On the functional role of diversity and trophic interactions in litter decomposition of forest ecosystems

随着人类活动导致的生物多样性丧失日益严重，科学和社会的一个新的优先事项是了解多样性和/或物种组成的变化是否以及如何影响生态系统功能。特别强调森林生态系统提供栖息地超过65%的陆地生物多样性，我的研究计划调查的凋落物分解和营养循环的生态系统功能的多样性的作用。长期目标是通过为北方、温带和热带森林生态系统中森林地面群落日益复杂的多营养模型提供新的实验证据，检验生物多样性科学中的理论预测。为了了解这些森林地面群落中营养级之间的相互作用，我的实验室将（1）量化原始林和次生林中叶凋落物、根凋落物和粗木质残体的分解速率，（2）表征大型土壤动物群落（食草动物和捕食者）在这些森林，（3）编制一个功能性状数据库的碎屑，食草动物及其土壤捕食者，以计算这些社区的功能多样性和（4）共同发展和测试目前的多样性和营养相互作用的理论，使用碎屑-食草动物-捕食者实验模型。在我们对生物多样性-生态系统功能的理解中阐明营养复杂性是一项挑战，但被认为是对生物多样性变化对森林群落和生态系统的后果进行更相关预测的必要下一步。该研究计划将为生物多样性在生态系统功能中的作用提供新的见解，并为社会提供科学依据，以应对当前全球变化背景下日益增长的环境挑战。这种基础研究是必要的，而且与森林生态系统养护政策的制定直接相关。它还将为改进森林生态地球化学模型提供新的实验现场数据，这些模型目前在准确预测土壤碳的能力方面都受到严重限制。

With increasing biodiversity loss due to human-induced activities, one of the emerging priorities for science and society is to understand if and how changes in diversity and/or species composition impact ecosystem function. With a particular emphasis on forest ecosystems that provide habitat to over 65% of terrestrial biodiversity, my research program investigates the role of diversity on the ecosystem functions of litter decomposition and nutrient cycling. The long-term objective is to test theoretical predictions in biodiversity science by providing novel experimental evidence for increasingly complex multi-trophic models of forest floor communities in boreal, temperate and tropical forest ecosystems. To understand interactions between and among trophic levels in these forest floor communities, my lab will (1) quantify decomposition rates of leaf litter, root litter and coarse woody debris in primary and secondary forests, (2) characterize soil macrofauna communities (detritivores and predators) in these forests, (3) compile a functional trait database for detritus, detritivores and their soil predators to calculate functional diversity of these communities and (4) co-develop and test current theory on diversity and trophic interactions using a detritus-detrivore-predator experimental model. Incorporating trophic complexity in our understanding of biodiversity-ecosystem functioning is challenging, but recognized as the necessary next step for more relevant predictions of the consequences of biodiversity change for forest communities and ecosystems. This research program will provide new insight into the role of biodiversity in ecosystem function and provide society with a scientific basis to face growing environmental challenges in the current context of global change. Such fundamental research is necessary and directly relevant for informing policy on conservation of forest ecosystems. It will also provide novel experimental field data for improving forest biogeochemical models that all currently suffer severe limitations in their ability to accurately predict soil carbon.