Keynote Presentations from the AVEC International Summer School, Peyresq, 14-27 September 2003

Speaker: Klemens Ekschmitt
Klemens.Ekschmitt<at>allzool.bio.uni-giessen.de
Justus Liebig University, Dep of Animal Ecology, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, D-35392 Giessen, Germany

Title of the talk: Changes in biodiversity: are there general implications for ecosystem functioning? (pdf: 1,8 Mb)

Summary of the talk by a student: Students´ summary (pdf)

Changes in biodiversity: are there general implications for ecosystem functioning?

The talk gives an overview of theories and hypotheses that have been raised in order to predict diversity-function relationships. In particular, those reasons are discussed that may explain the discrepancy between the strong theoretical expectation for widespread diversity effects, and the ambiguous empirical evidence for such effects. Criteria are derived that determine diversity-function relationships, and predictions are made whether, or not, changes in the biodiversity of a range of organism groups will have effects on a range of ecological processes. it is shown that these predictions are largely corroborated by empirical evidence compiled from the literature.

Recommended background literature on this presentation:

• Ekschmitt K, Stierhof T, Dauber J, Kreimes K, Wolters V (2003): On the quality of soil biodiversity indicators: abiotic and biotic parameters as predictors of soil faunal richness at different spatial scales. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 98: 273-283. doi:10.1016/S0167-8809(03)00087-2


• Ekschmitt K, Klein A, Pieper B, Wolters V (2001): Biodiversity and functioning of ecological communities - why is diversity important in some cases and unimportant in others? Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science 164: 239-246. doi:10.1002/1522-2624(200106)164:3<239::AID-JPLN239>3.0.CO;2-0


• Ekschmitt K, Griffiths BS (1998): Soil biodiversity and its implications for ecosystem functioning in a heterogeneous and variable environment. Applied Soil Ecology 10: 201-215.


• Ekschmitt K, Weber M, Wolters V (1997): Spiders, Carabids and Staphylinids - the ecological potential of predatory macroarthropods. In: Benckiser (Ed.): Fauna in Soil Ecosystems. Marcel Dekker, Inc. New York, pp. 307-362.


• Ekschmitt K, Breckling B (1994): Competition and Coexistence: On Contributions of Modelling to the Evolution of Ecological Theory. Ecological Modelling 75/76: doi:10.1016/0304-3800(94)90008-6 71-82.

AVEC is a EU FP5 Concerted Action No. EVK2-2001-00074

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