Assess ecosystem resilience: Linking response and effect traits to environmental variability

摘要: Disturbances, nature as well human, are putting constant pressure on ecosystems. These include small scale disturbances like a falling tree, but also large eutrophication and climate change. Resilience is useful indicator to assess whether an ecosystem has the capacity maintain functioning with environmental variability. In this study we tested plant functional traits can be distinguished develop response-and-effect framework for general predictions concerning resilience. We defined response system's resistance disturbance, effect its recovery after disturbance. used dataset 932 vegetation plots containing 104 species from selected wetland area in The Netherlands. variability was related RLQ analysis, fourth-corner analysis Spearman's rank correlation. As result, combinations of that specify effects change resilience were found. A strong shown, consequently, positive Due correlations between traits, identified having variable system. way argues further understand selection system-specific, therefore, one should only select those differentiate functioning.