Increasing stress and diminishing returns in ecosystem services from managed and natural ecosystems globally has prompted proactive restoration efforts. One issue central to these efforts is establishing links between ecosystem structure and function. Numerous studies have attempted to evaluate these linkages to establish specific associations (e.g. between biodiversity and productivity) that could be used as indices of restoration or ecosystem management. However, experimental and theoretical associations among such indices have been equivocal, underscoring their complexity. To better understand the linkages between biogeochemical indices (a functional attribute) and plant and microbial diversity (structural attributes), Dr. Sundareshwar, in collaboration with the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, is presently conducting a study in the prairie pothole wetlands of the US Northern Great Plains that are influenced by varying land use. This study will specifically relate nutrient biogeochemical transformations (e.g. chemical speciation of phosphorus evaluated using ³¹P NMR) to other ecosystem attributes. A more detailed study linking structural (e.g. plant and microbial diversity) and functional attributes (e.g. nutrient biogeochemical transformations) in restored agroecosystems is under review at the NSF.

 

Click on button to return to Dr. Sundareshwar's homepage.