Functional diversity of shredders, not species richness, drives the decomposition rate of leaf litter in ponds

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60460709%3A41320%2F23%3A97193" target="_blank" >RIV/60460709:41320/23:97193 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1286672" target="_blank" >http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1286672</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1286672" target="_blank" >10.3389/fevo.2023.1286672</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Functional diversity of shredders, not species richness, drives the decomposition rate of leaf litter in ponds

Original language description

Leaf litter decomposition is a critical ecosystem-level process in many freshwater habitats. Although ponds are likely to derive a large proportion of their energy from riparian vegetation, allochthonous organic matter decomposition in these water bodies has received little attention. We studied the breakdown rates of black alder (Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) litter in ponds and provide the first evidence of the role of the taxonomic and functional diversity of pond-dwelling shredders in this ecosystem process. Despite a strong connection to riparian zones, the litter breakdown rates observed in ponds were generally lower than those reported in headwater streams. It seems that ponds provide less favorable conditions for shredder communities than headwaters. The rate of organic matter decomposition in ponds was significantly positively related to functional diversity, represented by the variability of shredder body size, while shredder species richness did not appear to be a reliable proxy for this ecosystem function. This finding is consistent with theoretical predictions that functional complementarity among species has a systematic effect on ecosystem processes. It also emphasizes that body size is a crucial functional trait mediating the effects of shredder diversity on litter decomposition in ponds.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10618 - Ecology

Project

—

Continuities

S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2023

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution

ISSN

2296-701X

e-ISSN

2296-701X

Volume of the periodical

11

Issue of the periodical within the volume

2023

Country of publishing house

CH - SWITZERLAND

Number of pages

9

Pages from-to

1-9

UT code for WoS article

001105789000001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85177230424