Does dispersal-strategy richness promote species richness? a macroecological test of a microecological concept.

Ziel

To protect and re-establish plant-species richness we need to understand the ecological factors that promote species richness. Previous studies have shown that in artificial, local communities species richness increases when species differ in their dispersal strategies, i.e. when 'dispersal richness' is large. We will test the hypothesis that dispersal richness increases species richness for natural communities with a comparative macro ecological approach. First, we will test the hypothesis in space. We will analyse the spatial distribution of plant-species richness in The Netherlands based on a fine grained (lower than /=2500 m¦) as well as coarse grained (1 km¦) data base. We will take into account possible confounding factors, such as the variation in species pools and in a biotic conditions, the role of functional types, and the spatial context. We will explore whether the effect of dispersal richness on species richness is constant or whether it changes in space and throughout succession. Second, we will test the hypothesis in time, analysing the temporal changes of plant-species richness in The Netherlands during the 20th century. Finally, we will select a region with an impoverishing flora and test whether changes in the dispersal spectrum explain changes in the species composition. We will also test whether species that went extinct in the region are characterised by specific dispersal strategies. If this is the case, the corresponding dispersal opportunities should be re-established in order to re-establish species richness.

Conceptually, the project will train me in:
i) understanding mechanisms that determine species richness at geographical and historical scales;
ii) understanding the functional richness of dispersal strategies among plants, and;
iii) applying insights from basic science to conservation. Methodologically, we will be trained in spatial statistics (specifically Surface Pattern Analysis), in mining floristic databases, and in the application of both methods to macro ecological data sets on species-richness. The project wills very much increase our international research experience, as we will interact with our host's collaborators from eight countries. My host and his collaborators investigate the importance of plant dispersal, both at the level of populations and species distributions (e.g. within the EU- TRANSPLANT programme), based on a small number of species with varying dispersal strategies. They also investigate patterns of biodiversity. We will apply the insights from the dispersal studies to the biodiversity data and test the favourite hypotheses of our host on species co-existence at a new dimension: bio geographic and historical patterns of total species richness. My host will also profit from our expertise in general statistics and ecological theory.

Wissenschaftliches Gebiet

Programm/Programme

FP5-HUMAN POTENTIAL - Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Improving the human research potential and the socio-economic knowledge base" (1998-2002)

Thema/Themen

Data not available

Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung

Data not available

Finanzierungsplan

RGI - Research grants (individual fellowships)

Koordinator

N/A

EU-Beitrag

Keine Daten

Adresse

Gesamtkosten