Preserving diverse plant life will be crucial to buffer the negative effects of climate change and desertification in in the world’s drylands, according to a landmark study. The findings of the multi-author study are based on samples of ecosystems in every continent except Antarctica. They confirm for the first time that the more diverse an ecosystem is, the more ecological functions it performs. It also has implications for carbon sequestration and soil health.
Prof David Eldridge, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW
Science; http://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/science-technology/ecosystem-biodiversity-key-climate-change-buffer