@article{GamezViruesPerovićGossneretal.2015, author = {G{\´a}mez-Viru{\´e}s, Sagrario and Perović, David J. and Gossner, Martin M. and B{\"o}rschig, Carmen and Bl{\"u}thgen, Nico and de Jong, Heike and Simons, Nadja K. and Klein, Alexandra-Maria and Krauss, Jochen and Maier, Gwen and Scherber, Christoph and Steckel, Juliane and Rothenw{\"o}hrer, Christoph and Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf and Weiner, Christiane N. and Weisser, Wolfgang and Werner, Michael and Tscharntke, Teja and Westphal, Catrin}, title = {Landscape simplification filters species traits and drives biotic homogenization}, series = {Nature Communications}, volume = {6}, journal = {Nature Communications}, number = {8568}, doi = {10.1038/ncomms9568}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-141925}, year = {2015}, abstract = {Biodiversity loss can affect the viability of ecosystems by decreasing the ability of communities to respond to environmental change and disturbances. Agricultural intensification is a major driver of biodiversity loss and has multiple components operating at different spatial scales: from in-field management intensity to landscape-scale simplification. Here we show that landscape-level effects dominate functional community composition and can even buffer the effects of in-field management intensification on functional homogenization, and that animal communities in real-world managed landscapes show a unified response (across orders and guilds) to both landscape-scale simplification and in-field intensification. Adults and larvae with specialized feeding habits, species with shorter activity periods and relatively small body sizes are selected against in simplified landscapes with intense in-field management. Our results demonstrate that the diversity of land cover types at the landscape scale is critical for maintaining communities, which are functionally diverse, even in landscapes where in-field management intensity is high.}, language = {en} } @techreport{MuellerSchererLorenzenAmmeretal.2022, author = {M{\"u}ller, J{\"o}rg and Scherer-Lorenzen, Michael and Ammer, Christian and Eisenhauer, Nico and Seidel, Dominik and Schuldt, Bernhard and Biedermann, Peter and Schmitt, Thomas and K{\"u}nzer, Claudia and Wegmann, Martin and Cesarz, Simone and Peters, Marcell and Feldhaar, Heike and Steffan-Dewenter, Ingolf and Claßen, Alice and B{\"a}ssler, Claus and von Oheimb, Goddert and Fichtner, Andreas and Thorn, Simon and Weisser, Wolfgang}, title = {BETA-FOR: Erh{\"o}hung der strukturellen Diversit{\"a}t zwischen Waldbest{\"a}nden zur Erh{\"o}hung der Multidiversit{\"a}t und Multifunktionalit{\"a}t in Produktionsw{\"a}ldern. Antragstext f{\"u}r die DFG Forschungsgruppe FOR 5375}, doi = {10.25972/OPUS-29084}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-290849}, pages = {210}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Der in j{\"u}ngster Zeit beobachtete kontinuierliche Verlust der β-Diversit{\"a}t in {\"O}kosystemen deutet auf homogene Gemeinschaften auf Landschaftsebene hin, was haupts{\"a}chlich auf die steigende Landnutzungsintensit{\"a}t zur{\"u}ckgef{\"u}hrt wird. Biologische Vielfalt ist mit zahlreichen Funktionen und der Stabilit{\"a}t von {\"O}kosystemen verkn{\"u}pft. Es ist daher zu erwarten, dass eine abnehmende β-Diversit{\"a}t auch die Multifunktionalit{\"a}t verringert. Wir kombinieren hier Fachwissen aus der Forstwissenschaft, der {\"O}kologie, der Fernerkundung, der chemischen {\"O}kologie und der Statistik in einem gemeinschaftlichen und experimentellen β-Diversit{\"a}tsdesign, um einerseits die Auswirkungen der Homogenisierung zu bewerten und andererseits Konzepte zu entwickeln, um negative Auswirkungen durch Homogenisierung in W{\"a}ldern r{\"u}ckg{\"a}ngig zu machen. Konkret werden wir uns mit der Frage besch{\"a}ftigen, ob die Verbesserung der strukturellen β-Komplexit{\"a}t (ESBC) in W{\"a}ldern durch Waldbau oder nat{\"u}rliche St{\"o}rungen die Biodiversit{\"a}t und Multifunktionalit{\"a}t in ehemals homogenen Produktionsw{\"a}ldern erh{\"o}hen kann. Unser Ansatz wird m{\"o}gliche Mechanismen hinter den beobachteten Homogenisierungs-Diversit{\"a}ts-Beziehungen identifizieren und zeigen, wie sich diese auf die Multifunktionalit{\"a}t auswirken. An elf Standorten in ganz Deutschland haben wir dazu zwei Waldbest{\"a}nde als zwei kleine "Waldlandschaften" ausgew{\"a}hlt. In einem dieser beiden Best{\"a}nde haben wir ESBC (Enhancement of Structural Beta Complexity)-Behandlungen durchgef{\"u}hrt. Im zweiten, dem Kontrollbestand, werden wir die gleich Anzahl 50x50m Parzellen ohne ESBC einrichten. Auf allen Parzellen werden wir 18 taxonomische Artengruppen aller trophischer Ebenen und 21 {\"O}kosystemfunktionen, einschließlich der wichtigsten Funktionen in W{\"a}ldern der gem{\"a}ßigten Zonen, messen. Der statistische Rahmen wird eine umfassende Analyse der Biodiversit{\"a}t erm{\"o}glichen, indem verschiedenen Aspekte (taxonomische, funktionelle und phylogenetische Vielfalt) auf verschiedenen Skalenebenen (α-, β-, γ-Diversit{\"a}t) quantifiziert werden. Um die Gesamtdiversit{\"a}t zu kombinieren, werden wir das Konzept der Multidiversit{\"a}t auf die 18 Taxa anwenden. Wir werden neue Ans{\"a}tze zur Quantifizierung und Aufteilung der Multifunktionalit{\"a}t auf α- und β-Skalen verwenden und entwickeln. Durch die experimentelle Beschreibung des Zusammenhangs zwischen β-Diversit{\"a}t und Multifunktionalit{\"a}t in einer Reallandschaft wird unsere Forschung einen neuen Weg einschlagen. Dar{\"u}ber hinaus werden wir dazu beitragen, verbesserte Leitlinien f{\"u}r waldbauliche Konzepte und f{\"u}r das Management nat{\"u}rlicher St{\"o}rungen zu entwickeln, um Homogenisierungseffekte der Vergangenheit umzukehren.}, subject = {Wald{\"o}kosystem}, language = {en} } @article{BaeHeidrichLevicketal.2020, author = {Bae, Soyeon and Heidrich, Lea and Levick, Shaun R. and Gossner, Martin M. and Seibold, Sebastian and Weisser, Wolfgang W. and Magdon, Paul and Serebryanyk, Alla and B{\"a}ssler, Claus and Sch{\"a}fer, Deborah and Schulze, Ernst-Detlef and Doerfler, Inken and M{\"u}ller, J{\"o}rg and Jung, Kirsten and Heurich, Marco and Fischer, Markus and Roth, Nicolas and Schall, Peter and Boch, Steffen and W{\"o}llauer, Stephan and Renner, Swen C. and M{\"u}ller, J{\"o}rg}, title = {Dispersal ability, trophic position and body size mediate species turnover processes: Insights from a multi-taxa and multi-scale approach}, series = {Diversity and Distribution}, volume = {27}, journal = {Diversity and Distribution}, number = {3}, doi = {10.1111/ddi.13204}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-236117}, pages = {439-453}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Aim: Despite increasing interest in β-diversity, that is the spatial and temporal turnover of species, the mechanisms underlying species turnover at different spatial scales are not fully understood, although they likely differ among different functional groups. We investigated the relative importance of dispersal limitations and the environmental filtering caused by vegetation for local, multi-taxa forest communities differing in their dispersal ability, trophic position and body size. Location: Temperate forests in five regions across Germany. Methods: In the inter-region analysis, the independent and shared effects of the regional spatial structure (regional species pool), landscape spatial structure (dispersal limitation) and environmental factors on species turnover were quantified with a 1-ha grain across 11 functional groups in up to 495 plots by variation partitioning. In the intra-region analysis, the relative importance of three environmental factors related to vegetation (herb and tree layer composition and forest physiognomy) and spatial structure for species turnover was determined. Results: In the inter-region analysis, over half of the explained variation in community composition (23\% of the total explained 35\%) was explained by the shared effects of several factors, indicative of spatially structured environmental filtering. Among the independent effects, environmental factors were the strongest on average over 11 groups, but the importance of landscape spatial structure increased for less dispersive functional groups. In the intra-region analysis, the independent effect of plant species composition had a stronger influence on species turnover than forest physiognomy, but the relative importance of the latter increased with increasing trophic position and body size. Main conclusions: Our study revealed that the mechanisms structuring assemblage composition are associated with the traits of functional groups. Hence, conservation frameworks targeting biodiversity of multiple groups should cover both environmental and biogeographical gradients. Within regions, forest management can enhance β-diversity particularly by diversifying tree species composition and forest physiognomy.}, language = {en} } @article{RothDoerflerBaessleretal.2019, author = {Roth, Nicolas and Doerfler, Inken and B{\"a}ssler, Claus and Blaschke, Markus and Bussler, Heinz and Gossner, Martin M. and Heideroth, Antje and Thorn, Simon and Weisser, Wolfgang W. and M{\"u}ller, J{\"o}rg}, title = {Decadal effects of landscape-wide enrichment of dead wood on saproxylic organisms in beech forests of different historic management intensity}, series = {Diversity and Distributions}, volume = {25}, journal = {Diversity and Distributions}, number = {3}, doi = {10.1111/ddi.12870}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-227061}, pages = {430-441}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Aim: European temperate forests have lost dead wood and the associated biodiversity owing to intensive management over centuries. Nowadays, some of these forests are being restored by enrichment with dead wood, but mostly only at stand scales. Here, we investigated effects of a seminal dead-wood enrichment strategy on saproxylic organisms at the landscape scale. Location: Temperate European beech forest in southern Germany. Methods: In a before-after control-impact design, we compared assemblages and gamma diversities of saproxylic organisms in strictly protected old-growth forest areas (reserves) and historically moderately and intensively managed forest areas before and a decade after starting a landscape-wide strategy of dead-wood enrichment. Results: Before enrichment with dead wood, the gamma diversity of saproxylic organisms in historically intensively managed forest stands was significantly lower than in reserves and historically moderately managed forest stands; this difference disappeared after 10 years of dead-wood enrichment. The species composition of beetles in forest stands of the three historical management intensities differed before the enrichment strategy, but a decade thereafter, the species compositions of previously intensively logged and forest reserve plots were similar. However, the differences in fungal species composition between historical management categories before and after 10 years of enrichment persisted. Main conclusions: Our results demonstrate that intentional enrichment of dead wood at the landscape scale is a powerful tool for rapidly restoring saproxylic beetle communities and for restoring wood-inhabiting fungal communities, which need longer than a decade for complete restoration. We propose that a strategy of area-wide active restoration combined with some permanent strict refuges is a promising means of promoting the biodiversity of age-long intensively managed Central European beech forests.}, language = {en} } @article{SeiboldHothornGossneretal.2021, author = {Seibold, Sebastian and Hothorn, Torsten and Gossner, Martin M. and Simons, Nadja K. and Bl{\"u}thgen, Nico and M{\"u}ller, J{\"o}rg and Ambarl{\i}, Didem and Ammer, Christian and Bauhus, J{\"u}rgen and Fischer, Markus and Habel, Jan C. and Penone, Caterina and Schall, Peter and Schulze, Ernst-Detlef and Weisser, Wolfgang W.}, title = {Insights from regional and short-term biodiversity monitoring datasets are valuable: a reply to Daskalova et al. 2021}, series = {Insect Conservation and Diversity}, volume = {14}, journal = {Insect Conservation and Diversity}, number = {1}, doi = {10.1111/icad.12467}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-228309}, pages = {144 -- 148}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Reports of major losses in insect biodiversity have stimulated an increasing interest in temporal population changes. Existing datasets are often limited to a small number of study sites, few points in time, a narrow range of land-use intensities and only some taxonomic groups, or they lack standardised sampling. While new monitoring programs have been initiated, they still cover rather short time periods. Daskalova et al. 2021 (Insect Conservation and Diversity, 14, 1-18) argue that temporal trends of insect populations derived from short time series are biased towards extreme trends, while their own analysis of an assembly of shorter- and longer-term time series does not support an overall insect decline. With respect to the results of Seibold et al. 2019 (Nature, 574, 671-674) based on a 10-year multi-site time series, they claim that the analysis suffers from not accounting for temporal pseudoreplication. Here, we explain why the criticism of missing statistical rigour in the analysis of Seibold et al. (2019) is not warranted. Models that include 'year' as random effect, as suggested by Daskalova et al. (2021), fail to detect non-linear trends and assume that consecutive years are independent samples which is questionable for insect time-series data. We agree with Daskalova et al. (2021) that the assembly and analysis of larger datasets is urgently needed, but it will take time until such datasets are available. Thus, short-term datasets are highly valuable, should be extended and analysed continually to provide a more detailed understanding of insect population changes under the influence of global change, and to trigger immediate conservation actions.}, language = {en} } @article{DoerflerCadotteWeisseretal.2020, author = {Doerfler, Inken and Cadotte, Marc W. and Weisser, Wolfgang W. and M{\"u}ller, J{\"o}rg and Gossner, Martin M. and Heibl, Christoph and B{\"a}ssler, Claus and Thorn, Simon and Seibold, Sebastian}, title = {Restoration-oriented forest management affects community assembly patterns of deadwood-dependent organisms}, series = {Journal of Applied Ecology}, volume = {57}, journal = {Journal of Applied Ecology}, number = {12}, doi = {10.1111/1365-2664.13741}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-217918}, pages = {2429 -- 2440}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Land-use intensification leads to loss and degradation of habitats and is thus a major driver of biodiversity loss. Restoration strategies typically focus on promoting biodiversity but often neglect that land-use intensification could have changed the underlying mechanisms of community assembly. Since assembly mechanisms determine the diversity and composition of communities, we propose that evaluation of restoration strategies should consider effects of restoration on biodiversity and community assembly. Using a multi-taxon approach, we tested whether a strategy that promotes forest biodiversity by restoring deadwood habitats also affects assembly patterns. We assessed saproxylic (i.e. deadwood-dependent) beetles and fungi, as well as non-saproxylic plants and birds in 68 beech forest plots in southern Germany, 8 years after the commencement of a restoration project. To assess changes in community assembly, we analysed the patterns of functional-phylogenetic diversity, community-weighted mean (CWM) traits and their diversity. We hypothesized that restoration increases habitat amount and heterogeneity of deadwood and reduces canopy cover and thereby decreases the strength of environmental filters imposed by past silvicultural intensification, such as a low amount in deadwood. With the restoration of deadwood habitats, saproxylic beetle communities became less functionally-phylogenetically similar, whereas the assembly patterns of saproxylic fungi and non-saproxylic taxa remained unaffected by deadwood restoration. Among the traits analysed, deadwood diameter niche position of species was most strongly affected indicating that the enrichment of large deadwood objects led to lower functional-phylogenetical similarity of saproxylic beetles. Community assembly and traits of plants were mainly influenced by microclimate associated with changes in canopy cover. Synthesis and applications. Our results indicate that the positive effects of deadwood restoration on saproxylic beetle richness are associated with an increase in deadwood amount. This might be linked to an increase in deadwood heterogeneity, and therefore decreasing management-induced environmental filters. Deadwood enrichment can thus be considered an effective restoration strategy which reduces the negative effects of intense forest management on saproxylic taxa by not only promoting biodiversity but also by decreasing the environmental filters shaping saproxylic beetle communities, thus allowing the possibly for more interactions between species and a higher functional diversity.}, language = {en} } @article{BaeMuellerFoersteretal.2022, author = {Bae, Soyeon and M{\"u}ller, J{\"o}rg and F{\"o}rster, Bernhard and Hilmers, Torben and Hochrein, Sophia and Jacobs, Martin and Leroy, Benjamin M. L. and Pretzsch, Hans and Weisser, Wolfgang W. and Mitesser, Oliver}, title = {Tracking the temporal dynamics of insect defoliation by high-resolution radar satellite data}, series = {Methods in Ecology and Evolution}, volume = {13}, journal = {Methods in Ecology and Evolution}, number = {1}, doi = {10.1111/2041-210X.13726}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-258222}, pages = {121-132}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Quantifying tree defoliation by insects over large areas is a major challenge in forest management, but it is essential in ecosystem assessments of disturbance and resistance against herbivory. However, the trajectory from leaf-flush to insect defoliation to refoliation in broadleaf trees is highly variable. Its tracking requires high temporal- and spatial-resolution data, particularly in fragmented forests. In a unique replicated field experiment manipulating gypsy moth Lymantria dispar densities in mixed-oak forests, we examined the utility of publicly accessible satellite-borne radar (Sentinel-1) to track the fine-scale temporal trajectory of defoliation. The ratio of backscatter intensity between two polarizations from radar data of the growing season constituted a canopy development index (CDI) and a normalized CDI (NCDI), which were validated by optical (Sentinel-2) and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) data as well by intensive caterpillar sampling from canopy fogging. The CDI and NCDI strongly correlated with optical and TLS data (Spearman's ρ = 0.79 and 0.84, respectively). The ΔNCDII\(_{Defoliation(A-C)}\) significantly explained caterpillar abundance (R\(^{2}\) = 0.52). The NCDI at critical timesteps and ΔNCDI related to defoliation and refoliation well discriminated between heavily and lightly defoliated forests. We demonstrate that the high spatial and temporal resolution and the cloud independence of Sentinel-1 radar potentially enable spatially unrestricted measurements of the highly dynamic canopy herbivory. This can help monitor insect pests, improve the prediction of outbreaks and facilitate the monitoring of forest disturbance, one of the high priority Essential Biodiversity Variables, in the near future.}, language = {en} }