Yann Hautier, Ph.D.
Department of Biology
Utrecht University

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ABSTRACT
Syntheses of many experiments manipulating biodiversity have widely established that the loss of local species diversity impairs the stable provisioning of ecosystem services mankind relies on. Criticisms of these highly controlled and small scale studies have questioned their relevance to naturally assembled ecosystems and larger spatial scale at which policy, management and service provisioning takes place. In response, an increasing number of studies investigating biodiversity-stability relationships in non-manipulated communities have emerged, but syntheses are missing. Concurrently, theoretical developments have clarified the mechanisms by which biodiversity can stabilize functioning at different spatial scales. I will present results of a review of the literature assessing the balance of evidence regarding the direction of biodiversity-stability relationships and underlying mechanisms in (semi-)naturally assembled communities at the local and larger spatial scales. I will discuss the contribution of dominant and rare species to functional stability and identify knowledge gaps and opportunities for future research.

Host: Lin Jiang, Ph.D.