Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1038/nature19324
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Title (Primary) Addition of multiple limiting resources reduces grassland diversity
Author Harpole, W.S. ORCID logo ; Sullivan, L.L.; Lindahl, B.; Firn, J.; Adler, P.B.; Borer, E.T.; Chase, J.; Fay, P.A.; Hautier, Y.; Hillebrand, H.; MacDougall, A.S.; Seabloom, E.W.; Williams, R.; Bakker, J.D.; Cadotte, M.W.; Chaneton, E.J.; Chu, C.; Cleland, E.E.; D’Antonio, C.; Davies, K.F.; Gruner, D.S.; Hagenah, N.; Kirkman, K.; Knops, J.M.H.; La Pierre, K.J.; McCulley, R.L.; Moore, J.L.; Morgan, J.W.; Prober, S.M.; Risch, A.C.; Schuetz, M.; Stevens, C.J.; Wragg, P.D.
Source Titel Nature
Year 2016
Department iDiv; PHYDIV
Volume 537
Issue 7618
Page From 93
Page To 96
Language englisch
Supplements https://media.nature.com/original/nature-assets/nature/journal/v537/n7618/extref/nature19324-s1.pdf
UFZ wide themes RU1
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.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=17849
Harpole, W.S., Sullivan, L.L., Lindahl, B., Firn, J., Adler, P.B., Borer, E.T., Chase, J., Fay, P.A., Hautier, Y., Hillebrand, H., MacDougall, A.S., Seabloom, E.W., Williams, R., Bakker, J.D., Cadotte, M.W., Chaneton, E.J., Chu, C., Cleland, E.E., D’Antonio, C., Davies, K.F., Gruner, D.S., Hagenah, N., Kirkman, K., Knops, J.M.H., La Pierre, K.J., McCulley, R.L., Moore, J.L., Morgan, J.W., Prober, S.M., Risch, A.C., Schuetz, M., Stevens, C.J., Wragg, P.D. (2016):
Addition of multiple limiting resources reduces grassland diversity
Nature 537 (7618), 93 - 96 10.1038/nature19324