Core project 10 - Biodiversity synthesis – Biodiversity Exploratories

Figure: The photo shows a meadow with a flock of sheep in front of a climate measuring station. On the right side of the picture there is a shepherd with dogs and another man. In the background there are more meadows and mixed forest on hills.

Scientific Background

A truly general understanding of ecological systems requires a broad perspective and thus the synthesis of knowledge across taxa, ecological processes, as well as spatial and temporal scales. This multi-disciplinary approach to ecosystems is at the very core of the Biodiversity Exploratories. The project was set up to coordinate research efforts so that multiple data are collected in a common study design and can therefore be directly linked and compared. The aim of the synthesis core project is to ensure that these ecological syntheses are realised.

Picture: The diagram shows the principle of the Synthesis Core Project. The diagram represents three areas. area 1 on the left of the diagram contains the two elements Exploratories framework and Synthesis thinking. to the right of area 1 is a double-headed arrow representing the interaction between area 1 and areas 2 and 3. the arrow is followed on the right by area 2, which contains the two elements Exemplary synthesis and Workshops. area 3 to the right of this contains the four elements Datasets, Courses, Help-Desk and Methods development. — The core project Synthesis promotes synthesis thinking in order to provide general and mechanistic answers to the guiding questions of the exploratories, on the one hand by generating ideas from exemplary syntheses and workshops, and on the other hand by disseminating and developing synthesis tools in terms of statistical methods and synthesis data.

Questions / Goals

In the next phase, the Synthesis Core Group will contribute to the functioning of the Biodiversity Exploratories according to the following goals:

To answer general questions about the connections between land-use intensification, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Particularly, considering ecosystem responses at multiple temporal and spatial scales, including complementary dimensions of biodiversity (i.e. functional, phylogenetic) and focusing on the social component of agricultural landscapes.
To catalyse synthesis efforts of other groups by creating synthesis datasets and by spreading the concepts and statistical methods for synthesis across the entire Biodiversity Exploratories. The synthesis project will create synergies and true added value across projects, in accordance with the main guiding questions of the Biodiversity Exploratories.
To foster the outreach and to disseminate the results and culture of Biodiversity Exploratories through the organisation of special workshops and thematic sessions within and outside of the project, and through the collaboration with other biodiversity projects worldwide.

Methodology

The Synthesis Core Group work follows four main lines of action:

Dataset management in close collaboration with BEXIS. Specifically, the creation of Biodiversity Exploratories Synthesis datasets, which are made available to all participants. These datasets include information about different biodiversity components and ecosystem functions and services across all plots. We also develop scripts and methods to ease the management and analysis of this information.
Comprehensive and exemplary synthesis. The analysis of multiple ecosystem variables requires the application of state-of-the-art analytical tools including Structural Equation Modelling, complex Generalised Mixed Effects models, Non-linear regressions and Network approaches. These methodologies are in constant update with specific courses following the necessities of the participants in the project.
Synthesis help desk. To support synthesis in other core and contributing projects, we provide personalised synthesis advice to explorers. Most of the many contributing synthesis activities request advice, usually in the form of support on how to use the synthesis datasets, in the form of refining their research questions or in-depth recommendations for statistical analysis.
Methods development. In some cases, the tools for synthesis may not yet exist and in this case the Core Synthesis project is active in developing new methods that can be used to facilitate synthesis activities within the Biodiversity Exploratories (and outside) (e.g., Manning et al. 2018, Schneider et al 2019, van der Plas et al. 2019).

Hypotheses / results / conclusions

In the next phase we will conduct a series of comprehensive ecological syntheses that address the central questions of the Biodiversity Exploratories based on the findings from the previous phases:

Land use intensification affects ecosystem biodiversity, particularly reducing above-ground species richness and leading to the multitrophic community homogenisation (e.g., Allan et al. 2014, Gossner et al 2016, Penone et al. 2019). In the next phase, we aim to expand these findings to other biodiversity dimensions (i.e. functional traits, phylogeny) and biotic interactions.
Land-use intensity affects ecosystem functioning and services both directly and indirectly through its effect on multitrophic biodiversity (e.g., Allan et al. 2015, Soliveres et al 2016, van der Plas et al. 2016, Felipe-Lucia et al. 2018). In the next phase we will focus on the effect of temporal and spatial scales on the land use-biodiversity-ecosystem functioning and the contribution of the social dimension in the agricultural landscapes.
The Biodiversity Exploratories provide a unique set of relevant ecological findings, but it is necessary to move beyond the project to develop a general ecological theory and apply the results to the real world. In the next phase previous findings will be compared with those from other biodiversity experiments, and will be used to foster scientifically-based tools (i.e. indicator species) to help agricultural landscape management.

Publications

Landscape management strategies for multifunctionality and social equity

Neyret M., Peter S., Le Provost G., Boch S., Boesing A. L., Bullock J., Hölzel N., Klaus V. K., Kleinebecker T., Krauss J., Müller J., Müller S., Ammer C., Buscot F., Ehbrecht M., Fischer M., Goldmann K., Jung K., Mehring M., Müller T., Renner S. C., Schall P., Scherer-Lorenzen M., Westphal C., Wubet T., Manning P. (2023): Landscape management strategies for multifunctionality and social equity. Nature Sustainability, in press. doi: 10.1038/s41893-022-01045-w

Managing German forests for both carbon storage and biodiversity conservation

Bewirtschaftung deutscher Wälder zur Speicherung von Kohlenstoff und zur Erhaltung der Artenvielfalt

Springer K. (2022): Managing German forests for both carbon storage and biodiversity conservation. Bachelor thesis, TH Bingen & Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung

National Forest Inventories capture the multifunctionality of managed forests in Germany

Forstinventuren zeigen wie multifunktional wirtschaftlich genutzte Wälder sind

Simons N. K., Felipe-Lucia M. R., Schall P., Ammer C., Bauhus J., Blüthgen N., Boch S., Buscot F., Fischer M., Goldmann K., Gossner M. M., Hänsel F., Jung K., Manning P., Nauss T., Oelmann Y., Pena R., Polle A., Renner S. C., Schloter M., Schöning I., Schulze E.-D., Solly E., Sorkau E., Stempfhuber B., Wubet T., Müller J., Seibold S., Weisser W. W. (2021): National Forest Inventories capture the multifunctionality of managed forests in Germany. Forest Ecosystems 8, 5. doi: 10.1186/s40663-021-00280-5

Contrasting responses of above- and belowground diversity to multiple components of land-use intensity

Le Provost G., Thiele J., Westphal C., Penone C., Allan E., Neyret M., van der Plas F., Ayasse M., Bardgett R., Birkhofer K., Boch S., Bonkowski M., Buscot F., Feldhaar H., Gaulton R., Goldmann K., Gossner M. M., Klaus V., Kleinebecker T., Krauss J., Renner S., Scherreiks P., Sikorski J., Baulechner D., Blüthgen N., Bolliger R., Börschig C., Busch V., Chisté M., Fiore-Donno A. M., Fischer M., Arndt H., Hoelzel N., Jung K., Lange M., Marzini C., Overmann J., Paŝalić E., Perović D., Prati D., Schäfer D., Schöning I., Schrumpf M., Sonnemann I., Steffan-Dewenter I., Tschapka M., Türke M., Vogt J., Wehner K., Weiner C., Weisser W. W., Wells K., Werner M., Wolters V., Wubet T., Wurst S., Zaitsev A. S., Manning P. (2021): Contrasting responses of above- and belowground diversity to multiple components of land-use intensity. Nature Communications 12:3918. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-23931-1

Assessing the impact of grassland management on landscape multifunctionality

Neyret M., Fischer M., Allan E., Hölzel N., Klaus V. H., Kleinebecker T., Krauss J., Le Provost G., Peter. S, Schenk N., Simons N.K., van der Plas F., Binkenstein J., Börshig C., Jung K., Prati D., Schäfer M., Schäfer D., Schöning I., Schrumpf M., Tschapka M., Westphal C., Manning P. (2021): Assessing the impact of grassland management on landscape multifunctionality. Ecosystem Services 52: 101366. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoser.2021.101366

Ökosystemforschung: Pfanzenvielfalt fördert Stabilität von Nahrungsnetzen

Offenberger M. (2020): Ökosystemforschung: Pfanzenvielfalt fördert Stabilität von Nahrungsnetzen. Anliegen Natur 42 (1), 91-98

Land-use intensity alters networks between biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and services

Felipe-Lucia M. R., Soliveres S., Penone C., Fischer M., Ammer C., Boch S., Boeddinghaus R., Bonkowski M., Buscot F., Fiore-Donno A. M., Frank K., Goldmann K., Gossner M. M., Hölzel N., Jochum M., Kandeler E., Klaus V. H., Kleinebecker T., Leimer S., Manning P., Oelmann Y., Saiz H., Schall P., Schloter M. , Schöning I., Schrumpf M., Solly E. F., Stempfhuber B., Weisser W. W., Wilcke W., Wubet T., Allan E. (2020): Land-use intensity alters networks between biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and services. PNAS 117 (45), 28140-28149. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2016210117

The results of biodiversity–ecosystem functioning experiments are realistic

Jochum M., Fischer M., Isbell F., Roscher C., van der Plas F., Boch S., Boenisch G., Buchmann N., Catford J. A., Cavender-Bares J., Ebeling A., Eisenhauer N., Gleixner G., Hölzel N., Kattge J., Klaus V. H., Kleinebecker T., Lange M., Le Provost G., Meyer S. T., Molina-Venegas R., Mommer L, Oelmann Y., Penone C., Prati D., Reich P. B., Rindisbacher A., Schäfer D., Scheu S., Schmid B., Tilman D., Tscharntke T., Vogel A., Wagg C., Weigelt A., Weisser W. W., Wilcke W., Manning P. (2020): The results of biodiversity–ecosystem functioning experiments are realistic. Nature Ecology & Evolution 4, 1485–1494. doi: /10.1038/s41559-020-1280-9

Towards the development of general rules describing landscape heterogeneity-multifunctionality relationships

Entwicklung allgemeiner Regeln zur Beschreibung von Verhältnissen zwischen Heterogenität und Landschaft Multifunktionalität

van der Plas F., Allan E., Fischer M., Alt F., Arndt H., Binkenstein J., Blaser S., Blüthgen N., Böhm S., Hölzel N., Klaus V. H., Kleinbecker T., Morris K., Oelmann Y., Prati D., Renner S. C., Rillig M. C., Schäfer M., Schloter M., Schmitt B., Schöning I., Schrumpf M., Solly E., Sorkau E., Steckel J., Steffen-Dewenter I., Stempfhuber B., Tschapka M., Weiner C. N., Weisser W. W., Werner M., Westphal C., Wilcke W., Manning P. (2019): Towards the development of general rules describing landscape heterogeneity-multifunctionality relationships. Journal of Applied Ecology 56 (1), 168-179. doi: 10.1111/1365-2664.13260

Specialisation and diversity of multiple trophic groups are promoted by different forest features

Penone C., Allan E., Soliveres S., Felipe Lucia M., Gossner M. M., Seibold S., Simons N. K., Schall P., van der Plas F., Manning P., Manzanedo R. D., Boch S., Prati D., Ammer C., Bauhus J., Buscot B., Ehbrecht M., Goldmann K., Jung K., Müller J., Müller J. C., Pena R., Polle A., Renner S., Ruess L., Schöning I., Schrumpf M., Solly E., Tschapka M., Weisser W. W., Wubet T., Fischer M. (2019): Specialisation and diversity of multiple trophic groups are promoted by different forest features. Ecology Letters 22 (1), 170-180. doi: 10.1111/ele.13182

Towards an Ecological Trait-data Standard

Schneider F. D., Fichtmüller D., Gossner M. M., Güntsch A., Jochum M., König-Ries B., Le Provost G., Manning P., Ostrowski A., Penone C., Simons N. K. (2019): Towards an Ecological Trait-data Standard. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 10 (12), 2006-2019. doi: 10.1111/2041-210X.13288

Multiple forest attributes underpin the supply of multiple ecosystem services

Verschiedene Eigenschaften von Waldbeständen unterstützen das Angebot multipler Ökosystemleistungen

Felipe-Lucia M. R., Soliveres S., Penone C., Manning P., van der Plas F., Boch S., Prati D., Ammer C., Schall P., Gossner M. M., Bauhus J., Buscot F., Blaser S., Blüthgen N., de Frutos A., Ehbrecht M., Frank K., Goldmann K., Hänsel F., Jung K., Kahl T., Nauss T., Oelmann Y., Pena R., Polle A., Renner S., Schloter M., Schöning I., Schrumpf M., Schulze E.-D., Solly E., Sorkau E., Stempfhuber B., Tschapka M., Weisser W. W., Wubet T., Fischer M., Allan E. (2018): Multiple forest attributes underpin the supply of multiple ecosystem services. Nature Communications 9:4839. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07082-4

Redefining ecosystem multifunctionality

Multifunktionalität Ökosystemen

Manning P., van der Plas F., Soliveres S., Allan E., Maestre F. T., Mace G., Whittingham M. J., Fischer M. (2018): Redefining ecosystem multifunctionality. Nature Ecology and Evolution 2, 427-436. doi: 10.1038/s41559-017-0461-7

Intransitive competition is common across five major taxonomic groups and is driven by productivity, competitive rank and functional traits

Soliveres S., Lehmann A., Boch S., Altermatt F., Carrara F., Crowther T. W., Delgado‐Baquerizo M., Kempel A., Maynard D. S., Rillig M. C., Singh B. K., Trivedi P., Allan E. (2018): Intransitive competition is common across five major taxonomic groups and is driven by productivity, competitive rank and functional traits. Journal of Ecology 106 (3), 852–864. doi: 10.1111/1365-2745.12959

Fagus sylvatica seedlings show provenance differentiation rather than adaptation to soil in a transplant experiment

Manzanedo R. D., Schanz F. R., Fischer M., Allan E. (2018): Fagus sylvatica seedlings show provenance differentiation rather than adaptation to soil in a transplant experiment. BMC Ecology 18 (1): 42. doi: 10.1186/s12898-018-0197-5

Locally rare species influence grassland ecosystem multifunctionality

Soliveres S., Manning P., Prati D., Gossner M. M., Alt F., Arndt H., Baumgartner V., Binkenstein J., Birkhofer K., Blaser S., Blüthgen N., Boch S., Böhm S., Börschig C., Buscot F., Diekötter T., Heinze J., Hölzel N., Jung K., Klaus V. H., Klein A.-M., Kleinebecker T., Klemmer S., Krauss J., Lange M., Morris K. E., Müller J., Oelmann Y., Overmann J., Pašalić E., Renner S. C., Rillig M. C., Schäfer M., Schloter M., Schmitt B., Schöning I., Schrumpf M., Sikorski J., Socher S. A., Solly E., Sonnemann I., Sorkau E., Steckel J., Steffen-Dewenter I., Stempfhuber B., Tschapka M., Türke M., Venter P., Weiner C. N., Weisser W. W., Werner M., Westphal C., Wilcke W., Wolters V., Wubet T., Wurst S., Fischer M., Allan E. (2016): Locally rare species influence grassland ecosystem multifunctionality. Phylosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 371(1694):20150269. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0269

Land-use intensification causes multitrophic homogenisation of grassland communities

Gossner M. M., Lewinsohn T., Kahl T., Grassein F., Boch S., Prati D., Birkhofer K., Renner S. C., Sikorski J., Wubet T., Arndt H., Baumgartner V., Blaser S., Blüthgen N., Börschig C., Buscot F., Diekötter T., Jorge L. R., Jung K., Keyel A. C., Klein A.-M., Klemmer S., Krauss J., Lange M., Müller J., Overmann J., Pašalić E., Penone C., Perović D. J., Purschke O., Schall P., Socher S. A., Sonnemann I., Tschapka M., Tscharntke T., Türke M., Venter P. C., Weiner C. N., Werner M., Wolters V., Wurst S., Westphal C., Fischer M., Weisser W. W., Allan E. (2016): Land-use intensification causes multitrophic homogenisation of grassland communities. Nature 540 (7632), 266–269. doi: 10.1038/nature20575

Biodiversity at multiple trophic levels is needed for ecosystem multifunctionality

Soliveres S., van der Plas F., Manning P., Prati D., Gossner M. M., Renner S. C., Alt F., Arndt H., Baumgartner V., Binkenstein J., Birkhofer K., Blaser S., Blüthgen N., Boch S., Böhm S., Börschig C., Buscot F., Diekötter T., Heinze J., Hölzel N., Jung K., Klaus V. H., Kleinebecker T., Klemmer S., Krauss J., Lange M., Morris K. E., Müller J., Oelmann Y., Overmann J., Pašalić E., Rillig M. C., Schäfer M., Schloter M., Schmitt B., Schöning I., Schrumpf M., Sikorski J., Socher S. A., Solly E., Sonnemann I., Sorkau I., Steckel J., Steffen-Dewenter I., Stempfhuber B., Tschapka M., Türke M., Venter P., Weiner C., Weisser W. W., Werner M., Westphal C., Wilcke W., Wolters V., Wubet T., Wurst S., Fischer M., Allan E. (2016): Biodiversity at multiple trophic levels is needed for ecosystem multifunctionality. Nature 536, 456–459. doi: 10.1038/nature19092

Land use intensification alters ecosystem multifunctionality via loss of biodiversity and changes to functional composition

Allan E., Manning P., Alt F., Binkenstein J., Blaser S., Blüthgen N., Böhm S., Grassein F., Hölzel N., Klaus V., Kleinebecker T., Morris K. E., Oelmann Y., Prati D., Renner S. C., Rillig M. C., Schäfer M., Schloter M., Schmitt B., Schöning I., Schrumpf M., Solly E., Sorkau E., Steckel J., Steffen-Dewenter I., Stempfhuber B., Tschapka M., Weiner C. N., Weisser W. W., Werner M., Westphal C., Wilcke W., Fischer M. (2015): Land use intensification alters ecosystem multifunctionality via loss of biodiversity and changes to functional composition. Ecology Letters 18 (8), 834–843. doi: 10.1111/ele.12469

Intransitive competition is widespread in plant communities and maintains their species richness

Soliveres S., Maestre F. T., Ulrich W., Manning P., Boch S., Bowker M., Prati D., Delgado-Baquerizo M., Quero J. L., Schöning I., Gallardo A., Weisser W. W., Müller J., García-Gómez M., Ochoa V., Schulze E.-D., Fischer M., Allan E. (2015): Intransitive competition is widespread in plant communities and maintains their species richness. Ecology Letters 18 (8), 790–798. doi: 10.1111/ele.12456

Grassland management intensification weakens the associations among the diversities of multiple plant and animal taxa

Intensive Landnutzung schwächt die Zusammenhänge zwischen den Artenvielfalten verschiedener Tier- und Pflanzengruppen

Manning P., Gossner M. M., Bossdorf O., Allan E., Zhang Y.-Y., Prati D., Blüthgen N., Boch S., Böhm S., Börschig C., Hölzel N., Jung K., Klaus V. H., Klein A. M., Kleinbecker T., Krauss J., Lange M., Müller J., Pašalić E., Socher S. A., Tschapka M., Türke M., Weiner C., Werner M., Gockel S., Hemp A., Renner S. C., Wells C., Buscot F., Kalko E. K. V., Linsenmair K.-E., Weisser W. W., Fischer M. (2015): Grassland management intensification weakens the associations among the diversities of multiple plant and animal taxa. Ecology Manning P., Gossner M. M., Bossdorf O., Allan E., Zhang Y.-Y., Prati D., Blüthgen N., Boch S., Böhm S., Börschig C., Hölzel N., Jung K., Klaus V. H., Klein A. M., Kleinbecker T., Krauss J., Lange M., Müller J., Pašalić E., Socher S. A., Tschapka M., Türke M., Weiner C., Werner M., Gockel S., Hemp A., Renner S. C., Wells C., Buscot F., Kalko E. K. V., Linsenmair K.-E., Weisser W. W., Fischer M. (2014): Grassland management intensification weakens the associations among the diversities of multiple plant and animal taxa. Ecology 96 (6), 1492–1501. doi: 10.1890/14-1307.1

Interannual variation in land-use intensity enhances grassland multidiversity

Regelmäßige Änderungen in der Landnutzung erhöhen die Biodiversität im Grünland

Allan E., Bossdorf O., Dormann C. F., Prati D., Gossner M. M., Tscharntke T., Blüthgen N., Bellach M., Birkhofer K., Boch S., Böhm S., Börschig C., Chatzinotas A., Christ S., Daniel R., Diekötter T., Fischer C., Friedl T., Glaser K., Hallmann C., Hodac L., Hölzel N., Jung K., Klein A. M., Klaus V. H., Kleinebecker T., Krauss J., Lange M., Morris K. E., Müller J., Nacke H., Pasalic E., Rillig M. C., Rothenwöhrer C., Schall P., Scherber C., Schulze W., Socher S. A., Steckel J., Steffan-Dewenter I., Türke M., Weiner C. N., Werner M., Westphal C., Wolters V., Wubet T., Gockel S., Gorke M., Hemp A., Renner S. C., Schöning I., Pfeiffer S., König-Ries B., Buscot F., Linsenmair K. E., Schulze E. D., Weisser W. W., Fischer M. (2014): Interannual variation in land-use intensity enhances grassland multidiversity. PNAS 111, 308–313. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1312213111

Neue Ergebnisse aus den Biodiversitäts-Exploratorien

Fischer M., Boch S., Allan E. (2014): Neue Ergebnisse aus den Biodiversitäts-Exploratorien. Senckenberg Natur · Forschung · Museum 144 (3/4), 98-101

The so-called core projects of the BE emerged from the site selection project and the establishment of the exploratories (2006-2008). Since 2008, they have been providing the infrastructure and collecting important basic information on land use, diversity and ecosystem processes (long-term monitoring) for all projects. In addition, they coordinate project-wide activities such as various large-scale experiments.