TY - JOUR

T1 - Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning relations in European forests depend on environmental context.

AU - Ratcliffe, Sophia

AU - Wirth, Christian

AU - Jucker, Tommaso

AU - van der Plas, Fons

AU - Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael

AU - Verheyen, Kris

AU - Allan, Eric

AU - Benavides, Raquel

AU - Bruelheide, Helge

AU - Ohse, Bettina

AU - Paquette, Alain

AU - Ampoorter, Evy

AU - Bastias, Cristina C

AU - Bauhus, Jürgen

AU - Bonal, Damien

AU - Bouriaud, Olivier

AU - Bussotti, Filippo

AU - Carnol, Monique

AU - Castagneyrol, Bastien

AU - Checko, Ewa

AU - Dawud, Seid Muhie

AU - de Wandeler, H.

AU - Domisch, Timo

AU - Finér, Leena

AU - Fischer, Markus

AU - Fotelli, Mariangela

AU - Gessler, Arthur

AU - Granier, André

AU - Grossiord, Charlotte

AU - Guyot, Virginie

AU - Haase, Johannes

AU - Hättenschwiler, Stephan

AU - Jactel, Hervé

AU - Jaroszewicz, Bogdan

AU - Joly, Francois-Xavier

AU - Kambach, Stephan

AU - Kolb, Simon

AU - Koricheva, Julia

AU - Liebergesell, Mario

AU - Milligan, Harriet

AU - Müller, Sandra

AU - Muys, Bart

AU - Nguyen, Diem

AU - Nock, Charles

AU - Pollastrini, Martina

AU - Purschke, Oliver

AU - Radoglou, Kalliopu

AU - Rauland-Rasmussen, Karsten

AU - Roger, Fabian

AU - Ruiz-Benito, Paloma

AU - Seidl, Rupert

AU - Selvi, Federico

AU - Seiferling, Ian

AU - Stenlid, Jan

AU - Valladares, Fernando

AU - Vesterdal, Lars

AU - Baeten, Lander

PY - 2017/11

Y1 - 2017/11

N2 - The importance of biodiversity in supporting ecosystem functioning is generally well accepted. However, most evidence comes from small-scale studies, and scaling-up patterns of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (B-EF) remains challenging, in part because the importance of environmental factors in shaping B-EF relations is poorly understood. Using a forest research platform in which 26 ecosystem functions were measured along gradients of tree species richness in six regions across Europe, we investigated the extent and the potential drivers of context dependency of B-EF relations. Despite considerable variation in species richness effects across the continent, we found a tendency for stronger B-EF relations in drier climates as well as in areas with longer growing seasons and more functionally diverse tree species. The importance of water availability in driving context dependency suggests that as water limitation increases under climate change, biodiversity may become even more important to support high levels of functioning in European forests.

AB - The importance of biodiversity in supporting ecosystem functioning is generally well accepted. However, most evidence comes from small-scale studies, and scaling-up patterns of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (B-EF) remains challenging, in part because the importance of environmental factors in shaping B-EF relations is poorly understood. Using a forest research platform in which 26 ecosystem functions were measured along gradients of tree species richness in six regions across Europe, we investigated the extent and the potential drivers of context dependency of B-EF relations. Despite considerable variation in species richness effects across the continent, we found a tendency for stronger B-EF relations in drier climates as well as in areas with longer growing seasons and more functionally diverse tree species. The importance of water availability in driving context dependency suggests that as water limitation increases under climate change, biodiversity may become even more important to support high levels of functioning in European forests.

KW - Ecosystems Research

KW - FunDivEUROPE

KW - Functional diversity

KW - growing season length

KW - multifunctionality

KW - resource heterogeneity

KW - species richness

KW - water availability

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85031504227&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/ele.12849

DO - 10.1111/ele.12849

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 28925074

VL - 20

SP - 1414

EP - 1426

JO - Ecology Letters

JF - Ecology Letters

SN - 1461-023X

IS - 11

ER -