Abstract
The emerging theory of metacommunities predicts that biodiversity and function of local communities are determined by an interaction of local and regional processes, but this has rarely been evaluated empirically. The aim of this project is to test the effect of an increase in regional diversity, which is a common but often overlooked consequence of biological invasions, on patterns and processes at the local scale. The study will be performed in ponds along the river Rhine, which is a system that has received a large influx of exotic species. The relative importance of local and regional factors, and how they interact, will be evaluated by an observational survey of ponds with different flooding frequency and dispersal distance. In a subsequent mesocosm experiment, I will test the interacting effects of regional diversity and resource availability on local diversity, productivity and biotic interactions. The project will provide an empirical testing of central theoretical predictions about processes regulating diversity and will provide new insights in the long-term consequences of biological invasions on biodiversity and ecosystem function at multiple spatial scales.
Sweden