Scale-dependent effects of biodiversity and stability on marine ecosystem dynamics

The global biodiversity loss is causing abrupt shifts in the structure and
functioning of ecosystems with severe ecological and socio-economic
consequences. Therefore, improving our understanding of ecosystem dynamics
and regime shifts, as well as the stabilizing role of biodiversity across
multiple scales, is needed. Here, we investigate the temporal dynamics and
stability of marine ecosystems using high-resolution monitoring data on
fish species composition, abundances, and traits throughout European Seas.
More specifically, we quantify and compare the direction and magnitude of
community change at multiple spatial scales and levels of biological
organization. Our results show less variability in community trajectories
at larger spatial scales and higher levels of biological organization. The
main underlying processes providing stability are statistical averaging
arising from a larger pool of species, while at smaller spatial scales,
stability emerges from functional complementarity channeled through the
distribution of species traits within functional groups.