Establishing causal links between aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem functioning: Status and research needs

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Understanding biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) is vital for ecosystem-based management (EBM), particularly concerning global change.
• BEF research has predominantly focused on terrestrial systems, with aquatic ecosystems receiving less attention.
• BEF relationships may differ between terrestrial and aquatic environments due to variations in phylogenetic diversity and ecological processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key challenges and research gaps in establishing BEF relationships for aquatic ecosystems (freshwater, transitional, marine).
• To evaluate reported mechanisms, shapes, and interchangeability of aquatic BEF relationships.
• To highlight contemporary needs in aquatic BEF research for effective EBM.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of available research on aquatic BEF relationships, with a focus on the last 10 years.
• Assessment of reported mechanisms and shapes of aquatic BEF relationships.
• Evaluation of the interchangeability and ecosystem-specificity of BEF relationships.

Main Results:

• Significant progress has been made in BEF research, but several bottlenecks persist in aquatic systems.
• Key challenges include incorporating ecosystem multifunctionality, the role of rare species, multitrophic interactions, and spatial-temporal scales.
• Aquatic BEF relationships are not fully understood and may be ecosystem-specific, limiting direct application to EBM.

Conclusions:

• Addressing identified bottlenecks is crucial for advancing aquatic BEF research.
• Further research is needed to integrate complex ecological factors into BEF models.
• Improved understanding of aquatic BEF relationships is essential for robust ecosystem-based management strategies.