Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function / Edition 1

by Ernst-Detlef Schulze, Harold A. Mooney

Overview

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 consequences 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 question. It will be followed by other volumes in this series examining in depth the functional role of biodiversity in various ecosystems of the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783540581031
Publisher:	Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Publication date:	07/26/1994
Series:	Springer Study Edition
Edition description:	1994
Pages:	525
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.36(d)

Table of Contents

Section A: Ecosystem Function.- 1 Biological Diversity and Terrestrial Ecosystem Biogeochemistry.- 2 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Function in Agricultural Systems.- 3 Biodiversity and Interactions Within Pelagic Nutrient Cycling and Productivity.- Section B: Functional Groups.- 4 Functional Groups of Microorganisms.- 5 Plant Traits and Adaptive Strategies: Their Role in Ecosystem Function.- 6 Scaling from Species to Vegetation: The Usefulness of Functional Groups.- Section C: Species Interaction.- 7 Evolution of Functional Groups in Basidiomycetes (Fungi).- 8 The Role of Parasites in Plant Populations and Communities.- 9 Plant-Microbe Mutualisms and Community Structure.- 10 The Evolution of Interactions and Diversity in Plant- Insect Systems: The Urophora-Eurytoma Food Web in Galls on Palearctic Cardueae.- Section D: Community Interactions.- 11 Keystone Species.- 12 Redundancy in Ecosystems.- 13 How Many Species Are Required for a Functional Ecosystem?.- 14 Rare and Common Plants in Ecosystems, with Special Reference to the South-west Australian Flora.- 15 Community Diversity and Succession: The Roles of Competition, Dispersal, and Habitat Modification.- Section E: Ecosystem Integrity.- 16 Biodiversity and the Balance of Nature.- 17 Biodiversity and Function of Grazing Ecosystems.- 18 Resource Supply and Disturbance as Controls over Present and Future Plant Diversity.- 19 Ecosystem Stability, Competition, and Nutrient Cycling.- 20 Modelling Biodiversity: Latitudinal Gradient of Forest Species Diversity.- 21 Functional Aspects of Landscape Diversity: A Bavarian Example.- Section F: Industrial Analogy and Policy.- 22 Biodiversity Issues in Computing: A Study of Networked Computer Viruses.- 23 Biodiversity and Policy Decisions.- 24 Ecosystem Function of Biodiversity: A Summary.- Species Index.