Ecosystem functioning during biodiversity loss and recovery

Anthropogenic biodiversity loss can impair ecosystem functioning. Human activities are often managed with the aim of reversing biodiversity loss and its associated functional impacts. However, it is currently unknown whether biodiversity–ecosystem function (BEF) relationships observed during biodiversity recovery are the same as those observed during biodiversity loss. This will depend on how species extirpation and recolonisation sequences compare and how different species influence ecosystem functioning. Using data from a marine benthic invertebrate community, we modelled how bioturbation potential – a proxy for benthic ecosystem functioning – changes along biodiversity loss and recovery sequences governed by species’ sensitivity to physical disturbance and recolonisation capability, respectively. BEF relationships for biodiversity loss and recovery were largely the same despite species extirpation and recolonisation sequences being different. This held true irrespective of whether po..., Benthic invertebrate community data (population abundance and biomass of species) were collected using a 0.1 square metre Day grab from an area of offshore mud within the Fladen Ground, northern North Sea. Sixty stations were sampled over six survey boxes in April 2015. Species were assigned biological trait information that reflects their effects on ecosystem functioning (via bioturbation), their sensitivity to physical disturbance, and their capacity to recolonise post-disturbance using published databases (Queirós et al. 2013; Clare et al. 2022). These data were used to characterise an initial community and simulate the impact of biodiversity loss and recovery on benthic ecosystem functioning using a probabilistic model (sensu Solan et al. 2004, 2012; Thomsen et al. 2017; Garcia et al., 2021). Correlations between species sensitivity, and recolonisation capability, and population bioturbation potential were inspected to help interpret the results. Detailed descriptions of data collec..., , # Data and code from: Ecosystem functioning during biodiversity loss and recovery

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.r7sqv9sm8](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.r7sqv9sm8)

Benthic invertebrate community data (population abundance and biomass of species) were collected using a 0.1 square metre Day grab from an area of offshore mud within the Fladen Ground, northern North Sea. Sixty stations were sampled over six survey boxes in April 2015. Species were assigned biological trait information, obtained from published databases, denoting their effects on ecosystem functioning (via bioturbation), their sensitivity to physical disturbance, and their capacity to recolonise post-disturbance. These data were used to characterise an initial community and simulate the impact of biodiversity loss and recovery on benthic ecosystem functioning using a probabilistic model. Correlations between species sensitivity, recolonisation capability, and population bioturbation potential were inspected to help inte...