"Biodiversity is a primary focus of conservation and restoration, because it has intrinsic value, and because it supports the ecosystem functioning that human well being ultimately depends upon. Theory and experiments support the hypothesis that greater diversity in plant communities supports greater primary productivity, nutrient cycling, invasion resistance and a range of other processes linked to the healthy functioning of ecosystems. However, most of the evidence for diversity-function relationships is from manipulations of diversity, and a limited number of environmental variables, in small-scale plots. As a result, it is unclear how diversity-function relationships will scale up to dynamic, "real-world" ecosystems, which limits the capacity to effectively manage both biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. I examined diversity-function relationships in prairie restorations, which provide an ideal scenario for bridging the gap between experimental and natural ecosystems because diversity is manipulated at large scales and across complex biotic and abiotic gradients. It is clear from experimental evidence that diversity plays a role in supporting ecosystem functioning. My findings elucidate how important diversity is at the scale of natural ecosystems, relative to both abiotic (e.g., soil properties) and biotic (e.g., dominant species) factors that are likely to covary with diversity at large scales. I also contribute directly to the practice of restoration by working in real restorations, linking variation in management actions, such as seed sowing and prescribed fire, to outcomes of immediate concern to managers, such as the relationship between native and exotic species."--Abstract.
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