Community assembly and the functioning of ecosystems: how metacommunity processes alter ecosystems attributes

Area of Science:

• Ecological theory
• Metacommunity dynamics
• Ecosystem science

Background:

• Ecosystem function research often overlooks dispersal-dependent community assembly.
• Local species richness is a common, but incomplete, focus.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how spatial processes in metacommunities influence community assembly and ecosystem function.
• To modify expectations of diversity-ecosystem relationships.

Main Methods:

• Combined consumer-resource competition models and metacommunity theory.
• Discussed relevant case studies.

Main Results:

• Strong dispersal limitation can reduce ecosystem function by limiting selection effects.
• Excess dispersal can decrease function by overwhelming local adaptation.
• Intermediate dispersal levels appear to maximize ecosystem function.

Conclusions:

• Community assembly processes, not just local richness, drive ecosystem function.
• Dispersal is a critical factor modulating the link between biodiversity and ecosystem services.