Cross‐Taxa Analysis of Long‐Term Data Reveals a Positive Biodiversity‐Stability Relationship With Taxon‐Specific Mechanistic Underpinning - UTU Research Portal

A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal

Cross‐Taxa Analysis of Long‐Term Data Reveals a Positive Biodiversity‐Stability Relationship With Taxon‐Specific Mechanistic Underpinning

Authors: Rodrigues, Arthur V.; Rissanen, Tuuli; Jones, Mirkka M.; Huikkonen, Ida-Maria; Huitu, Otso; Korpimäki, Erkki; Kuussaari, Mikko; Lehikoinen, Aleksi; Lindén, Andreas; Pietiäinen, Hannu; Pöyry, Juha; Sihvonen, Pasi; Suuronen, Anna; Vuorio, Kristiina; Saastamoinen, Marjo; Vanhatalo, Jarno; Laine, Anna-Liisa

Publisher: Wiley

Publishing place: HOBOKEN

Publication year: 2025

Journal: Ecology Letters

Journal name in source: Ecology Letters

Journal acronym: ECOL LETT

Article number: e70003

Volume: 28

Issue: 4

Number of pages: 12

ISSN: 1461-023X

eISSN: 1461-0248

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.70003

Web address : https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.70003

Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/491844877

Abstract

Anthropogenic environmental change is altering biodiversity at unprecedented rates, threatening the stability of ecosystem services on which humans depend. However, most of what is known about biodiversity-stability relationships comes from experimental studies making extrapolation to real ecosystems difficult. Here, we ask whether the shape and underlying mechanisms of the biodiversity-stability relationship vary among taxa in real-world communities. Our study harnesses the power of six terrestrial and aquatic long-term monitoring datasets, encompassing entire assemblages at hundreds of georeferenced sites providing 20 years long community measurements, covering a 1200 km latitudinal gradient across Finland. In general, we detect a positive relationship between species richness and stability. Structural equation modelling reveals that this relationship is modified by functional trait community composition, with specific mechanisms varying among the taxa. Our study is among the first to highlight the importance of functional traits in elucidating both general and taxon-specific impacts of biodiversity on community stability.

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Funding information in the publication:
This work was funded by the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation (A. V. R., T. R, M. M. J., M. S., J.V. and A.-L. L.). In addition, A.-L. L. (ERC Advanced Grant Co-EvoChange, 101097545) and J. V. (ERC Consolidator Grant BEFPREDICT, 101087409) acknowledge funding from the European Union, and A. L. (grant 323527) and K. V. (grant 311229) acknowledge funding from Academy of Finland. The Finnish moth monitoring scheme (Nocturna) and the Butterfly monitoring scheme in agricultural landscapes (Diurna) were supported by the Finnish Ministry of the Environment.