#Theory, Modelling & Upscaling #2017 – 2020 #Grassland #Ecosystem processes #Forest #Ecosystem services #Synthesis #Statistics #Species biodiversity

Synthesis (Core project)

Core project – Ecological synthesis

Project phase 2017-2020

Fundamental and general understanding of ecological relationships can only be achieved by comparing and linking data from different taxa, ecological processes and spatio-temporal scales in a broad perspective. An optimal approach for such ecological syntheses is to organise research in such a way that different data are collected within a common study design, so that these data can later be directly compared and linked. Creating such a common study design, and thereby enabling fundamental ecological synthesis, was one of the main reasons for establishing the Biodiversity Exploratories. The Synthesis Central Project is responsible for ensuring that this ecological synthesis is realised.

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.

Goals

In the next phase, the core project “Ecological Synthesis” will conduct a series of comprehensive synthesis analyses on the core questions of the Biodiversity Exploratories, with the following main objectives:

1. How does intensification of land use affect biodiversity, interactions between species and thereby the composition of multitrophic communities.

2. How does biodiversity and land-use intensity influence ecosystem functions and services. This will provide a more integral understanding of how multitrophic biodiversity influences ecosystem functions, especially considering ecosystem resilience.

3. The dissemination of the synthesis idea and the methodological and content-related support of synthesis activities of other working groups. The synthesis project creates synergies and cross-project added value, in line with the guiding questions of the Biodiversity Exploratories.

Publications

A slow-fast trait continuum at the whole community level in relation to land-use intensification

Neyret M., Le Provost G., Boesing A. L., Schneider F. D., Baulechner D., Bergmann J., de Vries F., Fiore-Donno A. M., Geisen S., Goldmann K., Saifutdinov R., Simons N. K., Tobias J., Zaitsev A., Gossner M. M., Jung K., Kandeler E., Krauss J., Penone C., Schloter M., Schulz S., Staab M., Wolters V., Apostolakis, Birkhofer K., Boch S., Boeddinghaus R. S., Bolliger R., Bonkowski M., Buscot F., Dumack K., Fischer M., Gan H. Y., Heinze J., Hölzel N., John K., Klaus V. H., Kleinebecker T., Marhan S., Müller J., Renner S. C., Rillig M., Schenk N. V., Schöning I., Schrumpf M., Seibold S., Socher S., Solly E., Teuscher M., van Kleunen M., Wubet T., Manning P. (2024): A slow-fast trait continuum at the whole community level in relation to land-use intensification. Nature Communications 15: 1251. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-45113-5

The supply of multiple ecosystem services requires biodiversity across spatial scales

Le Provost G., Schenk N. V., Penone C., Thiele J., Westphal C., Allan E., Ayasse M., Binkenstein J., Blüthgen N., Boeddinghaus R., Boesing A. L., Bolliger R., Busch V., Fischer M., Frank K., Gossner M. M., Hoelzel N., Jung K., Kandeler E., Klaus V. H., Kleinebecker T., Klötzing T., Leimer S., Marhan S., Morris K., Müller S., Neff F., Neyret M., Oelmann Y., Perović D., Prati D., Rillig M. C., Saiz H., Schäfer D., Schäfer M., Scherer-Lorenzen M., Schloter M., Schöning I., Schrumpf M., Steckel J., , Steffan-Dewenter I., Stempfhuber B., Trumbore S., Tschapka M., Vogt J., Weiner C., Weisser W. W., Wells K., Werner M., Wilcke W., Manning P. (2023): The supply of multiple ecosystem services requires biodiversity across spatial scales. Nature, Ecology & Evolution 7, 236–249. doi: 10.1038/s41559-022-01918-5

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 6, 391–403. doi: 10.1038/s41893-022-01045-w

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

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 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.