DOI: 10.5061/dryad.r7sqv9sm8
title: Data from: Ecosystem functioning during biodiversity loss and recovery

description: Anthropogenic biodiversity loss can impair ecosystem functioning. Human
 activities are often managed with the aim of reversing biodiversity loss
 and its associated functional impacts. However, it is currently unknown
 whether biodiversity–ecosystem function (BEF) relationships observed
 during biodiversity recovery are the same as those observed during
 biodiversity loss. This will depend on how species extirpation and
 recolonisation sequences compare and how different species influence
 ecosystem functioning. Using data from a marine benthic invertebrate
 community, we modelled how bioturbation potential – a proxy for benthic
 ecosystem functioning – changes along biodiversity loss and recovery
 sequences governed by species’ sensitivity to physical disturbance and
 recolonisation capability, respectively. BEF relationships for
 biodiversity loss and recovery were largely the same despite species
 extirpation and recolonisation sequences being different. This held true
 irrespective of whether populations were assumed to exhibit compensatory
 responses as species were removed or added. These findings suggest that
 the functional consequences of local biodiversity loss can be reversed by
 alleviating its drivers, as different species present at comparable levels
 of species richness during biodiversity loss and recovery phases have
 similar functional effects. Empirically verifying and determining the
 generality of our model-based results are potential next steps for future
 research.
description: Benthic invertebrate community data (population abundance and
 biomass of species) were collected using a 0.1 square metre Day grab from
 an area of offshore mud within the Fladen Ground, northern North Sea.
 Sixty stations were sampled over six survey boxes in April 2015. Species
 were assigned biological trait information that reflects their effects on
 ecosystem functioning (via bioturbation), their sensitivity to physical
 disturbance, and their capacity to recolonise post-disturbance using
 published databases (Queirós et al. 2013; Clare et al. 2022). These data
 were used to characterise an initial community and simulate the impact of
 biodiversity loss and recovery on benthic ecosystem functioning using a
 probabilistic model (sensu Solan et al. 2004, 2012; Thomsen et al. 2017;
 Garcia et al., 2021). Correlations between species sensitivity, and
 recolonisation capability, and population bioturbation potential were
 inspected to help interpret the results. Detailed descriptions of data
 collection, processing, and analysis are provided in the main article
 linked to the accompanying datasets.
 References: Clare DS, Bolam SG, McIlwaine PSO,
 Garcia C, Murray JM, Eggleton JE. 2022. Biological traits of marine
 benthic invertebrates in Northwest Europe. Scientific Data 9,
 339. Garcia C, Solan M, Bolam SG, Sivyer D, Parker R,
 Godbold JA. 2021. Exploration of multiple post-extinction compensatory
 scenarios improves the likelihood of determining the most realistic
 ecosystem future. Environmental Research Communications 3,
 045001. Queirós AM, Birchenough SNR, Bremner J, Godbold
 JA, Parker RE, Romero-Ramirez A, Reiss H, Solan M, Somerfield PJ, van
 Colen C, van Hoey G, Widdicombe S. 2013. A bioturbation classification of
 European marine infaunal invertebrates. Ecology and Evolution 3, 3958 –
 3985. Solan M, Cardinale BJ, Downing AL, Engelhardt KA,
 Ruesink JL, Srivastava DS. 2004. Extinction and ecosystem function in the
 marine benthos. Science 306, 1177 – 1180. Solan M,
 Scott F, Dulvy NK, Godbold JA, Parker R. 2012. Incorporating extinction
 risk and realistic biodiversity futures: implementation of trait-based
 extinction scenarios. In Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning:
 frameworks, methodologies, and integration, ed. Solan, M., Aspden RJ,
 Patterson DM, pp. 127 – 148. Oxford University Press, Oxford,
 UK. Thomsen MS, Garcia C, Bolam SG, Parker R, Godbold,
 JA, Solan M. 2017. Consequences of biodiversity loss diverge from
 expectation due to post-extinction compensatory responses. Scientific
 Reports 7, 43695.
description: # Data and code from: Ecosystem functioning during biodiversity loss and
 recovery
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.r7sqv9sm8](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.r7sqv9sm8) Benthic invertebrate community data (population abundance and biomass of species) were collected using a 0.1 square metre Day grab from an area of offshore mud within the Fladen Ground, northern North Sea. Sixty stations were sampled over six survey boxes in April 2015. Species were assigned biological trait information, obtained from published databases, denoting their effects on ecosystem functioning (via bioturbation), their sensitivity to physical disturbance, and their capacity to recolonise post-disturbance. These data were used to characterise an initial community and simulate the impact of biodiversity loss and recovery on benthic ecosystem functioning using a probabilistic model. Correlations between species sensitivity, recolonisation capability, and population bioturbation potential were inspected to help interpret the results. ## Description of the data and file structure --- Study area metadata are in the file: **Clare et al. Study area meta-data.xlsx** Variables: Box - the survey boxes (A-F) from which benthic community samples were collected Station - the sampling stations within each survey box. The letter denotes the box and the number denotes the station number (1-10 for each box) Latitude - the latitude of the sampling stations in decimal degrees, using the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) Longitude - the longitude of the sampling stations in decimal degrees, using WGS84 Depth - the depth of the seabed at each sampling station, measured using a Conductivity-Temperature-Depth (CTD) probe at the time of benthic invertebrate community sampling Gravel - the percent of the seabed sediment made up of gravel (&gt; 2 mm diameter particles), based on a homogenised sediment sample collected from each station using a 0.1 square metre Day grab immediately prior to the same gear being used to sample the benthic invertebrate community Sand - the percent of the seabed sediment made up of sand (0.063–2 mm diameter particles), based on the sampling method described above for gravel Mud - the percent of the seabed sediment made up of mud (&lt; 0.063 mm diameter particles), based on the sampling method described above for gravel Date - the date (day/month/year) that benthic invertebrate community samples were collected from each station --- Benthic invertebrate data used to characterize the initial community are in the file: **Clare et al. Abundance & Biomass data used to describe initial community.xlsx** This dataset contains 2 tabs: the first is a matrix of the population abundance (individuals per 0.1 square metre) of each species (or higher level taxon) at each sampling station and associated survey box; the second provides an analogous matrix for the population biomass (grams wet weight per 0.1 square metre) of each species. Variables: Box - the survey boxes (A-F) from which benthic community samples were collected Station - the sampling stations within each survey box. The letter denotes the box and the number denotes the station number (1-10 for each box) Taxa - the species (or higher level taxa) recorded across the 60 stations and six survey boxes during the survey used to describe the initial community --- The initial community data used to simulate the effect of biodiversity loss and recovery on ecosystem functioning are in the file: **Clare et al. Data for simulations.csv** Variables: Taxa - the species (or higher level taxa; hereafter referred to as species) recorded across the 60 stations and six survey boxes during the survey used to describe the initial community Bavg - the average population biomass (grams wet weight per square metre) of each species in the initial community Aavg - average population abundance (number of individuals per square metre) of each species in the initial community Bind - the average body mass (grams wet weight per individual) of species in the initial community Mi - the mobility mode of each species, obtained from Queirós et al. (2013) A bioturbation classification of European marine infaunal invertebrates. Ecology and Evolution 3, 3958-3985. This information is used to calculate the bioturbation potential at the individual, population, and community levels. Ri - sediment reworking mode, obtained from Queirós et al. (2013) A bioturbation classification of European marine infaunal invertebrates. Ecology and Evolution 3, 3958-3985. This information is used to calculate the bioturbation potential at the individual, population, and community levels. Sensitivity - the sensitivity of each species to physical disturbance, inferred from biological traits following the approach of  Bolam et al. (2014) Sensitivity of macrobenthic secondary production to trawling in the English sector of the Greater North Sea: A biological trait approach. Journal of Sea Research 85, 162-177. Trait information was obtained from a trait database that can be obtained via Clare et al. (2022) Biological traits of marine benthic invertebrates in Northwest Europe. Scientific Data 9, 339.  Recolonisation.capability - the capability of each species to recolonise post-disturbance, inferred from biological traits following the approach of  Bolam et al. (2014) Sensitivity of macrobenthic secondary production to trawling in the English sector of the Greater North Sea: A biological trait approach. Journal of Sea Research 85, 162-177. Trait information was obtained from a trait database that can be obtained via Clare et al. (2022) Biological traits of marine benthic invertebrates in Northwest Europe. Scientific Data 9, 339. --- The data used to analyse correlations between species sensitivity, recolonisation capabiliy, and population bioturbation potential are in the file: **Clare et al. Data for correlations.csv** Variables: Taxa - the species (or higher level taxa; hereafter referred to as species) recorded across the 60 stations and six survey boxes during the survey used to describe the initial community Sensitivity - the sensitivity of each species to physical disturbance, inferred from biological traits following the approach of  Bolam et al. (2014) Sensitivity of macrobenthic secondary production to trawling in the English sector of the Greater North Sea: A biological trait approach. Journal of Sea Research 85, 162-177. Trait information was obtained from a trait database that can be obtained via Clare et al. (2022) Biological traits of marine benthic invertebrates in Northwest Europe. Scientific Data 9, 339.  Recolonisation.capability - the capability of each species to recolonise post-disturbance, inferred from biological traits following the approach of  Bolam et al. (2014) Sensitivity of macrobenthic secondary production to trawling in the English sector of the Greater North Sea: A biological trait approach. Journal of Sea Research 85, 162-177. Trait information was obtained from a trait database that can be obtained via Clare et al. (2022) Biological traits of marine benthic invertebrates in Northwest Europe. Scientific Data 9, 339. Biomass - the average population biomass (grams wet weight per square metre) of each species in the initial community BPi - the bioturbation potential of each species in the initial community at the individual level Bpp - the bioturbation potential of each species in the initial community at the population level (i.e. BPi x population abundance (individuals per square metre)) log10.BPi - the individual bioturbation potential of each species in the initial community, transformed by log base 10 log10.Bpp - the population bioturbation potential of each species in the initial community, transformed by log base 10 Bpp.to.Biomass - the ratio of the population bioturbation potential of each species to its population biomass in the initial community log10.Bpp.to.Biomass - the ratio of the population bioturbation potential of each species to its population biomass in the initial community, transformed by log base 10 --- ## Code/Software The code used to run the model simulations is in the file: **Clare et al. BEF code - Simulations** The code used to fit trend lines to the simulated data is in the file: **Clare et al. BEF code - Plots & GAMs** The code used to analyse correlations between species sensitivity, recolonisation capability, and population bioturbation potential is in the file:  **Clare et al. BEF code - Correlations between Sen, Rec & BPp**