FOR 5207:  Reassembly of species interaction networks – Resistance, resilience and functional recovery of a rainforest ecosystem

• Subject Area: Biology
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 444827997

The 'Reassembly' Research Unit aims to understand the dynamics and rules of ecological network reassembly in a highly diverse Ecuadorian Chocó lowland forest ecosystem. We are studying the dynamics of natural forest recovery from agriculture and secondary forests along a chronosequence of plots representing different stages of succession. We compare different functional groups, including plants, vertebrates, invertebrates and microorganisms, the resistance and resilience of species communities, species interactions and ecosystem processes. In the second funding phase, we aim to understand how abiotic conditions, dispersal limitation and biotic resources limit recovery, e.g. responses to microclimatic variation and extreme conditions in early regeneration. We will also implement a 'tree functional recovery experiment' to elucidate the role of multidimensional traits in shaping multi-layered networks of organisms interacting with trees, and study the dynamics of these networks with forest succession.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• International Connection: Ecuador

Projects

• Coordination Funds (Applicant Blüthgen, Nico )
• DNA barcoding and metabarcoding (Applicants Blüthgen, Nico ;  Keller, Alexander )
• From seed deposition to establishment during forest recovery (Applicants Farwig, Nina ;  Heer, Katrin )
• Life after death: litter decomposition as a keystone process in tropical forest recovery (Applicants Heethoff, Michael ;  Sayer, Emma )
• Plant-pollinator interactions: the role of floral traits and pollen flux during forest recovery (SP3) (Applicants Keller, Alexander ;  Leonhardt, Sara Diana )
• Re-establishing communities – trait based recovery of amphibian pioneers (Applicants Dausmann, Kathrin ;  Rödel, Mark-Oliver )
• SP2 Scaling biodiversity: temporal and spatial beta-diversity during forest recovery (Applicants Brehm, Gunnar ;  Müller, Jörg )
• SP7: Biotic defenses - Multitrophic effects of ant-plant mutualisms in forest recovery (Applicant Feldhaar, Heike )
• The importance of seed-dispersing animals for forest recovery (Applicants Neuschulz, Eike Lena ;  Schleuning, Matthias ;  Tschapka, Marco )
• Theory and Synthesis (Applicants Blüthgen, Nico ;  Dormann, Carsten )
• Tree defence, epiphylls and herbivorous insects (Applicants Blüthgen, Nico ;  Hess, Sebastian ;  Schmitt, Thomas ;  Unsicker, Sybille )

• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Nico Blüthgen