Linking community composition and ecosystem processes within the intertidal

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The relationship between ecosystem function and community structure is complex and dynamic. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this complex interplay and how it changes as we modify our environment is a challenging problem. Although the concept that positive ecosystem function is dependent on a full complement of diversity within sites is subject to debate what is agreed upon is that function to some degree is dependent on the community structure that is present. Important then is to determine how changes to community structure alter this function within site. This objective is especially relevant now, as anthropogenic activities are rapidly altering aquatic and terrestrial communities and the maintenance of healthy ecosystem functions is a requirement for as a society we depend on these functions for nutrient cycling, healthy soils, clean air and water. Although we can assess changes in community structure with relative ease, understanding how these changes are affecting ecosystem function is much less straightforward. Further complicating our ability to understand how changes in community structure influence ecosystem function are the overriding effects of a warming climate. Increases in temperature will directly affect rates and processes of geochemical cycles and must be considered when attempting to link community structure to ecosystem function. My long term research program will directly address this knowledge gap with the general objective to determine how changes to community composition as a consequence of anthropogenic activities and within the context of a warming environment, influence the cycling of nutrients within the intertidal region in coastal BC.