Biodiversity and Ecosystem FunctionErnst-Detlef Schulze, Harold A. Mooney Springer Science & Business Media, 2012 M12 6 - 525 páginas The biota of the earth is being altered at an unprecedented rate. We are witnessing wholesale exchanges of organisms among geographic areas that were once totally biologically isolated. We are seeing massive changes in landscape use that are creating even more abundant succes sional patches, reductions in population sizes, and in the worst cases, losses of species. There are many reasons for concern about these trends. One is that we unfortunately do not know in detail the conse quences of these massive alterations in terms of how the biosphere as a whole operates or even, for that matter, the functioning of localized ecosystems. We do know that the biosphere interacts strongly with the atmospheric composition, contributing to potential climate change. We also know that changes in vegetative cover greatly influence the hydrology and biochemistry ofa site or region. Our knowledge is weak in important details, however. How are the many services that ecosystems provide to humanity altered by modifications of ecosystem composition? Stated in another way, what is the role of individual species in ecosystem function? We are observing the selective as well as wholesale alteration in the composition of ecosystems. Do these alterations matter in respect to how ecosystems operate and provide services? This book represents the initial probing of this central ques tion. It will be followed by other volumes in this series examining in depth the functional role of biodiversity in various ecosystems of the world. |
Contenido
6 | |
1 | 10 |
References | 12 |
Berendse F Centre of Agrobiological Research P O Box | 14 |
2 | 16 |
3 | 19 |
4 | 22 |
5 | 32 |
J Read | 181 |
4 | 190 |
36 | 198 |
10 | 205 |
4 | 225 |
3333 | 228 |
11 | 237 |
Redundancy in Ecosystems | 254 |
E W Steinberg and W Geller | 43 |
4 | 50 |
2 | 53 |
6 | 57 |
4 | 66 |
5 | 79 |
6 | 86 |
Ecosystem Function | 97 |
4 | 108 |
Functional Groups | 117 |
7 | 131 |
9 | 136 |
Evolution of Functional Groups in Basidiomycetes | 143 |
7 | 151 |
Bond W J Department of Botany University of Cape Town | 155 |
8 | 162 |
3 | 170 |
5 | 177 |
30 | 268 |
How Many Species Are Required | 271 |
Rare and Common Plants in Ecosystems with Special | 293 |
Department of Biology University of Minneapolis | 318 |
The Roles | 326 |
Biodiversity and the Balance of Nature | 347 |
Biodiversity and Function of Grazing Ecosystems | 360 |
32 | 375 |
Resource Supply and Disturbance as Controls over | 385 |
Ecosystem Stability Competition | 409 |
Latitudinal Gradient | 441 |
A Study | 468 |
Biodiversity and Policy Decisions | 481 |
A Summary | 495 |
511 | |
521 | |
Otras ediciones - Ver todas
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function Ernst-Detlef Schulze,Harold A Mooney Sin vista previa disponible - 1994 |
Términos y frases comunes
ability abundance acids agricultural anaerobic autotrophic bacteria Berlin Heidelberg biodiversity Biol biological biomass carbon Chap climate competition complex crop cyanobacteria decomposer denitrification density dominant dynamics Ecol ecology ecosystem ecosystem function ectomycorrhizal effects energy environment environmental example extinction forest functional groups fungal fungi galls genetic global grassland grazing growth habitat Heidelberg New York herbivores heterotrophic host important increase insects interactions keystone species leaf lignin McNaughton metabolism microbial microbial loop microorganisms mycorrhizal N₂ natural niche nitrate nitrification nitrogen number of species nutrient cycling occur Oecologia organisms oxidation parasites pathogens patterns physiological phytoplankton picoplankton Pimm plankton plant communities plant species population predators processes production rates resource role savanna Schlegel HG Schulze seed seedlings soil Solbrig species diversity species richness Springer stability strategies structure studies substrate subsystem succession successional sulfur Tilman tion trade-offs trees trophic levels tropical types University Press Urophora vegetation Zwölfer