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Effects of species evenness and dominant species identity on multiple ecosystem functions in model grassland communities

  • Community ecology - Original research
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Abstract

Ecosystems provide multiple services upon which humans depend. Understanding the drivers of the ecosystem functions that support these services is therefore important. Much research has investigated how species richness influences functioning, but we lack knowledge of how other community attributes affect ecosystem functioning. Species evenness, species spatial arrangement, and the identity of dominant species are three attributes that could affect ecosystem functioning, by altering the relative abundance of functional traits and the probability of synergistic species interactions such as facilitation and complementary resource use. We tested the effect of these three community attributes and their interactions on ecosystem functions over a growing season, using model grassland communities consisting of three plant species from three functional groups: a grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), a forb (Plantago lanceolata), and a N-fixing forb (Lotus corniculatus). We measured multiple ecosystem functions that support ecosystem services, including ecosystem gas exchange, water retention, C and N loss in leachates, and plant biomass production. Species evenness and dominant species identity strongly influenced the ecosystem functions measured, but spatial arrangement had few effects. By the end of the growing season, evenness consistently enhanced ecosystem functioning and this effect occurred regardless of dominant species identity. The identity of the dominant species under which the highest level of functioning was attained varied across the growing season. Spatial arrangement had the weakest effect on functioning, but interacted with dominant species identity to affect some functions. Our results highlight the importance of understanding the role of multiple community attributes in driving ecosystem functioning.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Franciska de Vries, Helen Quirk, Melanie Hartley, Victor Van Velsen, and Jorge Paz-Ferreiro for assistance with setting up the mesocosms, and Juliette Bloor, Matt Naish, Sue Ward, and Paul Webb for assistance with function measurements. We also thank two anonymous referees for helpful comments on the manuscript. The experiments comply with the current laws of the country (UK) in which the experiment was performed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ, UK

    Kate H. Orwin, Andrew Wilby & Richard D. Bardgett

  2. Landcare Research, PO Box 40, Lincoln, 7640, New Zealand

    Kate H. Orwin

  3. Plant and Soil Biogeochemistry Group, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Bailrigg, Lancaster, LA1 4AP, UK

    Nick Ostle

  4. Faculty of Life Sciences, The University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK

    Richard D. Bardgett

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  1. Kate H. Orwin
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Correspondence to Kate H. Orwin.

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Communicated by Bryan Foster.

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Orwin, K.H., Ostle, N., Wilby, A. et al. Effects of species evenness and dominant species identity on multiple ecosystem functions in model grassland communities. Oecologia 174, 979–992 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-013-2814-5

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