GOALS AND OBJECTIVES>>>

ASW II is a key step in the 5-year mission of BioMERGE. In ASW I, the general framework was fleshed out and is summarized in Naeem and Wright (2003).
This framework provides the means by which biodiversity and ecosystem functioning can be integrated across many scales. ASW II will apply this framework and develop operational models to guide ASW III and ASW IV. By "operational model" we mean a model that incorporates data-based values into a basic framework that provides outcomes of two sorts. The first outcome will be to expose data and theory needs. The second outcome will be output that provides a range of values for the general ecosystem consequences of biodiversity loss. Spefically, we will begin process of translating our conceptual model into useful output using existing data on species distributions, functional traits and diversity/ecosystem function relationships.

The specific goals are:

1. Identify 3-4 data sets where we have data on biota, their effect and response traits, and measures of ecosystem functioning (may require synthesis of large biotic inventories with trait data)
2. Derive effect and response algorithms for these data sets
3. Predict new levels of ecosystem function given addition of a driver to the system (how much does biodiversity matter?)
4. Critically evaluate of proxies/shortcuts (e.g. FD, functional groups, scaling relationships)
5. Identify key gaps in our data/model
   

WORKSHOP STRUCTURE>>>

Workshop participants were split into working groups focusing on 4 types of data:

1. Aquatic
2. Grasslands
3. Tropical
4. Theoretical

CONCLUSIONS>>>

• Significant progress was made in translating measures of biodiversity and functional traits into ecosystem function in some ecosystems
  
• Generally, datasets that allow for this are rare
• Need more complete measures of functional traits of species
• Need better measurements of role of functional diversity in controlling ecosystem functioning
  

PARTICIPANTS IN ASW2 >>>