Syn-B2 Community-level trait variation of plants and animals and their associated ecosystem functions across environmental gradients [funded by DFG]
PI(s) dieses Projektes:
Prof. Dr. Nina Farwig
Dr. Eike-Lena Neuschulz
PD Dr. Matthias Schleuning
Projektzusammenfassung:
In Syn-B2, we will contribute to the overall objective of RESPECT by quantifying the relationships between trait variation of plant and animal communities and their associated ecosystem functions across environmental gradients. By conducting the REF synthesis, we will contribute to testing the central hypotheses, in particular how trait diversity varies along the studied environmental gradients (H1) and how it affects the resistance of biotic processes and target functions against climate (H2) and land-use change (H3). In extension to Syn-B1, we will investigate changes in trait diversity and composition across trophic levels and will use traits related to organismal size and resource use that are universally important in structuring plant and animal communities and in affecting associated biotic processes and ecosystem functions (Junker et al. 2023; Neyret et al. 2024). By focusing on these types of traits, (WP1) we will assess how trait composition changes across trophic levels along climatic and land-use gradients. Moreover, we will evaluate (WP2) to which extent trait composition is associated with biotic processes and rates of ecosystem functioning derived from different trophic levels. Based on the results of WP1 and WP2, we will develop scenarios (WP3) to test how changes in trait diversity and composition of plant and animal communities could affect biotic processes and ecosystem functions in the future. The goal of WP 3 is to test whether trait diversity increases stability and to provide information on consequences of changes in trait composition for ecosystem functioning that could inform conservation management and forest restoration.
