Relationships Between Plant Productivity and Diversity in Restored Prairie Ecosystems
Loading...
Date
2022-12
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
Although there is a general consensus that biodiversity is important to ecosystem health, there is continual debate around the relationships at play between plant diversity and productivity in restored prairie ecosystems. Currently, two broad opinions dominate. The first states that increased plant diversity leads to higher productivity. Alternatively, diversity effects on productivity may be weak, and productivity is driven more by the presence of a few dominant, highly productive species. This study aimed to further explore these potential relationships in a restored prairie of eastern Ohio. The study site, located on reclaimed mine lands now owned by the Wilds, was initially restored in 2008. A calibrated visual observation method was used to estimate biomass for 322 study plots. This biomass data was then analyzed along with existing species data to understand how pre-seeding treatments, seed-mix type, and plant diversity relate to plant productivity. No treatments or their interactions were found to effect Shannon diversity. The interaction between seed treatment and fertilized status was found to have a significant effect on species richness. Importantly, Shannon diversity was found to have a positive effect on productivity. This finding suggests that managing for diversity within restored grassland ecosystems is an effective way to enhance ecosystem function and services.