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Toward an integration of evolutionary biology and ecosystem science

  1. Blake Matthews1,
  2. Anita Narwani2,
  3. Stephen Hausch3,
  4. Etsuko Nonaka4,
  5. Hannes Peter5,
  6. Masato Yamamichi6,
  7. Karen E. Sullam7,
  8. Kali C. Bird8,
  9. Mridul K. Thomas8,
  10. Torrance C. Hanley9,
  11. Caroline B. Turner10

Article first published online: 9 MAY 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01627.x

Issue

Ecology Letters

Ecology Letters

Volume 14, Issue 7, pages 690–701, July 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Matthews, B., Narwani, A., Hausch, S., Nonaka, E., Peter, H., Yamamichi, M., Sullam, K. E., Bird, K. C., Thomas, M. K., Hanley, T. C. and Turner, C. B. (2011), Toward an integration of evolutionary biology and ecosystem science. Ecology Letters, 14: 690–701. doi: 10.1111/j.1461-0248.2011.01627.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    EAWAG, Aquatic Ecology Department, Center for Ecology, Evolution and Biogeochemistry, Kastanienbaum 6047, Switzerland

  2. 2

    Department of Biology, University of Victoria, PO Box 3020 Station CSC, Victoria, BC V8W 3N5, Canada

  3. 3

    Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada

  4. 4

    Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå 90187, Sweden

  5. 5

    Department of Ecology and Genetics/Limnology, Uppsala University, SE-75236 Uppsala, Sweden

  6. 6

    Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Shonan village, Kanagawa 240-0193, Japan

  7. 7

    Department of Biology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA

  8. 8

    W. K. Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, Hickory Corners, MI 49060, USA

  9. 9

    Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA

  10. 10

    Department of Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA

*E-mail: blake.matthews@eawag.ch

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 16 JUN 2011
  2. Article first published online: 9 MAY 2011
  3. Editor, Helmut Hillebrand Manuscript received 21 December 2010 First decision made 18 January 2011 Second decision made 30 March 2011 Manuscript accepted 7 April 2011

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Keywords:

  • Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning;
  • community genetics;
  • eco-evolutionary dynamics;
  • ecological stoichiometry;
  • ecosystem science;
  • evolutionary biology;
  • feedbacks;
  • natural selection

Ecology Letters (2011) 14: 690–701

Abstract

At present, the disciplines of evolutionary biology and ecosystem science are weakly integrated. As a result, we have a poor understanding of how the ecological and evolutionary processes that create, maintain, and change biological diversity affect the flux of energy and materials in global biogeochemical cycles. The goal of this article was to review several research fields at the interfaces between ecosystem science, community ecology and evolutionary biology, and suggest new ways to integrate evolutionary biology and ecosystem science. In particular, we focus on how phenotypic evolution by natural selection can influence ecosystem functions by affecting processes at the environmental, population and community scale of ecosystem organization. We develop an eco-evolutionary model to illustrate linkages between evolutionary change (e.g. phenotypic evolution of producer), ecological interactions (e.g. consumer grazing) and ecosystem processes (e.g. nutrient cycling). We conclude by proposing experiments to test the ecosystem consequences of evolutionary changes.

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