Effects of Algal Diversity on the Productivity of Streams: Does Diversity Play a Greater Role in Variable vs. Constant Environments?

藻类多样性对河流生产力的影响：多样性在可变环境与恒定环境中是否发挥更大作用？

• 批准号: 0614428
• 负责人: Bradley Cardinale
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of California-Santa Barbara
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-10-01 至 2010-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0614428&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Effects; Algal; Diversity; Productivity; Streams

Over the past decade, an increasing number of studies have experimentally reduced the number of species in a community and examined how diversity loss impacts important ecosystem processes such as primary production. Studies have generally been performed in simple environments that maximize experimental control, and under these conditions, results suggest that relatively few species are needed to maintain ecosystem productivity. But would this conclusion hold true in more natural habitats where spatial and temporal heterogeneity are pervasive? Or would a greater number of species be required to maintain productivity in complex environments that are inherently variable? This project takes an empirical approach to address these questions using a model system of freshwater algae. Field and laboratory experiments will be performed to compare how algal diversity impacts primary production in stream ecosystems that have simplified flow regimes, to more natural systems that exhibit pronounced spatial and temporal variation in flow. Global loss of biodiversity ranks among the pervasive environmental changes of our time. Although we understand the primary causes of extinction, much less is known about the environmental impacts of extinction. The goal of this research is to determine which types of ecosystems are most sensitive to species loss.

在过去的十年中，越来越多的研究在实验中减少了社区中的物种数量，并研究了多样性损失如何影响重要的生态系统过程，例如初级生产。 研究通常是在最大化实验控制的简单环境中进行的，在这些条件下，结果表明，维持生态系统生产力的物种需要相对较少的物种。 但是，在空间和时间异质性无处不在的更自然的栖息地中，这个结论会成立吗？ 还是需要更多的物种来维持固有可变的复杂环境中的生产率？ 该项目采用经验方法，使用淡水藻类模型系统来解决这些问题。 将进行现场和实验室实验，以比较藻类多样性如何影响简化流动式流程的流生态系统中的主要生产，以及在流动中表现出明显的空间和时间变化的更自然系统。 全球生物多样性丧失是我们这个时代普遍存在的环境变化之一。 尽管我们了解灭绝的主要原因，但对灭绝的环境影响知之甚少。 这项研究的目的是确定哪些类型的生态系统对物种损失最敏感。