The links between ecosystem multifunctionality and above- and belowground biodiversity are mediated by climate

TLDR

Plant biodiversity is often linked to ecosystem functioning, yet the relative and combined effects of above‑ and belowground biodiversity on ecosystem multifunctionality and the mediating role of climate remain poorly understood. Here we tease apart the effects of biotic and abiotic factors, both above‑ and belowground, on ecosystem multifunctionality on the Tibetan Plateau, China. A suite of biotic and abiotic variables explains up to 86 % of the variation in ecosystem multifunctionality, with above‑ and belowground biodiversity jointly accounting for 45 %; including belowground biodiversity improves EMF prediction, and regional climate variation can modify biodiversity effects on EMF.

Abstract

Abstract Plant biodiversity is often correlated with ecosystem functioning in terrestrial ecosystems. However, we know little about the relative and combined effects of above- and belowground biodiversity on multiple ecosystem functions (for example, ecosystem multifunctionality, EMF) or how climate might mediate those relationships. Here we tease apart the effects of biotic and abiotic factors, both above- and belowground, on EMF on the Tibetan Plateau, China. We found that a suite of biotic and abiotic variables account for up to 86% of the variation in EMF, with the combined effects of above- and belowground biodiversity accounting for 45% of the variation in EMF. Our results have two important implications: first, including belowground biodiversity in models can improve the ability to explain and predict EMF. Second, regional-scale variation in climate, and perhaps climate change, can determine, or at least modify, the effects of biodiversity on EMF in natural ecosystems.