodiversity to EMF variation.
- Assessment of climate's influence on biodiversity-EMF relationships.
Main Results:
- Biotic and abiotic variables explained up to 86% of EMF variation.
- Combined above- and belowground biodiversity accounted for 45% of EMF variation.
- Climate variation significantly influenced the relationship between biodiversity and EMF.
Conclusions:
- Including belowground biodiversity in ecological models enhances the explanation and prediction of EMF.
- Regional climate variations, potentially including climate change, play a crucial role in determining or modifying the impact of biodiversity on EMF in natural ecosystems.
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