Beyond the single index: Investigating ecological mechanisms underpinning ecosystem multifunctionality with network...

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Network Analysis

Background:

• Ecosystems provide multiple functions influenced by species and environment.
• Assessing ecosystem multifunctionality is complex, challenging analytical simplicity.
• Existing index-based methods may oversimplify intricate ecosystem relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and test a multivariate network analysis for assessing ecosystem multifunctionality.
• To explore relationships between species' functional traits, environmental characteristics, and ecosystem functions.
• To provide a more holistic understanding of ecosystem complexity and function provision.

Main Methods:

• Applied multivariate network analysis to marine intertidal sandflats.
• Incorporated eight ecosystem functions, five macrofaunal functional trait groups (from 36 species), and four environmental characteristics.
• Analyzed connections between species traits, environment, and functions using network theory.

Main Results:

• Visualized and quantified the connections between ecosystem elements and their contribution to functions.
• Identified small mobile top 2 cm dwellers and sediment mud content (%mud) as key predictors for multiple functions.
• Demonstrated the utility of network analysis in understanding complex ecosystem dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Multivariate network analysis offers a powerful tool for assessing ecosystem multifunctionality.
• This method enhances understanding of how environmental change and biodiversity loss impact ecosystem functions.
• Detailed multifunctionality assessments support environmental decision-making and social-ecological value evaluation.