4.9. Lavorel Alps

Keynote Presentations from the 2nd ALTER-Net Summer School, Peyresq 1 - 13 September 2007

Abstract

This lecture will illustrate how methods to project changes in biodiversity, ecosystem function and ecosystem services can be applied to European marginal agro-ecosystems, where biodiversity conservation strongly hinges on the recognition that the services it delivers are worth subsidizing. Based on the results of the EU project VISTA, ongoing follow up research and related studies I will show how:
1) Land use changes affect plant species and functional diversity of grasslands;
2) These changes translate into changes in ecosystem properties;
3) Projected changes in biodiversity and ecosystem function under prospective land use scenarios affect the ecosystem services that are important to local stakeholders.
The results presented will mainly concern alpine systems but application to other similar marginal ecosystems (e.g. Mediterranean or cold climates) will be discussed.
We will discuss how they can help us think about future research questions, and what they mean for regional policy.

Recommended background literature on this presentation:

• Díaz S, Lavorel S, de Bello F, Quétier F, Grigulis K, Robson TM (to be submitted) Incorporating plant functional diversity effects in ecosystem service assessments.
• 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 (2007) 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. Annals of Botany 99:967-985 10.1093/aob/mcl215
• Quétier F, Lavorel S, Thuiller W, Davies I (2007) Assessing ecosystem-service sensitivity to land-use change in a mountain grassland landscape: A plant-trait based modeling approach. Ecological Applications (in press) (pdf: 100KB)
• Quétier F, Thébault A, Lavorel S (2007) Plant traits in a state and transition framework as markers of ecosystem response to land-use change. Ecological Monographs 77(1):33-52. (pdf: 700KB)
• 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. http://www.esajournals.org/archive/0012-9658/85/6/pdf/i0012-9658-85-6-1688.pdf (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: 4MB)
• 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/documents/document.273.aspx.pdf (pdf: 2MB)