Exploratories for large-scale and long-term functional biodiversity research

在推进德国生物多样性研究的倡议框架内，我们提议建立三个示范性的大规模和长期研究地点(生物多样性探索)。他们将建立和维持科学基础设施，并制定德国所需的智力框架，以解决有关生物多样性变化的关键问题，并评估这些变化对生态系统进程和土地管理的影响。一个探险地点将设在Schorfheide-Chorin生物圈保护区(德国东北部)，一个设在海因里奇国家公园及周边地区(德国中部)，另一个设在目前正在建立的生物圈保护区Mittlere Kuppenalb(德国西南部)。在每一次探索中，都将研究实际景观中选定的森林和草原类群的土地利用强度、生物多样性变化和生态系统功能之间的关系。主要的研究问题涉及不同植物、动物、真菌和微生物类群的多样性之间的相互关系，它们对土地利用的响应，以及它们对生态系统过程的功能意义。在采用标准化方法的综合办法中，探索实验室将把生物多样性和生态系统研究结合起来；这两个学科过去主要是分开运作的。这些问题将在一个共同的研究设计中解决，该设计由生态特征和研究强度不同的地块组成。每一次探险的1000个地块的网格将提供关于多样性和生态系统功能的基线信息。在这些人中，约有100人将被选为深入研究的对象。这些地块将被用来测量更广泛的功能，并对选定的动植物分类群的多样性模式进行更详细的分析。它们还将用于实验性的操纵。最后，每一次探索将有16块地用于高强度研究。地块将分布在草原和林区，包括从接近自然到密集使用的土地利用强度的广泛梯度。这里提出的第一个项目阶段将仅限于选定的分类群和生态系统功能。在建立一到两年后，德国研究界提出的更多贡献项目将纳入探索实验室。总体而言，探索实验室将能够解决关于生物多样性在真实景观中的功能意义的新问题，它们将成为德国生物多样性研究界的一个鼓舞人心的研究平台。

In the framework of an initiative to advance biodiversity research in Germany, we propose to establish three exemplary large-scale and long-term research sites (biodiversity exploratories). They will establish and sustain the scientific infrastructure and develop the intellectual framework needed for Germany to address critical questions about changes in biodiversity and to evaluate the impacts of those changes for ecosystem processes and in relation to land management. One exploratory will be situated at Biosphere Reserve Schorfheide-Chorin (NE Germany), one at National Park Hainich and surrounding area (centre of Germany), and one in the currently establishing Biosphere reserve Mittlere Kuppenalb (SW Germany). In each exploratory the relationship between land use intensity, biodiversity change, and ecosystem functioning will be studied for selected forest and grassland taxa in real landscapes. The main research questions concern the relationship of the diversity of different plant, animal, fungal, and microbial taxa to each other, their response to land use, and their functional significance for ecosystem processes. In an integrative approach with standardized methodology the exploratories will merge biodiversity and ecosystem research; two disciplines which had mainly operated separately in the past. The questions will be addressed in a common study design consisting of plots that differ in ecological characteristics and research intensities. A grid of >1000 plots per exploratory will give baseline information on diversity and ecosystem functioning. Of these, about 100 per exploratory will be selected for intensive research. These plots will be instrumented to measure a wider range of functions combined with a more detailed analysis of diversity patterns of selected animal and plant taxa. They will also serve for experimental manipulations. Finally, 16 plots per exploratory will serve for high intensity research. Plots will be distributed over grassland and forest areas and include broad gradients of land use intensities ranging from near-natural to intensely used. The first project phase proposed here will be limited to selected taxa and ecosystem functions. One to two years after establishment, further contributing projects proposed by the German research community will integrate into the exploratories. Overall, the exploratories will enable tackling new questions on the functional significance of biodiversity in real landscapes, and they will serve as a stimulating research platform for the German biodiversity research community.