Jack-of-all-trades effects drive biodiversity–ecosystem multifunctionality relationships in European forests

Fons van der Plas (), Peter Manning, Eric Allan, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Kris Verheyen, Christian Wirth, Miguel A. Zavala, Andy Hector, Evy Ampoorter, Lander Baeten, Luc Barbaro, Jürgen Bauhus, Raquel Benavides, Adam Benneter, Felix Berthold, Damien Bonal, Olivier Bouriaud, Helge Bruelheide, Filippo Bussotti, Monique Carnol, Bastien Castagneyrol, Yohan Charbonnier, David Coomes, Andrea Coppi, Cristina C. Bastias, Seid Muhie Dawud, Hans De Wandeler, Timo Domisch, Leena Finér, Arthur Gessler, André Granier, Charlotte Grossiord, Virginie Guyot, Stephan Hättenschwiler, Hervé Jactel, Bogdan Jaroszewicz, François-Xavier Joly, Tommaso Jucker, Julia Koricheva, Harriet Milligan, Sandra Müller, Bart Muys, Diem Nguyen, Martina Pollastrini, Karsten Raulund-Rasmussen, Federico Selvi, Jan Stenlid, Fernando Valladares, Lars Vesterdal, Dawid Zielínski and Markus Fischer
Additional contact information
Fons van der Plas: Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern
Peter Manning: Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern
Eric Allan: Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern
Michael Scherer-Lorenzen: Faculty of Biology, Geobotany, University of Freiburg
Kris Verheyen: Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University
Christian Wirth: Systematic Botany and Functional Biodiversity, University of Leipzig
Miguel A. Zavala: Forest Ecology and Restoration Group, University of Alcalá
Andy Hector: University of Oxford
Evy Ampoorter: Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University
Lander Baeten: Forest & Nature Lab, Ghent University
Luc Barbaro: INRA, UMR 1202 BIOGECO
Jürgen Bauhus: Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Chair of Silviculture, University of Freiburg
Raquel Benavides: Faculty of Biology, Geobotany, University of Freiburg
Adam Benneter: Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Chair of Silviculture, University of Freiburg
Felix Berthold: Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg
Damien Bonal: INRA, UMR EEF
Olivier Bouriaud: Faculty of Forestry, Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava
Helge Bruelheide: German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
Filippo Bussotti: Lab. of Applied and Environmental Botany, University of Firenze
Monique Carnol: Laboratory of Plant and Microbial Ecology, University of Liège
Bastien Castagneyrol: INRA, UMR 1202 BIOGECO
Yohan Charbonnier: INRA, UMR 1202 BIOGECO
David Coomes: Forest Ecology and Conservation, University of Cambridge
Andrea Coppi: Lab. of Applied and Environmental Botany, University of Firenze
Cristina C. Bastias: National Museum of Natural Sciences
Seid Muhie Dawud: University of Copenhagen
Hans De Wandeler: Nature and Landscape, University of Leuven
Timo Domisch: Natural Resources Institute Finland
Leena Finér: Natural Resources Institute Finland
Arthur Gessler: Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL
André Granier: INRA, UMR EEF
Virginie Guyot: INRA, UMR 1202 BIOGECO
Stephan Hättenschwiler: Centre of Evolutionary and Functional Ecology (CEFE UMR 5175 – University of Montpellier – University Paul-Valéry Montpellier – EPHE)
Hervé Jactel: INRA, UMR 1202 BIOGECO
Bogdan Jaroszewicz: Białowieża Geobotanical Station, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw
François-Xavier Joly: Centre of Evolutionary and Functional Ecology (CEFE UMR 5175 – University of Montpellier – University Paul-Valéry Montpellier – EPHE)
Tommaso Jucker: Forest Ecology and Conservation, University of Cambridge
Julia Koricheva: School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London
Harriet Milligan: School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London
Sandra Müller: Faculty of Biology, Geobotany, University of Freiburg
Bart Muys: Nature and Landscape, University of Leuven
Diem Nguyen: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Martina Pollastrini: Lab. of Applied and Environmental Botany, University of Firenze
Karsten Raulund-Rasmussen: University of Copenhagen
Federico Selvi: Lab. of Applied and Environmental Botany, University of Firenze
Jan Stenlid: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Fernando Valladares: National Museum of Natural Sciences
Lars Vesterdal: University of Copenhagen
Dawid Zielínski: Białowieża Geobotanical Station, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw
Markus Fischer: Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract There is considerable evidence that biodiversity promotes multiple ecosystem functions (multifunctionality), thus ensuring the delivery of ecosystem services important for human well-being. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship are poorly understood, especially in natural ecosystems. We develop a novel approach to partition biodiversity effects on multifunctionality into three mechanisms and apply this to European forest data. We show that throughout Europe, tree diversity is positively related with multifunctionality when moderate levels of functioning are required, but negatively when very high function levels are desired. For two well-known mechanisms, ‘complementarity’ and ‘selection’, we detect only minor effects on multifunctionality. Instead a third, so far overlooked mechanism, the ‘jack-of-all-trades’ effect, caused by the averaging of individual species effects on function, drives observed patterns. Simulations demonstrate that jack-of-all-trades effects occur whenever species effects on different functions are not perfectly correlated, meaning they may contribute to diversity–multifunctionality relationships in many of the world’s ecosystems.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11109

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