Land use intensification alters ecosystem multifunctionality via loss of biodiversity and changes to functional composition

TLDR

Land‑use intensification is a key driver of global change that can reduce ecosystem multifunctionality, but it is unclear whether biodiversity loss is a major contributor to this effect in real‑world systems. The study surveyed 150 agricultural grasslands with varying land‑use intensity, measuring biodiversity, functional composition, and 14 ecosystem services, and applied five multifunctionality metrics weighted to reflect realistic land‑use objectives. Indirect effects mediated by biodiversity loss and functional composition shifts were as strong as direct land‑use impacts, with biodiversity loss most detrimental in intermediate‑productivity regions when supporting and cultural services were prioritized, while shifts toward fast‑growing species boosted provisioning services in low‑productivity grasslands.

Abstract

Abstract Global change, especially land‐use intensification, affects human well‐being by impacting the delivery of multiple ecosystem services (multifunctionality). However, whether biodiversity loss is a major component of global change effects on multifunctionality in real‐world ecosystems, as in experimental ones, remains unclear. Therefore, we assessed biodiversity, functional composition and 14 ecosystem services on 150 agricultural grasslands differing in land‐use intensity. We also introduce five multifunctionality measures in which ecosystem services were weighted according to realistic land‐use objectives. We found that indirect land‐use effects, i.e. those mediated by biodiversity loss and by changes to functional composition, were as strong as direct effects on average. Their strength varied with land‐use objectives and regional context. Biodiversity loss explained indirect effects in a region of intermediate productivity and was most damaging when land‐use objectives favoured supporting and cultural services. In contrast, functional composition shifts, towards fast‐growing plant species, strongly increased provisioning services in more inherently unproductive grasslands.