29.8. Lavorel

Keynote Presentations from the 1st ALTER-Net Summer School, Peyresq 27 August - 8 September 2006

Abstract

Biodiversity is variously affected by global changes, and especially land use change, seen by experts as the main driver for current and projected changes in the diversity life on Earth. Large-scale models use a range of different methods to project vegetation changes under global-change scenarios and associated changes in biodiversity. These models at regional scales tell us little however about what our landscapes will look like 50 years from now. This lecture will present some basic concepts and approaches (both empirical and modelling) currently used by researchers to project changes in plant diversity and some key ecosystem properties at the landscape scale. We will especially focus on functional approaches, which consider species not from a taxonomic point of view, but from the perspective of their biological characteristics that determine their responses to environmental changes and their effects on ecosystem. Lastly we will examine how such studies can help us project changes in ecosystem services delivered by diverse landscapes. Case studies presented to illustrate these points will mainly deal with European marginal agro-ecosystems, where biodiversity conservation strongly hinges on the recognition that the services it delivers are worth subsidizing.

Recommended background literature on this presentation:

• Garnier E, Lavorel S, Ansquer P, Castro H, Cruz P, Dolezal J, Eriksson O, Fortunel C, Freitas H, Golodets C, Grigulis K, Jouany C, Kazakou E, Kigel J, Kleyer M, Lehsten V, Leps J, Meier T, Pakeman R, Papadimitriou M, Papanastasis VP, Quested H, Quétier F, Robson M, Roumet C, Rusch G, Skarpe C, Sternberg M, Theau JP, Thébault A, Vile D, Zarovali MP (2006) Assessing the effects of land use change on plant traits, communities and ecosystem functioning in grasslands: a standardized methodology and lessons from an application to 11 European sites. (submitted to Annals of Botany). (pdf: 1,5 MB)
  
• Diaz S, Fargione J, Chapin III FS, Tilman D (2006) Biodiversity loss threatens human well-being. PLOS Biology 4(8) 1300-1305. (pdf: 700KB)
  
• Thuiller W, Lavorel S, Midgley G, Lavergne S, Rebelo T (2003) Relating plant traits and species distributions along bioclimatic gradients for 88 Leucadendron Taxa. Ecology 85(6) 1688-1699. (pdf: 400KB)
  
• Lavorel S, Diaz S, Cornelissen JHC, Garnier E, Harrison SP, McIntyre S, Pausas JG, Pérez-Harguindeguy N, Roumet C, Urcelay C : Plant functional types: are we getting any closer to the Holy Grail? (pdf: 200KB)
  
• Mace G, Masundire H, Baillie J, Rickets T, Brooks T, Hoffmann M, Stuart S, Balmford A, Purvis A, Reyers B, Wang J, Revenga C, Kennedy E, Naeem S, Alkemade R, Allnutt T, Bakarr M, Bond W, Chanson J, Cox N, Fonseca G, Hilton-Taylor C, Loucks C, Rodrigues A, Sechrest W, Stattersfield A, van Rensburg BJ, Whiteman C, Abell R, Cokeliss Z, Lamoreux J, Pereira HM, Thönell J, Williams P (2005) Biodiversity. Chapter 4 in Carpenter S, Pingali PL, Bennett EM, Zurek MB (eds.) Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Current state and trends, Volume 1, Findings of the Condition and Trends Working Group of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Island Press, Washington, Covelo, London, Pp. 77-122. http://www.maweb.org//en/Products.Global.Condition.aspx (pdf: 2MB)