Addition of multiple limiting resources reduces grassland diversity

Harpole, W. Stanley and Stevens, Carly Joanne (2016) Addition of multiple limiting resources reduces grassland diversity. Nature, 537 (7618). pp. 93-96. ISSN 0028-0836

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Abstract

Niche dimensionality provides a general theoretical explanation for biodiversity—more niches, defined by more limiting factors, allow for more ways that species can coexist1. Because plant species compete for the same set of limiting resources, theory predicts that addition of a limiting resource eliminates potential trade-offs, reducing the number of species that can coexist2. Multiple nutrient limitation of plant production is common and therefore fertilization may reduce diversity by reducing the number or dimensionality of belowground limiting factors. At the same time, nutrient addition, by increasing biomass, should ultimately shift competition from belowground nutrients towards a one-dimensional competitive trade-off for light3. Here we show that plant species diversity decreased when a greater number of limiting nutrients were added across 45 grassland sites from a multi-continent experimental network4. The number of added nutrients predicted diversity loss, even after controlling for effects of plant biomass, and even where biomass production was not nutrient-limited. We found that elevated resource supply reduced niche dimensionality and diversity and increased both productivity5 and compositional turnover. Our results point to the importance of understanding dimensionality in ecological systems that are undergoing diversity loss in response to multiple global change factors.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Nature
Additional Information:
© 2016 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature.
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1000
Subjects:
?? GENERAL ??
ID Code:
81566
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
14 Sep 2016 10:10
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
20 Sep 2023 00:55