Implementing large-scale and long-term functional biodiversity research: The Biodiversity Exploratories

Fischer, Markus; Bossdorf, Oliver; Gockel, Sonja; Hänsel, Falk; Hemp, Andreas; Hessenmöller, Dominik; Korte, Gunnar; Nieschulze, Jens; Pfeiffer, Simone; Prati, Daniel; Renner, Swen C.; Schöning, Ingo; Schumacher, Uta; Wells, Konstans; Buscot, François; Kalko, Elisabeth K. V.; Linsenmair, K. Eduard; Schulze, Ernst Detlef; Weisser, Wolfgang W.

doi:10.1016/j.baae.2010.07.009

Cited by 690 publications

(870 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…The study was conducted in the framework of the large-scale and long-term project Biodiversity Exploratories [24]. Three study regions across Germany were established: the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Schorfheide-Chorin (SCH) is located in the glacially formed lowlands (3- …”

Section: Materials and Methods (A) Research Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Trophic level, successional age and trait matching determine specialization of deadwood-based interaction networks of saproxylic beetles

et al. 2017

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The specialization of ecological networks provides important insights into possible consequences of biodiversity loss for ecosystem functioning. However, mostly mutualistic and antagonistic interactions of living organisms have been studied, whereas detritivore networks and their successional changes are largely unexplored. We studied the interactions of saproxylic (deadwood-dependent) beetles with their dead host trees. In a large-scale experiment, 764 logs of 13 tree species were exposed to analyse network structure of three trophic groups of saproxylic beetles over 3 successional years. We found remarkably high specialization of deadwood-feeding xylophages and lower specialization of fungivorous and predatory species. During deadwood succession, community composition, network specialization and network robustness changed differently for the functional groups. To reveal potential drivers of network specialization, we linked species' functional traits to their network roles, and tested for trait matching between plant (i.e. chemical compounds) and beetle (i.e. body size) traits. We found that both plant and animal traits are major drivers of species specialization, and that trait matching can be more important in explaining interactions than neutral processes reflecting species abundance distributions. High network specialization in the early successional stage and decreasing network robustness during succession indicate vulnerability of detritivore networks to reduced tree species diversity and beetle extinctions, with unknown consequences for wood decomposition and nutrient cycling.

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Section: Materials and Methods (A) Research Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Trophic level, successional age and trait matching determine specialization of deadwood-based interaction networks of saproxylic beetles

et al. 2017

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“…Stones and other large materials were removed manually. The grassland soils AEG 2, AEG 7, HEG 6, HEG 9, SEG 2 and SEG 6, and the forest soils AEW 5, AEW 8, HEW 5, HEW 12, SEW 5 and SEW 9 were a subset of sampling plots that are distributed in three regions over a transect from northeast to southwest of Germany and set up within a joint research project that assesses biodiversity and soil parameters at about 3000 sampling sites (Fischer et al, 2010). The sites used in the current study represented grasslands and forests in three German regions (that is, Schorfheide Chorin, Hainich and Schwäbische Alb) with both high and low land use intensity.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Vegetation type and soil pH are site parameters that are stable over several years (Fischer et al, 2010). The more dynamic site parameters (that is, water content, ammonium and nitrate concentration) did not significantly affect all of the data set patterns.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Methanol oxidation by temperate soils and environmental determinants of associated methylotrophs

et al. 2012

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The role of soil methylotrophs in methanol exchange with the atmosphere has been widely overlooked. Methanol can be derived from plant polymers and be consumed by soil microbial communities. In the current study, methanol-utilizing methylotrophs of 14 aerated soils were examined to resolve their comparative diversities and capacities to utilize ambient concentrations of methanol. Abundances of cultivable methylotrophs ranged from 10 6 -10 8 g soilDW. Methanol dissimilation was measured based on conversion of supplemented 14 C-methanol, and occurred at concentrations down to 0.002 lmol methanol g soilDW À 1. Tested soils exhibited specific affinities to methanol (a 0 s ¼ 0.01 d À 1 ) that were similar to those of other environments suggesting that methylotrophs with similar affinities were present. Two deep-branching alphaproteobacterial genotypes of mch responded to the addition of ambient concentrations of methanol (p0.6 lmol methanol g soilDW) in one of these soils. Methylotroph community structures were assessed by amplicon pyrosequencing of genes of mono carbon metabolism (mxaF, mch and fae). Alphaproteobacteria-affiliated genotypes were predominant in all investigated soils, and the occurrence of novel genotypes indicated a hitherto unveiled diversity of methylotrophs. Correlations between vegetation type, soil pH and methylotroph community structure suggested that plant-methylotroph interactions were determinative for soil methylotrophs.

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“…The study was conducted in three regions of Germany within the framework of the Biodiversity Exploratories project (http://www.biodiversity-exploratories.de; Fischer et al 2010): (1) the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Schorfheide-Chorin in northeastern Germany (the northeastern region; 53Њ00 N, 13Њ76 E), (2) Hainich National Park and its surrounding areas (Hainich-Dün) in central Germany (the central region; 51Њ15 N, 10Њ47 E), and (3) the UNESCO Biosphere Area Schwäbische Alb (Swabian Jura) in southwestern Germany (the southwestern region; 48Њ43 N, 9Њ39 E). The exploratories comprise one hundred fifty 100 # 100-m experimental forest plots of different management types.…”

Section: Study Areasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Are Gastropods, Rather than Ants, Important Dispersers of Seeds of Myrmecochorous Forest Herbs?

Türke

Andreas

Goßner

et al. 2012

The American Naturalist

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Seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) is widespread, and seed adaptations to myrmecochory are common, especially in the form of fatty appendices (elaiosomes). In a recent study, slugs were identified as seed dispersers of myrmecochores in a central European beech forest. Here we used 105 beech forest sites to test whether myrmecochore presence and abundance is related to ant or gastropod abundance and whether experimentally exposed seeds are removed by gastropods. Myrmecochorous plant cover was positively related to gastropod abundance but was negatively related to ant abundance. Gastropods were responsible for most seed removal and elaiosome damage, whereas insects (and rodents) played minor roles. These gastropod effects on seeds were independent of region or forest management. We suggest that terrestrial gastropods can generally act as seed dispersers of myrmecochorous plants and even substitute myrmecochory, especially where ants are absent or uncommon.

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Implementing large-scale and long-term functional biodiversity research: The Biodiversity Exploratories

Cited by 690 publications

References 45 publications

Trophic level, successional age and trait matching determine specialization of deadwood-based interaction networks of saproxylic beetles

Trophic level, successional age and trait matching determine specialization of deadwood-based interaction networks of saproxylic beetles

Methanol oxidation by temperate soils and environmental determinants of associated methylotrophs

Are Gastropods, Rather than Ants, Important Dispersers of Seeds of Myrmecochorous Forest Herbs?

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