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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 6, 2026

JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning

JenaTron - An Experimental Approach to Study the Effects of Plant History and Soil History on Grassland Ecosystem Functioning

Published on: March 21, 2025

Linking biodiversity to ecosystem function: implications for conservation ecology.

M W Schwartz¹, C A Brigham¹, J D Hoeksema¹

¹Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA e-mail: mwschwartz@ucdavis.edu Tel.: +1-530-7520671, Fax: +1-530-7521449, , , , , , US.

|March 18, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Most ecosystems function well with fewer species than previously thought. This challenges the idea that high biodiversity is essential for ecosystem stability and function, impacting conservation strategies.

Keywords:

Biodiversity Conservation Ecosystem function Key words Species richness Observations

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Conservation Biology
Biodiversity Science

Background:

Ecosystem stability and function are often cited as key arguments for species conservation.
The relationship between species richness and ecosystem health is crucial for understanding conservation priorities.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate empirical and theoretical evidence linking species richness to ecosystem stability and function.
To determine if high species richness is necessary for maximizing ecosystem functions.
To assess the validity of using ecosystem function as a primary argument for species conservation.

Main Methods:

Review of empirical literature on species richness and ecosystem function.
Analysis of theoretical models predicting ecosystem function saturation.
Examination of models relating species number to ecosystem stability.

Main Results:

Few empirical studies show improved ecosystem function with high species richness.
Theoretical models indicate ecosystem function often saturates at low species richness.
Species richness beyond a few key species typically does not increase ecosystem stability.

Conclusions:

Current evidence does not strongly support the hypothesis that full species diversity is required for ecosystem function or stability.
Conservation strategies relying heavily on the biodiversity-ecosystem function link may need re-evaluation.
A cautious approach is advised when using the biodiversity-ecosystem function linkage to promote conservation goals.