A5102824277- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Plant and animal studies
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Forest Management and Policy
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Lichen and fungal ecology
- Bryophyte Studies and Records
- Diverse Scientific and Economic Studies
- Land Use and Ecosystem Services
- Soil and Water Nutrient Dynamics
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Forest ecology and management
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism
- Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation
- Bioenergy crop production and management
- Electronic Health Records Systems
- Soil Geostatistics and Mapping
- Environmental Science and Technology
- Gut microbiota and health
- Biological Control of Invasive Species
University of Potsdam
2011-2023
University of Würzburg
2018-2021
Bavarian Forest National Park
2018
Heinz Nixdorf Stiftung
2018
Hamburg University of Technology
1992
Internationale Akademie Berlin
1985-1989
Bavarian State Library
1988
Akademie (Czechia)
1987
Significance Land-use intensification is a major threat to biodiversity. So far, however, studies on biodiversity impacts of land-use intensity (LUI) have been limited single or few groups organisms and not considered temporal variation in LUI. Therefore, we examined total ecosystem grasslands varying LUI with newly developed index called multidiversity, which integrates the species richness 49 different organism ranging from bacteria birds. Multidiversity declined strongly increasing LUI,...
Abstract For managed temperate forests, conservationists and policymakers favour fine‐grained uneven‐aged (UEA) management over more traditional coarse‐grained even‐aged (EA) management, based on the assumption that within‐stand habitat heterogeneity enhances biodiversity. There is, however, little empirical evidence to support this assumption. We investigated for first time how differently grained forest systems affect biodiversity of multiple above‐ below‐ground taxa across spatial scales....
Summary Recent declines in biodiversity have given new urgency to questions about the relationship between land‐use change, and ecosystem processes. Despite existence of a large body research on effects land use species richness, it is unclear whether richness are principally direct or indirect, mediated by concomitant changes Therefore, we compared (fertilization, mowing grazing) with indirect ones (mediated via grassland productivity) for grasslands central Europe. We measured above‐ground...
Abstract Intransitive competition networks, those in which there is no single best competitor, may ensure species coexistence. However, their frequency and importance maintaining diversity real‐world ecosystems remain unclear. We used two large data sets from drylands agricultural grasslands to assess: (1) the generality of intransitive competition, (2) intransitivity–richness relationships (3) effects major drivers biodiversity loss (aridity land‐use intensification) on intransitivity...
Abstract Organismal functional strategies form a continuum from slow- to fast-growing organisms, in response common drivers such as resource availability and disturbance. However, whether there is synchronisation of these at the entire community level unclear. Here, we combine trait data for >2800 above- belowground taxa 14 trophic guilds spanning disturbance gradient German grasslands. The results indicate that most consistently respond through both direct trophically mediated effects,...
Fine root decomposition contributes significantly to element cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. However, studies on rates and the factors that potentially influence them are fewer than those leaf litter decomposition. To study effects of region land use intensity fine decomposition, we established a large scale three German regions with different climate regimes soil properties. Methods In 150 forest grassland sites deployed litterbags (100 μm mesh size) standardized consisting roots from...
Species diversity promotes the delivery of multiple ecosystem functions (multifunctionality). However, relative functional importance rare and common species in driving biodiversity–multifunctionality relationship remains unknown. We studied between (according to their local abundances across nine different trophic groups), multifunctionality indices derived from 14 on 150 grasslands a land-use intensity (LUI) gradient. The above- below-ground had opposite effects, with above-ground being...
Land‐use intensification is a key driver of biodiversity change. However, little known about how it alters relationships between the diversities different taxonomic groups, which are often correlated due to shared environmental drivers and trophic interactions. Using data from 150 grassland sites, we examined land‐use (increased fertilization, higher livestock densities, increased mowing frequency) altered correlations species richness 15 plant, invertebrate, vertebrate taxa. We found that...
Abstract Key message Authors have analyzed the possible correlation between measurements/indicators of forest structure and species richness many taxonomic or functional groups over three regions Germany. Results show potential to use structural attributes as a surrogate for most groups. This information can be transferred large-scale inventories support biodiversity monitoring. Context We are currently facing dramatic loss in worldwide this initiated monitoring programs aiming at...
Abstract Aim Intensification of land use strongly impacts plant communities by causing shifts in taxonomic and functional composition. Mechanisms use‐induced biodiversity losses have been described for temperate grasslands, but a quantitative assessment species‐specific occurrence optima maximum tolerance (niche breadth) to land‐use intensity ( LUI ) Central European grasslands is still lacking. Location Temperate, managed permanent three regions Germany. Methods We combined extensive field...
Abstract. Fine roots are the most dynamic portion of a plant's root system and major source soil organic matter. By altering plant species diversity composition, conditions nutrient availability, consequently belowground allocation dynamics carbon (C) inputs, land-use management changes may influence C storage in terrestrial ecosystems. In three German regions, we measured fine radiocarbon (14C) content to estimate mean time since tissues was fixed from atmosphere 54 grassland forest plots...
Intensive land use is a driving force for biodiversity decline in many ecosystems. In semi-natural grasslands, land-use activities such as mowing, grazing and fertilization affect the diversity of plants arthropods, but combined effects different drivers chain are largely unknown. this study we used structural equation modelling to analyse how arthropod communities managed grasslands respond whether these responses mediated through changes resource or quantity (biomass). Plants were...