10.5061/DRYAD.J3TX95X8W
Smith, Melinda
0000-0003-4920-6985
Colorado State University
Koerner, Sally
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Knapp, Alan
Colorado State University
Avolio, Meghan
0000-0002-2649-9159
Johns Hopkins University
Chaves, Francis
Colorado State University
Denton, Elsie
Ars Electronica Center
Dietrich, John
Colorado State University
Gibson, David
0000-0002-0308-7506
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Gray, Jesse
Colorado State University
Hoffman, Ava
Colorado State University
Hoover, David
Ars Electronica Center
Komatsu, Kimberly
0000-0001-7056-4547
Smithsonian Libraries
Silletti, Andrea
University of Georgia
Wilcox, Kevin
University of Wyoming
Yu, Qiang
0000-0002-5480-0623
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Blair, John
0000-0003-0072-0721
Kansas State University
Mass ratio effects underlie ecosystem responses to environmental change
Dryad
dataset
2019
anthropogenic change
dominant species
mass-ratio hypothesis
uncommon species
2019-11-27T00:00:00Z
2019-11-27T00:00:00Z
en
https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13330
6060221 bytes
3
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
1. Random species loss has been shown experimentally to reduce ecosystem
function, sometimes more than other anthropogenic environmental changes.
Yet, controversy surrounds the importance of this finding for natural
systems where species loss is non-random. 2. We compiled data from 16
multi-year experiments located at a single site in native tallgrass
prairie. These experiments included responses to 11 anthropogenic
environmental changes, as well as non-random biodiversity loss - either
the removal of uncommon/rare plant species or the most common (dominant)
species. 3. As predicted by the mass ratio hypothesis, loss of a dominant
species had large impacts on productivity that were comparable to other
anthropogenic drivers. In contrast, the loss of uncommon/rare species had
small effects on productivity despite having the largest effects on
species richness. 4. The anthropogenic drivers that had the largest
effects on productivity – nitrogen, irrigation, and fire – experienced not
only loss of species but also significant changes in the abundance and
identity of dominant species. 5. Synthesis. These results suggest that
mass ratio effects rather than species loss per se is an important
determinant of ecosystem function with environmental change.
Data were downloaded from the Konza Prairie LTER website
(http://lter.konza.ksu.edu) or obtained directly from investigators.
Files contain metadata, aboveground net primary productivity data, and
plant species composition data for 16 experiments.