Table Of ContentBIODIVERSITY IN ECOSYSTEMS
Tasks for vegetation science 34
SERIES EDITORS
H. Lieth, University ofOsnabruck, Germany
A. Kratochwil, University ofOsnabruck, Germany
The titles published in this series are listed at the end a/this volume.
Biodiversity in ecosystems:
principles and case studies of
different complexity levels
Edited by
A. KRATOCHWIL
SPRINGER-SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data.
ISBN 978-1-4020-0280-9 ISBN 978-94-011-4677-7 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-94-011-4677-7
Printed on acid-free paper
All Rights Reserved
© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
Originally published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 1999
Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover 1s t edition 1999
No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
inc1uding photocopying, recording or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner.
Contents
Editorial by A. Kratochwil 1
Chapter 1 Biodiversity survey and principles 5
Biodiversity in ecosystems: some principles 5
A. Kratochwil
The diversity of the fauna of two beech forests: some thoughts about
possible mechanisms causing the observed patterns 39
M. Schaefer
Chapter 2 Fauna, flora, and vegetation in ecosystems: some aspects
of biodiversity 59
Biodiversity in Mediterranean ecosystems
G. Pignatti & S. Pignatti
Spatial arrangements of habitats and biodiversity: an approach
to a sigmasociological view 75
A. Schwabe
Diversity of pasture-woodlands of north-western Germany 107
R.Pott
Plant diversity in successional grasslands: How is it modified
by foliar insect herbivory? 133
VK. Brown & A.c. Gange
The importance of biogeography to biodiversity of bird communities of
coniferous forests 147
M. Mattes
Limits and conservation of the species diversity of
small mammal communities 157
R. Schropfer
Lemurs as indicators for assessing biodiversity in forest ecosystems of
Madagascar: Why it does not work 163
J. U. Ganzhorn
vi
Chapter 3 Biodiversity and nature preservation 175
Conservation of biodiversity
- scientific standards and practical realization 175
W Haber
Elements of biodiversity in today's nature conservation discussion
- from a geobotanical viewpoint 185
H. Haeupler
Biodiversi ty
- its levels and relevance for nature conservation in Germany 199
J. Blab, M. Klein & A. Ssymank
Editorial
The subject of biological diversity is a highly complex one; its treatment must
accordingly be comprehensive and varied. This volume does not aim at merely adding
to the immensely grown and meanwhile apparently incalculable number of individual
publications on "biodiversity", all the more since already many excellent articles
and books have been published (see e.g. List of References Kratochwil in this volume).
It is rather our objective to investigate biodiversity on the up to now little studied
coenosis and landscape levels. Phytosociological and animal-ecological fields are
considered, as well as theoretical approaches to biodiversity and aspects of its
application in nature and landscape protection and preservation. Since biodiversity has
so far been predominantly studied in the Anglo-American area, it seemed to be of value
to discuss this complex topic from a Central and southern European viewpoint, based on
data gathered in these regions, and to thus promote a global discussion.
The volume "Biodiversity in ecosystems: principles and case studies of different
complexity levels" comprises twelve publications, divided into three chapters:
1) "Biodiversity: survey and principles"
2) "Fauna, flora, and vegetation in ecosystems: some aspects of biodiversity"
3) "Biodiversity and nature preservation"
In order to further develop scientific theories, it is first of all necessary to synoptically
depict the structure of the theory with its individual principles, concepts, and hypotheses.
This is done in chapter 1: "Biodiversity: survey and principles." A definition of the concept
"biodiversity" and its ranges of validity are presented, as well as different forms of
intra- and interbiocoenotic diversity. Special emphasis lies on the formulation of certain
questions and hypotheses on biodiversity. It is not so much the authors' objective to work
out generalities, but to compile - and, if possible, specify - general statements on
biodiversity always recurring in the literature. While in A. Kratochwil's article 30
hypotheses on biodiversity are discussed, in most cases critically and including counter-
hypotheses, M. Schaefer's contribution shows, at models and examples, the direct linkage
of concrete results of a IS-year research project on Central European beech forest
ecosystems to important hypotheses on biodiversity.
The major part of the articles is found in chapter 2: "Fauna, flora, and vegetation in
ecosystems: some aspects of biodiversity." In this chapter, single case studies are
presented, encompassing quite different ecological objects, spatial dimensions,
and complexity degrees. G. and S. Pignatti's article deals with Mediterranean
ecosystems and the spatial distribution of species diversity. Small-scale mapping of
biodiversity will in future be especially important to find solutions to global
biodiversity problems. One great challenge will be to depict the biodiversity of
the earth's ecosystems within the framework of geographical information systems.
The contribution demonstrates in an impressing manner coincidences of the plant
species diversity in Italy with the macroclimate (temperature, precipitation etc.).
The authors emphasize the importance of human impact on biodiversity, without
which the species diversity in the Mediterranean area would be much lower, compared
to the vegetation under natural conditions.
A. Kratochwil (ed.), Biodiversity in ecosystems, 1-3
© 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers.
2 A. Kratochwil
Whereas G. and S. Pignatti's article focuses on a small-scale treatment of "biodiversity",
A. Schwabe's work aims at its registration and analysis on a large scale. In this context,
sigmasociology constitutes an especially valuable tool. By the recording and analysis of
vegetation complexes, considering also microhabitats, landscape units are differentiated
on a phytosociological basis. A landscape mosaic can thus be typified. Case studies have
shown that the method is broadly applicable; also large areas can be precisely
recorded and analyzed as to their phytocoenotic diversity. By determining different
degrees of anthropogenic influence (hemeroby), the influence of man on biodiversity
can be "measured". The applicability of this method is of special importance for
Environmental Impact Assessments.
R. Pott's article on the pasture-woodlands in north-western Germany shows
exemplarily that the great biodiversity in Central Europe is due to extensive management
by man since the Neolithic Period. The diversity of different vegetation types with
the biocoenoses they are composed of reflects a broad repertoire of varying historical
management forms. A preservation of such natural and cultural landscapes presupposes
comprehensive knowledge about their origin and development.
The article by v,K. Brown and A.C. Gange demonstrates at models that there is
a direct causal connection between plant diversity and insect herbivory. A causal
analysis of biodiversity therefore requires the study of biocoenoses. The development of
a biocoenological structure in the course of succession is an interactive process, during
which leaf-eating insects increase the plant diversity by altering the competitive
situation and by creating microhabitats.
Similar to the contribution by Pignatti and Pignatti, H. Mattes chose a small-scale
approach to assess biodiversity. In his article, he deals with the biogeography and the
species diversity of bird communities of coniferous forests in Eurasia. Here, too, certain
diversity centres have been found, which however cannot solely be explained by currently
effective ecofactors. Fauna-historical aspects are the key to special diversity patterns.
The calculation of diversity indices is still a common procedure to compare
the diversities of different localities or habitats. R. Schropfer shows exemplarily
the limitations of such procedures, e.g. for mammal communities, in which only
few dominant species characterize the species community.
One basic question is whether deterministic or stochastic relations affect the degree
of biodiversity at all. J.D. Ganzhorn demonstrates at the example of Malagasy lemurs
that their diversity depends on the quality of vegetation, but also on certain historical
influences on the lemur community. Thus always a wide range of different (in this case,
as it can be proven, deterministic) relations has to be taken into account when analyzing
a diversity pattern.
The third and final chapter is about biodiversity and nature preservation.
W. Haber outlines fundamental aspects of the concept "biodiversity" and its study,
and problems arising in this context. The author warns of false hopes: his critical
article shows scientific, social, and political limitations. H. Haeupler's contribution
demonstrates that, due to inadequate basic scientific knowledge, it is very difficult to
develop pragmatic approaches to the - more and more pressing - issue of protection and
preservation of biodiversity. The solution can only be an intensification of research,
putting - as it is currently done - special emphasis on the level of population ecology,
since here the lack of knowledge is considerable.
Editorial 3
The volume concludes with a contribution of the Federal Agency for Nature
Conservation (Institute for Biotope Protection and Landscape Ecology) by J. Blab,
M. Klein, and A. Ssymank, presenting the scope within which measures can be taken,
and the prospects for the future, from the point of view of a German federal authority.
The authors show the linkage of basic scientific knowledge, objective and realization
of a concept "biodiversity". Within Europe, the legal framework is provided
by the habitat-directive of the European Union.
The treatment of each topical subject is important, independent of whether
it consolidates known hypotheses and theories or alters a paradigm. Much more
basic research is required for the development of a comprehensive and detailed
"general theory of biodiversity." The danger, however, that the gulf between theory
and practice is becoming too great, is increasing. Some current concepts, hypotheses,
and theories take, as the examples of the "island theory" and the "metapopulation
concept" show, the following course: First the relations are discussed by theorists,
ingeniously and in great detail, usually defining the limitations and the prevailing
conditions. Then the concepts developed are translated into practical measures (in this
case of nature protection and preservation), and become paradigms; they are frequently
misunderstood and overinterpreted. Often the theoretical generalizations in the field
of applied nature protection and preservation are too imprecise, too superficial and too
much simplified to allow predictions, and they can hardly be proved. Many concepts are
raised to dogmata, without doing justice to the diversity of the ecological and historical
conditions of biological systems. May this not apply to the "theory of biodiversity".
We would like to thank Kluwer Academic Publishers for their support in printing this
volume, and Ms. Martina Lemme, University of Osnabrilck, Department of Ecology,
for having translated the articles by A. Kratochwil, R. Pott, and W. Haber. as well as
this Editorial, into English, and for linguistic revision of the remaining contributions
(except for the ones by A. Schwabe-Kratochwil and Y.K. Brown).
A. Kratochwil, Osnabrtick
