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Why Biodiversity Is Important To Oceanography: Potential Roles Of Genetic, Species, And Trophic Diversity In Pelagic Ecosystem Processes, J. Emmett Duffy, John J. Stachowicz

VIMS Articles

The functioning of the global ecosystem is mediated in large part by pelagic marine organisms through their influence on biomass production, elemental cycling, and atmospheric composition. Growing theoretical and empirical evidence suggests that the stability and functioning of this complex system may depend, not only on aggregate biomass and production of pelagic producers and consumers, but also on the composition and richness of taxa within those compartments, Yet rigorous experimental tests of relationships between diversity and these aspects of pelagic ecosystem functioning are virtually unknown, Here, we argue for more attention to such research, and we marshal preliminary evidence that …