Plant Species Richness and Ecosystem Multifunctionality in Global Drylands
Experiments suggest that biodiversity enhances the ability of ecosystems to maintain multiple
functions, such as carbon storage, productivity, and the buildup of nutrient pools (multifunctionality).
However, the relationship between biodiversity and multifunctionality has never been assessed globally
in natural ecosystems. We report here on a global empirical study relating plant species richness and
abiotic factors to multifunctionality in drylands, which collectively cover 41% of Earth’s land surface
and support over 38% of the human population. Multifunctionality was positively and significantly
related to species richness. The best-fitting models accounted for over 55% of the variation in
multifunctionality and always included species richness as a predictor variable. Our results suggest
that the preservation of plant biodiversity is crucial to buffer negative effects of climate change and
desertification in drylands.
Publication Date: 2012
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