Temporal Stability in Forest Productivity Increases with Tree Diversity Due to Asynchrony in Species Dynamics. Morin, X., Fahse, L., de Mazancourt, C., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., & Bugmann, H. 17(12):1526–1535.
Theory predicts a positive relationship between biodiversity and stability in ecosystem properties, while diversity is expected to have a negative impact on stability at the species level. We used virtual experiments based on a dynamic simulation model to test for the diversity-stability relationship and its underlying mechanisms in Central European forests. First our results show that variability in productivity between stands differing in species composition decreases as species richness and functional diversity increase. Second we show temporal stability increases with increasing diversity due to compensatory dynamics across species, supporting the biodiversity insurance hypothesis. We demonstrate that this pattern is mainly driven by the asynchrony of species responses to small disturbances rather than to environmental fluctuations, and is only weakly affected by the net biodiversity effect on productivity. Furthermore, our results suggest that compensatory dynamics between species may enhance ecosystem stability through an optimisation of canopy occupancy by coexisting species. [Excerpt: Conclusion] Linking theoretical and empirical work is necessary to better understand the effect of biodiversity on the stability of ecosystem functioning (Griffin et al. 2009). The present study was based on virtual experiments using a well-established and thoroughly field-validated model, constituting significant progress in this direction. Our results showed that variability in productivity between forest stands decreases as species richness and functional diversity increase; temporal stability increases with increasing diversity due to compensatory dynamics across species; and this pattern is mainly driven by the asynchrony of species dynamics. Recent theoretical works have suggested that asynchrony in species responses may either stabilise or destabilise the biomass production of an ecosystem (Fowler et al. 2012; Loreau & de Mazancourt 2013). Here, we illustrated with a process-based model based on competition for light that diversity strongly affects temporal stability through asynchrony in species responses to small disturbances, leading to an optimisation of canopy occupancy by coexisting species. These findings represent an important step towards a better understanding of the role of asynchrony in diversity-stability relationships.
@article{morinTemporalStabilityForest2014,
title = {Temporal Stability in Forest Productivity Increases with Tree Diversity Due to Asynchrony in Species Dynamics},
author = {Morin, Xavier and Fahse, Lorenz and de Mazancourt, Claire and Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael and Bugmann, Harald},
date = {2014-12},
journaltitle = {Ecology Letters},
volume = {17},
pages = {1526--1535},
issn = {1461-0248},
doi = {10.1111/ele.12357},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12357},
abstract = {Theory predicts a positive relationship between biodiversity and stability in ecosystem properties, while diversity is expected to have a negative impact on stability at the species level. We used virtual experiments based on a dynamic simulation model to test for the diversity-stability relationship and its underlying mechanisms in Central European forests. First our results show that variability in productivity between stands differing in species composition decreases as species richness and functional diversity increase. Second we show temporal stability increases with increasing diversity due to compensatory dynamics across species, supporting the biodiversity insurance hypothesis. We demonstrate that this pattern is mainly driven by the asynchrony of species responses to small disturbances rather than to environmental fluctuations, and is only weakly affected by the net biodiversity effect on productivity. Furthermore, our results suggest that compensatory dynamics between species may enhance ecosystem stability through an optimisation of canopy occupancy by coexisting species.

[Excerpt: Conclusion]

Linking theoretical and empirical work is necessary to better understand the effect of biodiversity on the stability of ecosystem functioning (Griffin et al. 2009). The present study was based on virtual experiments using a well-established and thoroughly field-validated model, constituting significant progress in this direction. Our results showed that variability in productivity between forest stands decreases as species richness and functional diversity increase; temporal stability increases with increasing diversity due to compensatory dynamics across species; and this pattern is mainly driven by the asynchrony of species dynamics. Recent theoretical works have suggested that asynchrony in species responses may either stabilise or destabilise the biomass production of an ecosystem (Fowler et al. 2012; Loreau \& de Mazancourt 2013). Here, we illustrated with a process-based model based on competition for light that diversity strongly affects temporal stability through asynchrony in species responses to small disturbances, leading to an optimisation of canopy occupancy by coexisting species. These findings represent an important step towards a better understanding of the role of asynchrony in diversity-stability relationships.},
}
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