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Biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships on bodies and in buildings

Nature Ecology & Evolution volume 3, pages 7–9 (2019)Cite this article

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Biodiversity underpins the function of ecosystems. Here we discuss how biodiversity–ecosystem function theory could apply to our bodies and buildings, outline practical applications and call for further research.

A key thrust of ecological theory and experiments over the past 100 years has been the study of the effects of biodiversity on ecological functions. Based on hundreds of studies we know that biological diversity can help to prevent species invasions1 and make ecological systems more resistant to climate change fluctuations2 and pathogen establishment3. Greater biodiversity can also lead ecosystems to be more productive or efficient4. Yet, this research has not been adequately translated to practical application. This is particularly true in the contexts most immediate to daily human lives, namely on bodies and in buildings.

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Fig. 1

Lauren M. Nichols and Neil McCoy

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Acknowledgements

Financial support came from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research Halle–Jena–Leipzig, funded by the German Research Foundation (FZT 118). N.E. acknowledges funding by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. 677232).

Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Robert R. Dunn, Aspen T. Reese, Nico Eisenhauer.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA

    Robert R. Dunn

  2. Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Robert R. Dunn

  3. Harvard Society of Fellows, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Aspen T. Reese

  4. German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany

    Nico Eisenhauer

  5. Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany

    Nico Eisenhauer

Authors
  1. Robert R. Dunn
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  2. Aspen T. Reese
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  3. Nico Eisenhauer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert R. Dunn.

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Dunn, R.R., Reese, A.T. & Eisenhauer, N. Biodiversity–ecosystem function relationships on bodies and in buildings. Nat Ecol Evol 3, 7–9 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-018-0750-9

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