Author
GRACE, JAMES - Us Geological Survey (USGS) | |
ADLER, PETER - Utah State University | |
SEABLOOM, ERIC - University Of Minnesota | |
BORER, ELIZABETH - University Of Minnesota | |
HILLEBRAND, HELMUT - Carl von Ossietzky University Of Oldenburg | |
HAUTIER, YANN - University Of Zurich | |
HECTOR, ANDY - University Of Zurich | |
HARPOLE, W. - Iowa State University | |
O'HALLORAN, LYDIA - Oregon State University | |
ANDERSON, T. - Wake Forest University | |
BAKKER, JONATHAN - University Of Washington | |
BROWN, CYNTHIA - Colorado State University | |
BUCKLEY, YVONNE - University Of Queensland | |
COLLINS, SCOTT - University Of New Mexico | |
COTTINGHAM, KATHRYN - Dartmouth College | |
CRAWLEY, MICHAEL - Imperial College | |
DAMSCHEN, ELLEN - University Of Wisconsin | |
DAVIES, KENDI - University Of Colorado | |
DECRAPPEO, NICOLE - Us Geological Survey (USGS) | |
Fay, Philip | |
FIRN, JENNIFER - Queensland University Of Technology | |
GRUNER, DANIEL - University Of Maryland | |
HAGENAH, NICOLE - University Of Kwazulu-Natal | |
Jin, Virginia | |
KIRKMAN, KEVIN - University Of Kwazulu-Natal | |
KNOPS, JOHANNES - University Of Nebraska | |
LA PIERRE, KIMBERLY - University Of Kwazulu-Natal | |
LAMBRINOS, JOHN - Oregon State University | |
MELBOURNE, BRETT - University Of Colorado | |
MITCHELL, CHARLES - University Of North Carolina | |
MOORE, JOSLIN - University Of Melbourne | |
MORGAN, JOHN - La Trobe University | |
ORROCK, JOHN - University Of Wisconsin | |
PROBER, SUZANNE - Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) | |
STEVENS, CARLY - The Open University | |
WRAGG, PETER - University Of Minnesota | |
YANG, LOUIE - Dominican University Of California |
Submitted to: Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2012 Publication Date: 3/23/2012 Citation: Grace, J.B., Adler, P.B., Seabloom, E.W., Borer, E.T., Hillebrand, H., Hautier, Y., Hector, A., Harpole, W.S., O'Halloran, L.R., Anderson, T.M., Bakker, J.D., Brown, C.S., Buckley, Y.M., Collins, S.L., Cottingham, K.L., Crawley, M.J., Damschen, E.I., Davies, K.F., Decrappeo, N.M., Fay, P.A., Firn, J., Gruner, D.S., Hagenah, N., Jin, V.L., Kirkman, K.P., Knops, J.M., La Pierre, K.J., Lambrinos, J.G., Melbourne, B.A., Mitchell, C.E., Moore, J.L., Morgan, J.W., Orrock, J.L., Prober, S.M., Stevens, C.J., Wragg, P.D., Yang, L.H. 2012. Response to comments on "Productivity is a poor predictor of plant species richness". Science. 335:1441-c. Interpretive Summary: This Technical Comment responds to criticisms leveled at Adler et al. (Science 333:1750, 2011), which found that primary productivity of plant communities was not well predicted by the number of species present in the community. This results stands in contrast to the widely held view that primary productivity is positively correlated with species richness. The criticisms leveled at the Adler paper by two different authors were 1) it actual supports a linear positive relationship between productivity and richness, and 2) the Adler finds support the presence of a peaked relationship between productivity and richness. We rebutted these criticisms through review of original findings and site selection criteria and through additional analysis showing that the data conform to expectations of a random distribution, and not one that would be expected if positive or humped relationships of richness and productivity were present. Technical Abstract: Pan et al. claim that the results by Adler et al. (Reports, 23 Sept 2011, p. 1750) actually support a strong linear positive relationship between productivity and richness, while Fridley et al. contend that the data support a strong humped relationship. These responses illustrate how the preoccupation with bivariate patterns distracts from a deeper understanding of the multivariate mechanisms that control these important ecosystem properties. |