No generality in biodiversity-productivity relationships along elevation in temperate and subtropical forest landscapes

An improved understanding of biodiversity-productivity relationships(BPRs)along environmental gradients is crucial for effective ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation.The stress-gradient hypothesis suggests that BPRs are stronger in stressful environments compared to more favorable conditions.However,there is limited knowledge regarding the variation of BPRs along elevational gradients and their generality across different landscapes.To study how BPRs change with elevation,we harnessed inventory data on 6,431 trees from152 plots surveyed twice in eight to ten year intervals in mountain forests of temperate Europe and subtropical Asia.We quantified the relationship between aboveground productivity and different biodiversity measures,including taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic diversity.To elucidate the processes underlying BPRs,we studied the variation of different functional traits along elevation across landscapes.We found no general pattern of BPRs across landscapes and elevations.Relationships were neutral for all biodiversity measures in temperate forests,and negative for taxonomic and functional diversity in subtropical forests.BPRs were largely congruent between taxonomic,functional and phylogenetic diversity.We found only weak support for the stress-gradient hypothesis,with BPRs turning from negative to positive(effect not significant)close to the tree line in subtropical forests.In temperate forests,however,elevation patterns were strongly modulated by species identity effects as influenced by specific traits.The effect of traits such as community-weighted mean of maximum plant height and wood density on productivity was congruent across landscapes.Our study highlights the context-dependence of BPRs across elevation gradients and landscapes.Species traits are key modulating factors of BPRs and should be considered more explicitly in studies of the functional role of biodiversity.Furthermore,our findings highlight that potential trade-offs between conserving biodiversity and fostering ecosystem productivity exist,which require more attention in policy and management.

Investigating drivers of microbial activity and respiration in a forested bog

Northern peatlands store nearly one-third of terrestrial carbon(C)stocks while covering only 3%of the global landmass;nevertheless,the drivers of C cycling in these often-waterlogged ecosystems are different from those that control C dynamics in upland forested soils.To explore how multiple abiotic and biotic characteristics of bogs interact to shape microbial activity in a northern,forested bog,we added a labile C tracer(13C-labeled starch)to in situ peat mesocosms and correlated heterotrophic respiration with natural variation in several microbial predictor variables,such as enzyme activity and microbial biomass,as well as with a suite of abiotic variables and proximity to vascular plants aboveground.We found that peat moisture content was positively correlated with respiration and microbial activity,even when moisture levels exceeded total saturation,suggesting that access to organic matter substrates in drier environments may be limiting for microbial activity.Proximity to black spruce trees decreased total and labile heterotrophic respiration.This negative relationship may reflect the influence of tree evapotranspiration and peat shading effects;i.e.,microbial activity may decline as peat dries and cools near trees.Here,we isolated the response of heterotrophic respiration to explore the variation in,and interactions among,multiple abiotic and biotic drivers that influence microbial activity.This approach allowed us to reveal the relative influence of individual drivers on C respiration in these globally important C sinks.

Remote sensing of soil degradation:Pro gress andperspective

Soils constitute one of the most critical natural resources and maintaining their health is vital for agricultural development and ecological sustainability,providing many essential ecosystem services.Driven by climatic variations and anthropogenic activities,soil degradation has become a global issue that seriously threatens the ecological environment and food security.Remote sensing(RS)technologies have been widely used to investigate soil degradation as it is highly efficient,time-saving,and broad-scope.This review encompasses recent advances and the state-of-the-art of ground,proximal,and novel Rs techniques in soil degradation-related studies.We reviewed the RS-related indicators that could be used for monitoring soil degradation-related properties.The direct indicators(mineral composition,organic matter,surface roughness,and moisture content of soil)and indirect proxies(vegetation condition and land use/land cover change)for evaluating soil degradation were comprehensively summarized.The results suggest that these above indicators are effective for monitoring soil degradation,however,no indicators system has been established for soil degradation monitoring to date.We also discussed the RS's mechanisms,data,and methods for identifying specific soil degradation-related phenomena(e.g.,soil erosion,salinization,desertification,and contamination).We investigated the potential relations between soil degradation and Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)and also discussed the challenges and prospective use of RS for assessing soil degradation.To further advance and optimize technology,analysis and retrieval methods,we identify critical future research needs and directions:(1)multi-scale analysis of soil degradation;(2)availability of RS data;(3)soil degradation process modelling and prediction;(4)shared soil degradation dataset;(5)decision support systems;and(6)rehabilitation of degraded soil resource and the contribution of RS technology.Because it is difficult to monitor or measure all soil properties in the large scale,remotely sensed characterization of soil properties related to soil degradation is particularly important.Although it is not a silver bullet,RS provides unique benefits for soil degradation-related studies from regional to global scales.

Variation in the methods leads to variation in the interpretation of biodiversity-ecosystem multifunctionality relationships

生物多样性常常和生态系统多功能性(生态系统同时提供多个生态系统功能的能力)正相关。然而,生物多样性与生态系统多功能性的关系是否依赖于生态系统功能的数目有诸多争议。其中,生物多样性对生态系统多功能性的影响或许不随生态系统功能数目的变化而变化,或者随生态系统功能数目的增多而增强。我们期望通过研究不同生态系统多功能性指数的统计原理来解决这些争议。我们使用了模型模拟和一系列来自不同空间尺度(从局域到全球)和不同生物群系(温带和高寒草地、森林和干旱地)的经验数据。我们回顾了量化生态系统多功能性的三种方法,包括平均值法、加和法和阈值法。我们发现随着生态系统功能数目的增加,生物多样性与生态系统多功能性的关系要么不变,要么增强。这些结果可由平均和加和的多功能性指数的统计原理来解释。具体来讲,当利用生态系统功能的平均值计算多功能性指数时,由于多样性对多功能性的效应等于多样性对单个生态系统功能效应的平均值,所以不会随生态系统功能数目的变化而变化。同样的道理,当利用单个生态系统的加和值计算多功能性指数时,多样性的效应会随着生态系统功能数目的增加而增强。我们提出了一个改进的多功能性指数,将平均或加和多功能性指数转化为标准化的多功能性指数,以便于对不同研究的结果进行比较。此外,我们提出了基于变量数值范围的标准化方法来解决阈值法的数学假象问题(多样性效应随生态系统功能数目的增加而增强)。我们的研究结果表明,量化多功能性指数的方法不同,结果也不同。因此,有必要加深对不同方法数理基础的理解。而标准化的多功能性指数为比较不同研究中的生物多样性与生态系统多功能性的关系提供了有效的方法。