Biodiversity and ecosystem trajectories: first results from a new LTER in southern France

摘要: Abstract At a new long-term ecological research site in the Mediterranean climate zone of southern France, we have initiated study roles biodiversity, especially plants and detritivores, at both ecosystem landscape levels complexity. In this paper, describe site, experimental set-up, objectives, methods attributes used to document extant spatial organization above- below-ground biodiversity related heterogeneity past present land use patterns, monitor response manipulation functional groups among plants. Baseline data are provided for plant species richness spectrum growth forms six different types units, as well results factorial correspondance analysis diversity discriminant classes units sampled total 54 stations 100 m2 each situated along ten toposequences. Both habitat openness (related vegetation structure) degree soil degradation (directly linked former human activities) highly discriminatory axes segregation assemblages stations. Relevance preliminary presented is briefly discussed terms testing various hypotheses biodiversity-ecosystem functioning interactions ‘development’ environment with very strong anthropic influences.