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Biodiversity–ecosystem function research must consider abundance and not just diversity

Nature Reviews Biodiversity volume 1, pages 347–348 (2025)Cite this article

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Maintaining human well-being in an era of biodiversity loss requires understanding the role of biodiversity in ecosystem function. We argue that absolute abundance can drive ecosystem function and that this measure should be considered alongside traditional measures of biodiversity.

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Fig. 1: An illustrative example of how absolute abundance can drive ecosystem function.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA

    Rachael Winfree, James R. Reilly & Mark A. Genung

  2. Department of Biology, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, LA, USA

    Mark A. Genung

Authors
  1. Rachael Winfree
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  2. James R. Reilly
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  3. Mark A. Genung
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Correspondence to Rachael Winfree.

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Winfree, R., Reilly, J.R. & Genung, M.A. Biodiversity–ecosystem function research must consider abundance and not just diversity. Nat. Rev. Biodivers. 1, 347–348 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44358-025-00040-1

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