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Abstract

In order to predict which ecosystem functions are most at risk from biodiversity loss, meta-analyses have
generalised results from biodiversity experiments over different sites and ecosystem types. In contrast, comparing
the strength of biodiversity effects across a large number of
ecosystem processes measured in a single experiment
permits more direct comparisons. Here, we present an
analysis of 418 separate measures of 38 ecosystem processes.
Overall, 45 % of processes were significantly
affected by plant species richness, suggesting that, while
diversity affects a large number of processes not all
respond to biodiversity. We therefore compared the
strength of plant diversity effects between different categories
of ecosystem processes, grouping processes
according to the year of measurement, their biogeochemical
cycle, trophic level and compartment (above- or
belowground) and according to whether they were measures
of biodiversity or other ecosystem processes, biotic or
abiotic and static or dynamic. Overall, and for several
individual processes, we found that biodiversity effects
became stronger over time. Measures of the carbon cycle
were also affected more strongly by plant species richness than were the measures associated with the nitrogen cycle.