New approach challenges old ideas about plant species and biomass
Friday, September 23, 2011 - 21:30
in Biology & Nature
For decades, scientists have believed that a relationship exists between how much biomass plant species produce and how many species can coexist. This idea comes from a 1970s study that showed as plant biomass produced -- called plant productivity -- in a system increased, so did the number of plant species -- referred to as plant richness -- to a point. After that point, the number of plant species is thought to decline. When plotted on a graph, the resulting line forms a hump shape, with maximum species richness occurring at the point of intermediate productivity. Now it's time to get over the hump, according to new research.