Increasing plant diversity does not influence productivity: empirical evidence and potential mechanisms

N. C. Kenkel; N. C. Kenkel; D. A. Peltzer; D. A. Peltzer; D. Baluta; D. Baluta; D. Pirie; D. Pirie

doi:10.1556/comec.1.2000.2.6

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Community Ecology

Volume/Issue:: Volume 1: Issue 2

Increasing plant diversity does not influence productivity: empirical evidence and potential mechanisms

Authors:

N. C. Kenkel

N. C. Kenkel Department of Botany, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada

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N. C. Kenkel

N. C. Kenkel Department of Botany, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada

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D. A. Peltzer

D. A. Peltzer Department of Biology, University of Regina Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2, Canada

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D. A. Peltzer

D. A. Peltzer Department of Biology, University of Regina Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 0A2, Canada

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D. Baluta

D. Baluta Department of Botany, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada

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D. Baluta

D. Baluta Department of Botany, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada

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D. Pirie

D. Pirie Department of Botany, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada

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D. Pirie

D. Pirie Department of Botany, University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada

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Pages:: 165–170

Online Publication Date:: 26 Jan 2006

Publication Date:: 01 Jan 2001

Article Category:: Journal Article

DOI:: https://doi.org/10.1556/comec.1.2000.2.6

Keywords:: Diversity; Diversity; Diversity; Species richness; Stability; Productivity; Ecosystem function; Field experiment; Grasses; Prairie plants; Soil nitrate

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The relationship between species diversity and ecosystem functions has generated considerable debate among ecologists. Ecosystem functions (e.g. productivity, nutrient retention) are often positively correlated with species richness in experimental plant assemblages, but little or no correlation exists in natural communities.We examined the effects of species richness on productivity and available soil nitrate by experimentally manipulating richness using random draws from a pool of ten perennial grasses. Species richness had no significant effect on aboveground productivity or soil nitrate availability, suggesting that functional diversity may be more important than species richness in determining ecosystem functions. The relationship between diversity and ecosystem functions may also depend on resource limitation. A positive relationship is expected when below-ground resources are limiting, but the relationship is expected to weaken when below-ground resource supply rates are higher and competition for light becomes more important. Further experiments are required to determine the mechanisms underlying diversity-productivity relationships.

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Community Ecology An Interdisciplinary Journal Reporting Progress in Community and Population Studies

Print ISSN:: 1585-8553

Online ISSN:: 1588-2756

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Community Ecology
Language	English
Size	A4
Year of Foundation	2000
Volumes per Year	1
Issues per Year	3
Founder	Akadémiai Kiadó
Founder's Address	H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245
Publisher	Akadémiai Kiadó Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Publisher's Address	H-1117 Budapest, Hungary 1516 Budapest, PO Box 245. CH-6330 Cham, Switzerland Gewerbestrasse 11.
Responsible Publisher	Chief Executive Officer, Akadémiai Kiadó
ISSN	1585-8553 (Print)
ISSN	1588-2756 (Online)