The relative contributions of species richness and species composition to ecosystem functioning

• Published in: Oikos Vol. 126; no. 6; pp. 782 - 791
• Main Authors: Sandau, Nadine, Fabian, Yvonne, Bruggisser, Odile T., Rohr, Rudolf P., Naisbit, Russell E., Kehrli, Patrik, Aebi, Alexandre, Bersier, Louis‐Félix
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Nordic Society Oikos 01.06.2017; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Balances (scales); Biodiversity; Biological competition; Biology; Biomass; biomass production; Community composition; Competition; Complementarity; Conservation; Conservation biology; Control systems; data collection; Datasets; Ecological function; Ecology; Ecosystems; Evolution; Experiments; Extrapolation; Herbivores; intraspecific competition; prediction; Species; Species composition; Species diversity; Species richness; Tests; Theories; wildlife management

How species diversity influences ecosystem functioning has been the subject of many experiments and remains a key question for ecology and conservation biology. However, the fact that diversity cannot be manipulated without affecting species composition makes this quest methodologically challenging....