Diversity Increases Biomass Production For Trematode Parasites In Snails

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 13 Aug 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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At first glance, 1A + 1B > 1A, might appear to be self-evident. But this is a contested premise behind a potential value of biodiversity -e.g., whether multi-species assemblages produce more biomass than do single-species assemblages.

We extend diversity versus production research by examining assemblages of parasitic castrator worms. We found that diverse castrator assemblages produced more biomass than single-species assemblages. Also, assemblages where species partitioned space had the greatest diversity effects.

Study of these simple assemblages enabled a test of the universality of diversity effects, and also a clarification of the mechanisms by which species diversity influences ecological process.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Proceedings B is the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal, dedicated to the rapid publication and broad dissemination of high-quality research papers, reviews and comment and reply papers. The scope of journal is diverse and is especially strong in organismal biology.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences