Ecosystem size mediates the effects of resource flows on biodiversity
and ecosystem function at different scales
Abstract
Ecosystem size and resource flows are key factors driving biodiversity
and ecosystem function. However, the question of whether and how these
drivers interact has been largely overlooked. Here, we investigated how
ecosystem size asymmetry affects biodiversity and function of two-patch
meta-ecosystems connected through flows of non-living resources. We
conducted a microcosm experiment, mimicking spatial resource flows
between ecosystems of different sizes yet otherwise identical properties
or between ecosystems of the same size. Meta-ecosystems with asymmetric
ecosystem sizes displayed higher α- diversity but lower β-diversity and
ecosystem function (total biomass) than their unconnected counterparts.
At the same time, such an effect was not found for meta-ecosystems of
identical patch sizes. Our work demonstrates how the size of ecosystems,
interconnected via resource flows, can modulate cross-ecosystem
dynamics, having implications for biodiversity and function across
scales.