The ecological consequences of biodiversity loss have aroused considerable interest and
controversy during the past decade. Major advances have been made in describing the …

▪ Abstract We explore empirical and theoretical evidence for the functional significance of
plant-litter diversity and the extraordinary high diversity of decomposer organisms in the …

Humans are altering the composition of biological communities through a variety of activities
that increase rates of species invasions and species extinctions, at all scales, from local to …

Functional diversity is a component of biodiversity that generally concerns the range of
things that organisms do in communities and ecosystems. Here, we review how functional …

Biodiversity and carbon (C) cycling have been the focus of much research in recent
decades, partly because both change as a result of anthropogenic activities that are likely to …

Understanding how biodiversity affects functioning of ecosystems requires integrating
diversity within trophic levels (horizontal diversity) and across trophic levels (vertical …

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning has emerged as a major
scientific issue today. As experiments progress, there is a growing need for adequate …

How will biodiversity loss affect ecosystem functioning, ecosystem services, and human well-
being? In an age of accelerating biodiversity loss, this timely and critical volume summarizes …

▪ Abstract It has often been argued that conserving biodiversity is necessary for maintaining
ecosystem functioning. We critically evaluate the current evidence for this argument …

Proposed links between biodiversity and ecosystem processes have generated intense
interest and controversy in recent years. With few exceptions, however, empirical studies …