Partitioning selection and complementarity in biodiversity experiments.

Abstract in brief

• The study discusses how biodiversity loss can impact ecosystems, highlighting two main mechanisms: selection effects, where dominant traits influence ecosystem functions, and complementarity effects, where resource partitioning or interactions among species enhance overall productivity.
• The researchers introduce a new method, based on an approach similar to the Price equation in genetics, to distinguish and measure these two effects separately using data from a European grassland experiment.
• Their findings show that, on average, the selection effect is neutral (zero), varying by location, while the positive complementarity effect supports the idea that diverse plant communities improve productivity through niche differences or facilitative interactions.]