Functional Composition Drives Ecosystem Function Through Multiple Mechanisms in a Broadleaved Subtropical Forest

Author(s)

Jyh-Min Chiang, Tunghai University
Marko J. Spasojevic, University of California, Riverside
Helene C. Muller-Landau, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
I-Fang Sun, National Dong Hwa University
Yiching Lin, Tunghai University
Sheng-Hsin Su, Taiwan Forestry Research Institute
Zueng-Sang Chen, National Taiwan University
Chien-Teh Chen, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung
Nathan G. Swenson, University of Maryland at College Park
Ryan W. McEwan, University of DaytonFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-2016

Publication Source

Oecologia

Abstract

Understanding the role of biodiversity (B) in maintaining ecosystem function (EF) is a foundational scientific goal with applications for resource management and conservation. Two main hypotheses have emerged that address B–EF relationships: niche complementarity (NC) and the mass-ratio (MR) effect. We tested the relative importance of these hypotheses in a subtropical old-growth forest on the island nation of Taiwan for two EFs: aboveground biomass (ABG) and coarse woody productivity (CWP). Functional dispersion (FDis) of eight plant functional traits was used to evaluate complementarity of resource use. Under the NC hypothesis, EF will be positively correlated with FDis. Under the MR hypothesis, EF will be negatively correlated with FDis and will be significantly influenced by community-weighted mean (CWM) trait values. We used path analysis to assess how these two processes (NC and MR) directly influence EF and may contribute indirectly to EF via their influence on canopy packing (stem density). Our results indicate that decreasing functional diversity and a significant influence of CWM traits were linked to increasing AGB for all eight traits in this forest supporting the MR hypothesis. Interestingly, CWP was primarily influenced by NC and MR indirectly via their influence on canopy packing. Maximum height explained more of the variation in both AGB and CWP than any of the other plant functional traits. Together, our results suggest that multiple mechanisms operate simultaneously to influence EF, and understanding their relative importance will help to elucidate the role of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem function.

Inclusive pages

829-840

ISBN/ISSN

0029-8549

Comments

Permission documentation on file.

Copyright

Copyright © 2016, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

Publisher

Springer Berlin Heidelberg

Volume

182

Peer Reviewed

yes

Issue

3

eCommons Citation

Chiang, Jyh-Min; Spasojevic, Marko J.; Muller-Landau, Helene C.; Sun, I-Fang; Lin, Yiching; Su, Sheng-Hsin; Chen, Zueng-Sang; Chen, Chien-Teh; Swenson, Nathan G.; and McEwan, Ryan W., "Functional Composition Drives Ecosystem Function Through Multiple Mechanisms in a Broadleaved Subtropical Forest" (2016). Biology Faculty Publications. 244.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/bio_fac_pub/244