Collaborative: Biodiversity, Trophic Structure, and Productivity -- An Experimental Test in Pond Ecosystems

协作：生物多样性、营养结构和生产力——池塘生态系统的实验测试

• 批准号: 9520882
• 负责人: Val Smith
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Kansas Main Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1995
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1995-07-15 至 1999-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9520882&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Biodiversity; Trophic; Structure; Productivity

9520882 Smith A wide variety of mechanisms have been proposed to explain the ways by which energy flow regulates the biodiversity of ecological communities. However, there has been relatively little experimental work aimed at discriminating among these competing hypotheses. These investigators will conduct direct experimental tests of the most plausible hypotheses relating eutrophication to biodiversity in aquatic communities. These experiments will be conducted in a series of mesocosms which provide three important advantages: (1) both nutrient loading and trophic structure can be independently manipulated, (2) other potentially confounding factors can be controlled, and (3) the expected biological responses can be easily measured and evaluated. Additional, experimental enclosures will be established in ponds to test these hypotheses under more natural conditions. Finally, extensive analyses of controls on biodiversity in natural ponds will be conducted, as well. The results of this study will confirm or reject four competing hypotheses that are believed to explain patterns of biodiversity in natural systems. Moreover, the research will assess the relative importance of "bottom-up" versus "top-down" factors in the regulation of plankton diversity. This knowledge is particularly important if future environmental policies directed at the protection of biodiversity are to be based on valid scientific premises. Finally, this work will provide an increased understanding of the potentially detrimental effects of eutrophication on biodiversity in natural wetland communities.

9520882 Smith 人们提出了多种机制来解释能量流调节生态群落生物多样性的方式。然而，旨在区分这些相互竞争的假设的实验工作相对较少。这些研究人员将对富营养化与水生群落生物多样性相关的最合理的假设进行直接实验测试。这些实验将在一系列中生态系统中进行，这些中生态系统具有三个重要优点：（1）营养负荷和营养结构都可以独立操纵，（2）可以控制其他潜在的混杂因素，（3）可以轻松测量和评估预期的生物反应。此外，将在池塘中建立实验围栏，以在更自然的条件下测试这些假设。最后，还将对天然池塘生物多样性的控制进行广泛的分析。这项研究的结果将证实或否定四个相互竞争的假设，这些假设被认为可以解释自然系统中生物多样性的模式。此外，该研究将评估“自下而上”与“自上而下”因素在浮游生物多样性调节中的相对重要性。如果未来旨在保护生物多样性的环境政策要基于有效的科学前提，那么这些知识就特别重要。最后，这项工作将加深人们对富营养化对自然湿地群落生物多样性的潜在有害影响的了解。