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Title: Transferring biodiversity-ecosystem function research to the management of ‘real-world’ ecosystems

Journal Article · · Advances in Ecological Research
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [5];  [7];  [8];  [9];  [10];  [11];  [12];  [13];  [10];  [11];  [14];  [15];  [16];  [17] more »;  [18];  [11];  [11] « less
  1. Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (SBiK-F), Frankfurt (Germany)
  2. Göttingen Univ. (Germany); Leuphana Univ., Lüneburg (Germany)
  3. German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig (Germany); Leipzig Univ. (Germany); Univ. of Waikato, Hamilton (New Zealand)
  4. MTA Centre for Ecological Research (Hungary)
  5. Wageningen Univ. (Netherlands)
  6. Federal Inst. of Technology, Zurich (Switzerland)
  7. Friedrich Schiller Univ., Jena (Germany)
  8. German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig (Germany); Leipzig Univ. (Germany)
  9. Univ. of Bern (Switzerland)
  10. Albert-Ludwigs-Univ., Freiburg (Germany)
  11. Göttingen Univ. (Germany)
  12. Georg-August-Univ., Göttingen (Germany)
  13. German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig (Germany); Leipzig Univ. (Germany); Univ. of Bern (Switzerland)
  14. Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States)
  15. Univ. of South Bohemia (Czech Republic)
  16. Stockholm Univ. (Sweden)
  17. Technical Univ. of Munich (Germany)
  18. Leuphana Univ., Lüneburg (Germany)

Biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) research rose quickly following concerns that biodiversity loss would negatively affect ecosystem functions and the ecosystem services they underpin. However, despite evidence that biodiversity strongly affects ecosystem functioning, the influence of BEF research upon policy and the management of ‘real-world’ ecosystems, i.e., semi-natural habitats and agroecosystems, has been limited. In this work, we address this concern by classifying BEF research into three clusters based on the degree of human control over species composition and the spatial scale, in terms of grain, of the study, and discussing how the research of each cluster is best suited to inform particular fields of ecosystem management. Research in the first cluster, small-grain highly controlled studies, is best able to provide general insights into mechanisms and to inform the management of species-poor and highly managed systems such as croplands, plantations, and the restoration of heavily degraded ecosystems. Research from the second cluster, small-grain observational studies, and species removal and addition studies, may allow for direct predictions of the impacts of species loss in specific semi-natural ecosystems. Research in the third cluster, large-grain uncontrolled studies, may best inform landscape-scale management and national-scale policy. We discuss barriers to transfer within each cluster and suggest how new research and knowledge exchange mechanisms may overcome these challenges. To meet the potential for BEF research to address global challenges, we recommend transdisciplinary research that goes beyond these current clusters and considers the social-ecological context of the ecosystems in which BEF knowledge is generated. This requires recognizing the social and economic value of biodiversity for ecosystem services at scales, and in units, that matter to land managers and policy makers.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States). Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); German Research Foundation (DFG); Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0018409; FC02-07ER64494
OSTI ID:
1579364
Journal Information:
Advances in Ecological Research, Vol. 61
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 43 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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