Decomposing multiple dimensions of stability in global change experiments. (5th November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hillebrand, Helmut; Langenheder, Silke; Lebret, Karen; Lindström, Eva; Östman, Örjan; Striebel, Maren
• Editors: O'Connor, Mary
• Is Part Of: Ecology letters. Volume 21:Number 1(2018)
• Page Start: 21
• Page End: 30
• Publication Date: 2017-11-05
• Subjects: Biodiversity -- biomass -- composition -- ecosystem functions -- fluctuations -- recovery -- resilience -- resistance; Ecology -- Periodicals; 577
• DOI: 10.1111/ele.12867
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1461-023X

Abstract

Abstract: Ecological stability is the central framework to understand an ecosystem's ability to absorb or recover from environmental change. Recent modelling and conceptual work suggests that stability is a multidimensional construct comprising different response aspects. Using two freshwater mesocosm experiments as case studies, we show how the response to single perturbations can be decomposed in different stability aspects (resistance, resilience, recovery, temporal stability) for both ecosystem functions and community composition. We find that extended community recovery is tightly connected to a nearly complete recovery of the function (biomass production), whereas systems with incomplete recovery of the species composition ranged widely in their biomass compared to controls. Moreover, recovery was most complete when either resistance or resilience was high, the latter associated with low temporal stability around the recovery trend. In summary, no single aspect of stability was sufficient to reflect the overall stability of the system.