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

在促进德国生物多样性研究的倡议框架下，我们建议建立三个示范性的大型和长期研究站点（生物多样性探索站）。它们将建立和维持科学基础设施，并发展德国解决有关生物多样性变化的关键问题所需的知识框架，并评估这些变化对生态系统过程和与土地管理有关的影响。其中一个将位于Schorfheide-Chorin生物圈保护区（德国东北部），一个在Hainich国家公园及其周边地区（德国中部），另一个在正在建立的Mittlere Kuppenalb生物圈保护区（德国西南部）。在每个探索中，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将在实际景观中选定的森林和草地分类群中进行研究。主要研究问题包括不同植物、动物、真菌和微生物分类群之间的多样性关系、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方法中，这些探索将把生物多样性和生态系统研究结合起来；这两个学科在过去主要是分开运作的。这些问题将在由不同生态特征和研究强度的地块组成的共同研究设计中得到解决。每次勘探1000块地的网格将提供关于多样性和生态系统功能的基线信息。其中，每次勘探约100个将被选中进行深入研究。这些样地将被用于测量更广泛的功能，并结合对选定的动植物分类群的多样性模式进行更详细的分析。它们也将用于实验操作。最后，每个勘探区将有16个地块用于高强度研究。地块将分布在草地和森林地区，并包括从接近自然到强烈利用的土地利用强度的广泛梯度。项目第一阶段将限于选定的分类群和生态系统功能。在建立一到两年后，德国研究界提出的进一步贡献项目将纳入探索项目。总的来说，这些探索将能够解决关于生物多样性在现实景观中的功能意义的新问题，它们将为德国生物多样性研究界提供一个刺激的研究平台。

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.