As scientists begin to better understand how biodiversity underpins the life-support system of our Planet, more and more questions arise regarding individual ecosystems—particularly the functions they perform (e.g. biogeochemical processes) and the services they provide (e.g. production of food and fibre, carbon storage, maintenance of water and soil quality, etc.) to human populations.

 

ecoSERVICES, a Core Project of DIVERSITAS, is dedicated to investigating the impact of biodiversity change on ecosystem functioning and services. Current understanding of the implications of biodiversity change and loss—even at the broadest scale—is still very limited and fragmented. The specific nature of interdependencies between the structure and diversity of biotic communities and the functioning of ecosystems remains one of the most important unresolved questions in ecology. Moreover, it is a question that has immense implications for human societies

 

This document is the result of a series of workshops and consultations carried out in 2003 and 2004. It is not meant as a rigid and exhaustive plan. Rather, it is intended to be a flexible road map that will evolve as new knowledge and ideas become available and as new participants join the initiative. Similarly, the activities proposed in the Implementation Plan are intended to stimulate the interest of programme managers and scientists from many nations and disciplines.

 

Ultimately, the aim is to inspire a new generation of research on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. ecoSERVICES hope to enable scientists, resource managers and policy makers to work together toward the creation and implementation of more successful policies and programmes based on a better understanding of how ecosystems function.