Evaluating Relationships Between Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functions in Forests Using Forest Inventory and Allometry Data

Dominance determines fish community biomass in a temperate seagrass ecosystem

10.32942/osf.io/cqjvu ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Aaron Matthius Eger ◽

Rebecca J. Best ◽

Julia Kathleen Baum

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Ecosystem Function ◽

Fish Community ◽

Prey Capture ◽

Fish Communities ◽

Functional Trait ◽

Ecosystem Functions ◽

Community Biomass ◽

Ecosystem Valuation ◽

Species Abundances

Biodiversity and ecosystem function are often correlated, but there are multiple hypotheses about the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Ecosystem functions such as primary or secondary production may be maximized by species richness, evenness in species abundances, or the presence or dominance of species with certain traits. Here, we combined surveys of natural fish communities (conducted in July and August, 2016) with morphological trait data to examine relationships between diversity and ecosystem function (quantified as fish community biomass) across 14 subtidal eelgrass meadows in the Northeast Pacific (54° N 130° W). We employed both taxonomic and functional trait measures of diversity to investigate if ecosystem function is driven by species diversity (complementarity hypothesis) or by the presence or dominance of species with particular trait values (selection or dominance hypotheses). After controlling for environmental variation, we found that fish community biomass is maximized when taxonomic richness and functional evenness is low, and in communities dominated by species with particular trait values – those associated with benthic habitats and prey capture. While previous work on fish communities has found that species richness is positively correlated with ecosystem function, our results instead highlight the capacity for regionally prevalent and locally dominant species to drive ecosystem function in moderately diverse communities. We discuss these alternate links between community composition and ecosystem function and consider their divergent implications for ecosystem valuation and conservation prioritization.

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SIGNIFICANCE OF ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS OF SPECIAL GREENING TERRITORIES

STATE AND DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS OF AGRIBUSINESS. In the frame of the XXIII Agribusiness Forum of the South of Russia and the Exhibition «Interagromash» Volume 1 ◽

10.23947/interagro.2020.1.621-625 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

N.N. Krupina ◽

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Environmental Protection ◽

Ecosystem Approach ◽

Ecosystem Functions ◽

Situational Analysis ◽

Ecological Situation ◽

Barrier Potential ◽

Industrial Cities ◽

The Matrix ◽

Industrial Zones

Based on the analysis of the tense ecological situation in the industrial zones of industrial cities, the role and place of special landscaping areas in the implementation of national projects is substantiated. From the perspective of the ecosystem approach, a set of requirements and a list of priority optimization decisions regarding the planning organization of environmental protection landscaping are proposed. The matrix of situational analysis of the state and the composition of indicators for assessing the barrier potential of a territory with a special land use regime are presented.

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Forest Management In Mongolia – A Review Of Challenges And Lessons Learned With Special Reference To Degradation And Deforestation

GEOGRAPHY ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY ◽

10.24057/2071-9388-2019-102 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 133-166 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Alexander Gradel ◽

Gerelbaatar Sukhbaatar ◽

Daniel Karthe ◽

Hoduck Kang

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Land Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Forest Health ◽

Hydrological Regime ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Ecosystem Functions ◽

Special Focus ◽

Driven System ◽

The Status

The natural conditions, climate change and socio-economic challenges related to the transformation from a socialistic society towards a market-driven system make the implementation of sustainable land management practices in Mongolia especially complicated. Forests play an important role in land management. In addition to providing resources and ecosystem functions, Mongolian forests protect against land degradation.We conducted a literature review of the status of forest management in Mongolia and lessons learned, with special consideration to halting deforestation and degradation. We grouped our review into seven challenges relevant to developing regionally adapted forest management systems that both safeguard forest health and consider socio-economic needs. In our review, we found that current forest management in Mongolia is not always sustainable, and that some practices lack scientific grounding. An overwhelming number of sources noticed a decrease in forest area and quality during the last decades, although afforestation initiatives are reported to have increased. We found that they have had, with few exceptions, only limited success. During our review, however, we found a number of case studies that presented or proposed promising approaches to (re-)establishing and managing forests. These studies are further supported by a body of literature that examines how forest administration, and local participation can be modified to better support sustainable forestry. Based on our review, we conclude that it is necessary to integrate capacity development and forest research into holistic initiatives. A special focus should be given to the linkages between vegetation cover and the hydrological regime.

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