Plant functional traits and functional diversity as predictors of ecosystem functioning

在BEF-China的前两个阶段，SP3在比较研究地块（CSP）和主要实验中测量了树种的广泛的形态，解剖，化学和生理生态特征。我们可以证明这些性状类型之间以及叶材性状之间的密切功能关系。我们分析了CSP中哪些性状与物种丰富度和/或演替阶段相关，并确定了哪些性状和哪些环境因素对性状-环境关系特别重要。在第三阶段，SP3将使用整套性状进行综合工作，这将与SP2联合完成。特别是，我们将计算社区加权平均值（CWM），功能多样性（FD）和系统发育多样性（PD），测试的假设，CWM，FD和PD是更好的预测生态系统功能（EF）比物种丰富度（WP 1）。此外，我们将分析关键性状的可塑性，作为对主要实验中多样性处理和生态景观的响应，测试种内和个体内性状变异是否随着树种丰富度（WP 2）的增加而增加。我们的目标是扩大现有的近红外光谱（NIRS）的性状相关性，并测试相互关系和贸易-叶材性状间的差异（WP 3）。我们将与中国的三个合作项目中的一个一起，用根系性状来补充我们的性状谱。已经获得的大量数据，BEFChina独特的实验设置以及研究单位高度合作和跨学科的结构使我们能够解决这些主题，我们认为这些主题对推动功能生物多样性研究至关重要。

In the first two phases of BEF-China SP3 has measured a wide range of morphological, anatomical, chemical and ecophysiological traits of the tree species in the Comparative Study Plots (CSPs) and in the Main Experiment. We could demonstrate close functional relationships between these trait types as well as between leaf and wood traits. We have analysed which traits are correlated with species richness and/or successional stage in the CSPs and identified which traits and which environmental factors are particularly important for the trait-environment relationship.In the third stage, SP3 will use the whole suite of traits for synthesis work which will be done jointly with SP2. In particular, we will calculate community weighted means (CWM), functional diversity (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD), testing the hypothesis that CWM, FD and PD are better predictors for ecosystem functions (EF) than species richness (WP1). In addition, we will analyse the plasticity of key traits as a response to the diversity treatments and the ecoscape in the Main Experiment, testing whether intraspecific and intraindividual trait variation increase with increasing tree species richness (WP2).Finally, we have the objective to expand the existing Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) correlations for traits and to test for inter-relationships and trade-offs between leaf and wood traits (WP3). Together with one of our three Chinese partner projects, we will complement our trait spectrum with root traits.The extensive amount of data already available, the unique experimental set-up of BEFChina and the highly cooperative and interdisciplinary structure of the Research Unit do allow us to address these topics, which we consider crucial to bring functional biodiversity research forward.