#ecosystem functioning

[oaresearchpaper]

The deforestation and altering land use in Sumatra, Indonesia, have resulted in significant ecological shifts, especially in tropical rainforest ecosystems that play a crucial role in global biodiversity and carbon cycling. Based on species distribution and their ecological traits, plants’ trait proportion, functional composition, and functional diversity across four land-use systems were calculated. The effects of land-use changes on each trait in species and individual plant levels, their variability, and functional diversity were observed using statistical tools such as Pearson’s chi-squared test, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test, Tukey’s HSD and post-hoc multiple comparisons to detect the effects and relationships. The similarities and dissimilarities of traits were observed using NMDS ordination-based dissimilarity of traits. By examining 1382 plant species and 156,005 individuals in forest, jungle rubber, rubber plantations, and oil palm plantations, we found variations in the number of species, individual counts, and the mix of functional traits. The findings indicated that forests and jungle rubber had more incredible species richness and trait diversity than monocultures, particularly in pollination and seed dispersal syndromes. A significant association was discovered between functional and taxonomic diversity at the species level, exhibiting declining benefits at the individual level. The study emphasizes the need for sustainable land-use strategies to mitigate biodiversity loss and maintain ecosystem services.

[oaresearchpaper]

Consequences of land use changes on ecological plant traits and strategies in Sumatra Indonesia

The deforestation and altering land use in Sumatra, Indonesia, have resulted in significant ecological shifts, especially in tropical rainforest ecosystems that play a crucial role in global biodiversity and carbon cycling. Based on species distribution and their ecological traits, plants’ trait proportion, functional composition, and functional diversity across four land-use systems were calculated. The effects of land-use changes on each trait in species and individual plant levels, their variability, and functional diversity were observed using statistical tools such as Pearson’s chi-squared test, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test, Tukey’s HSD and post-hoc multiple comparisons to detect the effects and relationships. The similarities and dissimilarities of traits were observed using NMDS ordination-based dissimilarity of traits. By examining 1382 plant species and 156,005 individuals in forest, jungle rubber, rubber plantations, and oil palm plantations, we found variations in the number of species, individual counts, and the mix of functional traits. The findings indicated that forests and jungle rubber had more incredible species richness and trait diversity than monocultures, particularly in pollination and seed dispersal syndromes. A significant association was discovered between functional and taxonomic diversity at the species level, exhibiting declining benefits at the individual level. The study emphasizes the need for sustainable land-use strategies to mitigate biodiversity loss and maintain ecosystem services.

[oaresearchpaper]

Consequences of land use changes on ecological plant traits and strategies in Sumatra Indonesia

The deforestation and altering land use in Sumatra, Indonesia, have resulted in significant ecological shifts, especially in tropical rainforest ecosystems that play a crucial role in global biodiversity and carbon cycling. Based on species distribution and their ecological traits, plants’ trait proportion, functional composition, and functional diversity across four land-use systems were calculated. The effects of land-use changes on each trait in species and individual plant levels, their variability, and functional diversity were observed using statistical tools such as Pearson’s chi-squared test, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test, Tukey’s HSD and post-hoc multiple comparisons to detect the effects and relationships. The similarities and dissimilarities of traits were observed using NMDS ordination-based dissimilarity of traits. By examining 1382 plant species and 156,005 individuals in forest, jungle rubber, rubber plantations, and oil palm plantations, we found variations in the number of species, individual counts, and the mix of functional traits. The findings indicated that forests and jungle rubber had more incredible species richness and trait diversity than monocultures, particularly in pollination and seed dispersal syndromes. A significant association was discovered between functional and taxonomic diversity at the species level, exhibiting declining benefits at the individual level. The study emphasizes the need for sustainable land-use strategies to mitigate biodiversity loss and maintain ecosystem services.

[worldsoilday]

Sustainable soil management as a key to preserve soil biodiversity and stop its degradation.

Soils represent the most biologically diverse and important ecosystem on the planet. Most of the biodiversity of ecosystems is found in the soil, about one gram of soil may typically contain one billion bacterial cells, that corresponds to about ten thousand different bacterial genomes, up to one million individual fungi, about one million cells of protists, and several hundred of nematodes . In this sense, soils are a key reservoir of global biodiversity, yet little is known about them as only 1% of soil microorganism have been identified compared to 80% of plants. Soils are remarkably complex and dynamic environments and hence typically comprise a wide range of habitat types for organisms over a range of dimensions from micrometre to the landscape scale. The highly heterogeneous nature of the soil, particularly at the microhabitat level, is responsible for the considerable biodiversity. The functions performed by soil biota have considerable direct and indirect effects on crop growth and quality, nutrient cycle, quality, and soil sustainability.

Moreover, the biodiversity of soil is vital as it is the engine driving soil-based ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, soil formation, decontamination and bioremediation of pollutants, control of pest outbreaks, and water purification. Soils with higher biodiversity express more resistance and resilience to perturbations, thus a loss in biodiversity can lead to lower resistance to a perturbation and reduced capacity to recover, affecting the ability of soil to function normally.

The major threats for soil biodiversity loss include deforestation, urbanization, agricultural intensification, soil organic matter decline, soil compaction, surface sealing, soil acidification, nutrient imbalance, contamination, salinization, sodification, land degradation, fire, erosion, and landslides. Those threats are of major relevance under Mediterranean conditions based on a strongly seasonal climate with scarce and irregular rainfall and frequent drought periods, which can trigger these processes accelerating the loss of biodiversity.

There is not a specific European regulation or legislation about soil biodiversity conservation, but the European Commission acknowledged the importance of soil biodiversity in the role of ecosystem functioning, stating that “these functions are worthy of protection because their socio-economic as well environmental importance”. Moreover, “biodiversity pool, such as habitats, species and genes” soil functions are collected in the SDG number 15 of the UN “Sustainable Develop Goals (SDGs)” for the period 2015-2030, by relating the topics “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages” and protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystem, sustainable manage forest, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

‘Sustainable soil management as a key to preserve soil biodiversity and stop its degradation’