Recently, the prestigious international academic journal Nature published a research paper titled "Meta-analysis reveals global variations in plant diversity effects on productivity." The paper was jointly completed by Lakehead University in Canada, Jiangsu University (JSU), the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and other institutions. Associate Researcher Chen Chen from the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences is the first author of the paper, while Associate Prof. Xiao Wenya from the School of Environmental and Safety Engineering of JSU is the second author. Associate Researcher Chen Chen and Prof. Han Y.H. Chen from Lakehead University in Canada are the co-corresponding authors.
The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) has always been a crucial research direction in the field of ecology. A growing body of research suggests that increased biodiversity can significantly enhance community productivity through a series of complex mechanisms. The biodiversity effect (NE) can be further divided into complementarity effects (CE) and selection effects (SE). These two effects are more directly and closely related to species interactions in ecology, revealing important intrinsic mechanisms through which diversity influences ecosystems. However, there is still limited understanding of the mechanisms behind the varying results observed in global BEF experiments, which are influenced by different levels of biodiversity, ecosystem types, climatic conditions, and forest ages.
The study analyzed 4,598 data points from 452 plant diversity and mixed-species experiments across different ecosystems worldwide, including forests, grasslands, farmlands, wetlands, aquatic systems, and container experiments. It revealed a significant positive impact of biodiversity on productivity at a global scale. The data showed that mixed-species plots with an average species richness of 2.6 experienced a 15.2% increase in productivity compared to control groups, with complementarity effects and selection effects contributing 65.6% and 34.4%, respectively. The study delves into the critical roles of complementarity and selection effects in biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration strategies, providing an important basis for more accurately predicting the potential impacts of biodiversity loss on plants and ecosystems. It also offers scientific support for the development of response strategies.
In recent years, the School of Environmental and Safety Engineering has focused on major national ecological and environmental needs and pressing issues, supported by cutting-edge theories and technologies in environmental ecology, botany, microbiology, and toxicology. The school has conducted research on environmental ecological mechanisms and restoration, environmental microbiology and applications, invasive species control, and environmental toxicology. It has secured over 30 funding projects, including those from the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Jiangsu Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality Science and Technology Innovation Special Project. The school has also participated in multiple key research and development projects in recent 10 years, publishing over 300 high-quality papers in journals such as Nature, Nature Energy, and Environmental Science & Technology, and winning five provincial and ministerial-level science and technology progress awards.
