Balance matters: biodiversity and nutrient stoichiometry

wetlands
Credit: Franziska Tanneberger

Ecological stoichiometry is about the balance of energy and elements in environment and organisms. In the Anthropocene the balance between the essential elements carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus has been altered. Since the onset of the Industrial Revolution, anthropogenic modification has raised atmospheric CO2 concentrations from 280 to more than 400 ppm and the rate at reactive nitrogen enters the terrestrial biosphere had doubled whereas phosphorus inputs to the environment have more than doubled. These modifications comprise perturbations of the global ecosystems that may exceed the planetary boundaries that define a safe operating space for humanity. Increased bioavailability of C, N and P has direct impacts on terrestrial plant community functioning and diversity. We study the biogeochemical cycling of these nutrients and how changes in the bioavailability and balance affect the persistence or disappearance of plant species.

Researchers

Funding

  • NWO-GO
  • NWO Biodiversity,
  • UU
  • Chinese Scholarship

Publications

Wassen, Martin Joseph, Schrader, Julian, van Dijk, Jerry & Eppinga, Maarten Boudewijn (2021). . Nature Ecology and Evolution, 5, (pp. 67-73) (21 p.).

Wassen, Martin Joseph, Schrader, Julian, van Dijk, Jerry & Eppinga, Maarten Boudewijn (2020). . natureecoevocommunity.nature.com.

Loozen, Yasmina, Rebel, Karin T., de Jong, Steven M., Lu, Meng, Ollinger, Scott V., Wassen, Martin J. & Karssenberg, Derek (15.09.2020). . Remote Sensing of Environment, 247 (11 p.).

Fleischer, Katrin, Dolman, A. J., van der Molen, Michiel K., Rebel, Karin T., Erisman, Jan Willem, Wassen, Martin J., Pak, Bernard, Lu, Xingjie, Rammig, Anja & Wang, Ying Ping (2019). . Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 33 (6), (pp. 810-824) (15 p.).

Wang, Shuqiong, van Dijk, Jerry & Wassen, Martin J. (2019). . Environmental and Experimental Botany, 168.

Loozen, Yasmina, Karssenberg, Derek, de Jong, Steven M., Wang, Shuqiong, van Dijk, Jerry, Wassen, Martin J. & Rebel, Karin T. (2019). . International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 75, (pp. 1-14) (14 p.).

van der Grift, Bas, Ost茅, Leonard, Schot, Paul, Kratz, Arjen, van Popta, Emma, Wassen, Martin & Griffioen, Jasper (01.08.2018). . Science of the Total Environment, 631-632, (pp. 115-129) (15 p.).

Braakhekke, Maarten C., Rebel, Karin T., Dekker, Stefan C., Smith, Benjamin, Beusen, A.H.W. & Wassen, Martin J. (12.12.2017). . Earth System Dynamics, 8 (4), (pp. 1121-1139) (19 p.).

van der Grift, B., Behrends, T., Ost茅, L.A., Schot, P.P., Wassen, M.J. & Griffioen, J. (01.08.2016). . Geochmica et Cosmochimica Acta, 186, (pp. 71-90) (20 p.).

Fleischer, K., W氓rlind, D., Van Der Molen, M. K., Rebel, K. T., Arneth, A., Erisman, J. W., Wassen, M. J., Smith, B., Gough, C. M., Margolis, H. A., Cescatti, A., Montagnani, L., Arain, A. & Dolman, A. J. (01.12.2015). . Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 120 (12), (pp. 2542-2561) (20 p.).

Fujita, Yuki, Venterink, Harry Olde, Van Bodegom, Peter M., Douma, Jacob C., Heil, Gerrit, H枚lzel, Norbert, Jab艂o艅ska, Ewa, Kotowski, Wiktor, Okruszko, Tomasz, Pawlikowski, Pawe艂, De Ruiter, Peter C. & Wassen, Martin J. (18.02.2014). . Nature, 505 (7481), (pp. 82-86) (5 p.).