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Project title

Global change impact on grassland biodiversity function

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

University College Dublin (UCD)

Lead Applicant

John Connolly

Project Abstract

The study of competition among species has a long history in Science dating back as far as the first ecological experiment carried out by Darwin in the early 1800is. Still today however the need for continued and efficient studies of competition and biodiversity are evident. In particular understanding the effects of global change on competition and biodiversity in ecosystems has become increasingly important both nationally and internationally. The effects of competitive interactions among species in ecosystems and how species dynamics of communities will develop as global change continues could imply major evolutionary consequences in ecology which in turn could have serious implications for human health and world economics.Despite substantial progress ecologists recognize that research in multi-species systems requires a new level of sophistication in experimental designs and statistical analyses. If ecological research is to properly understand the impact of competition and biodiversity on ecosystem services then such challenges need to be overcome. Further understanding of competition among species in ecological systems and the effect of global change on it through statistical modelling is the main theme in this thesis.It is a major challenge to simultaneously understand all mechanisms and drivers of forces in ecosystems and so assessment is frequently done on individual components of the system one at a time and combined for a unified understanding. In this thesis four statistical frameworks for assessing competition are developed. Each concentrates on competition in ecosystems at either the below ground or above ground level and assesses a particular ecosystem response recorded at either the individual level the genotypic level community level or multivariate community level. Together the chapters can give insight to competition in ecosystems.

Grant Approved

�74,933.00

Research Hub

Natural Environment

Research Theme

Sectoral Impacts on Biodiversity

Start Date

n/a

Initial Projected Completion Date

n/a