Consumer biodiversity increases organic nutrient availability across aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Human land-use intensification threatens arthropod (for example, insect and spider) biodiversity across aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Insects and spiders play critical roles in ecosystems by accumulating and synthesizing organic nutrients such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). However, links between biodiversity and nutrient content of insect and spider communities have yet to be quantified. We relate insect and spider richness to biomass and PUFA-mass from stream and terrestrial communities encompassing nine land uses. PUFA-mass and biomass relate positively to biodiversity across ecosystems. In terrestrial systems, human-dominated areas have lower biomass and PUFA-mass than more natural areas, even at equivalent levels of richness. Aquatic ecosystems have consistently higher PUFA-mass than terrestrial ecosystems. Our findings reinforce the importance of conserving biodiversity and highlight the distinctive benefits of aquatic biodiversity.
Source: Science
Institutions: Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, University of Zurich, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ifremer, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Wasser Cluster Lunz, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, Biologie et Ecologie des Ecosystèmes Marins Profonds, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Universität Innsbruck, Universität für Weiterbildung Krems, ETH Zurich
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4403511040