Ecosystem multifunctionality of coastal marshes is determined by key plant traits

• Published in: Journal of vegetation science Vol. 26; no. 4; pp. 651 - 662
• Main Authors: Minden, Vanessa, Kleyer, Michael, Mason, Norman
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Opulus Press 01.07.2015; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: aboveground biomass; belowground biomass; biodiversity; biomass production; canopy; carbon cycle; carbon nitrogen ratio; coasts; dry matter content; ecosystems; edaphic factors; Effect traits; equations; Functional ecology; Germany; global change; habitat destruction; leaves; Multifunctionality; Path analysis; primary productivity; Productivity; Response traits; salinity; Salt marsh; salt marshes; salt stress; scanning electron microscopy; soil resources; Structural equation modelling; water table; Germany; ANE, Germany

QUESTIONS: As biodiversity losses increase due to global change and human‐induced habitat destruction, the relationships between plant traits and ecosystem properties can provide a new level of understanding ecosystem complexity. Using a functional response–effect approach, we show that multiple com...