The species composition—ecosystem function relationship: A global meta-analysis using data from intact and recovering ecosystems

The idea that biodiversity is necessary in order for ecosystems to function properly has long been used as a basic argument for the conservation of species, and has led to an abundance of research exploring the relationships between species richness and ecosystem function. Here we present a meta-analysis of global ecosystems using the Bray-Curtis index to explore more complex changes in the species composition of natural ecosystems, and their relationship with ecosystem functions. By using data recorded, firstly in reference sites and secondly in recovering sites, captured in restoration ecology studies, we pose the following questions: Firstly, how much variation is there in species composition and in ecosystem function in an intact ecosystem? Secondly, once an ecosystem has become degraded, is there a general relationship between its recovery in species composition and its recovery in ecosystem function? Thirdly, is this relationship the same for all types of ecosystem functions? Data from 21 studies yielded 478 comparisons of mean values for ecosystems. On Average, sites within the same intact natural ecosystems shared only a 48% similarity in species composition but were 69% similar in ecosystem functioning. In recovering ecosystems the relationship between species composition and ecosystem function was weak and saturating (directly accounting for only 2% of the variation). Only two of the six types of ecosystem function examined, biomass and biotic structure, showed a significant relationship with species composition, and the three types that measured soil functions showed no significant relationship. To date, most biodiversity—ecosystem function (BEF) research has been conducted in simplified ecosystems using the simple species richness metric. This study encourages a broader examination of the drivers of ecosystem functions under realistic scenarios of biodiversity change, and highlights the need to properly account for the extensive natural variation.