Biodiversity and the productivity and stability of ecosystems

Experimental approaches are starting to evolve to test the hypothesis that species diversity enhances productivity and stability in some ecosystems, but not in others, and the mechanisms underlying the functional role of species diversity.

Abstract

Attempts to unveil the relationships between the taxonomic diversity, productivity and stability of ecosystems continue to generate inconclusive, contradictory and controversial conclusions. New insights from recent studies support the hypothesis that species diversity enhances productivity and stability in some ecosystems, but not in others. Appreciation is growing for the ways that particular ecosystem features, such as environmental variability and nutrient stress, can influence biotic interactions. Alternatives to the diversity-stability hypothesis have been proposed, and experimental approaches are starting to evolve to test these hypotheses and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the functional role of species diversity.