A dilemma in ecology Ecologists aspire to build a discipline to both understand the natural world and to provide society with tools to make responsible decisions about the environment. For both of these purposes, most sciences have, at their core, a set of empirical generalizations that predict the behaviour of important properties of nature (e.g., Newton's laws of mechanics, Mendeleev's periodic table, Mendel's genetics). Ecological science, in contrast, has favoured studies to understand processes (competition, population regulation, etc. - i.e., independent variables) rather than models that predict attributes of nature (dependent variables). Classical reductionist scientific training emphasizes studies of mechanisms under controlled experimental conditions. Yet, inferences about nature from experiments are nearly always unjustifiable extrapolations beyond the experimental conditions. Mechanisms that are statistically detectable in experimental systems may contribute very little to the variation of nature. Studies of ecological processes in isolation may contribute to "expert understanding," but experts have been shown to be poor predictors of the behaviour of natural systems. A proposed solution The more relevant, often neglected question is: what factors can statistically account for the observed variance of nature? A more Newtonian approach to ecology would: (a) first, specify the properties of nature (i.e., dependent variables) whose variance is of concern; (b) develop models that statistically capture the variance of those properties in nature; (c) demonstrate that those models can predict independent data; and, only last, (d) experimentally test hypotheses about processes that could give rise to the predictable patterns in nature. Why it matters Successful disciplines identify specific goals and measure progress toward those goals. Predictive accuracy of properties of nature is a measure of that progress in ecology. Predictive accuracy is the objective evidence of understanding. It is the most useful tool that science can offer society.

土壤动物多样性地理分布及其生态功能研究已成为地学和生态学等领域共同关注的科学前沿。本文在介绍相关研究最新进展的基础上，讨论已有研究的局限性或不确定性，展望未来研究的重点方向。近10年来，蚯蚓等代表性土壤动物类群的全球分布研究取得突破性进展；国内在研究尺度和采样密度上也有明显进步，尤其在蚯蚓和线虫相关研究上取得了系列成果。结果表明，土壤动物多样性随纬度变化模式主要有两种，即在低纬度的热带最高或在中纬度的温带最高；而土壤动物多度与多样性的变化可能存在同步、无明显关系、截然不同、甚至相反等多种关系；降雨、植物生产力和土壤有机质是土壤动物分布格局的关键驱动力，但其影响力因土壤动物类群不同而异。土壤动物具有改善土壤物理结构、促进养分循环和有机碳稳定、提高作物健康等功能，为了充分揭示土壤动物复杂的生态功能，土壤动物的多功能性评估方兴未艾，但仍面临诸多挑战。简单分析土壤动物随经纬度等的变化规律存在较大的局限性，应该考虑在基于地质-生态历史及经纬度-海拔-离海岸距离等构建的多维时空框架内，探究土壤动物分布特征及其驱动力。土壤动物分布格局对其潜在的生态功能有关键影响，但是土壤动物分布的预测和模拟仍主要依靠经验模型，代谢生态学等理论在土壤动物群落研究中的应用值得关注。探究分类学多样性的冗余机制，突出功能多样性，可以将生物多样性与生态功能更好地联系起来；而评估土壤动物多功能性需要在特定条件和时空下，从整个土壤食物网及其与植物的联系中理解土壤动物的多样性及其生态功能。建议未来关注两个研究方向：1）探究人类活动和气候变化给土壤动物多样性和生态功能带来的巨大不确定性；2）完善土壤动物群落特征预测的理论框架和开展土壤动物群落的精准调控，综合评价其多功能性，进而将土壤动物与人类福祉更紧密地联系起来。

物种概念(species concept)是生物学家们持续关注的中心问题。物种概念决定物种划分, 而物种划分的合理性关系到生物多样性的研究、保护和可持续利用。本文把现有较流行的物种概念分为6类, 并对它们予以述评后指出: 虽然生物学物种概念、遗传学物种概念、进化物种概念、系统发生物种概念等从不同方面认识了物种的客观真实性和物种的本质, 但在实践中都难以操作。绝大多数物种是由分类学家划分的, 但目前所有的分类学物种概念都包含有不同程度的主观因素, 从而造成物种划分的人为性, 对生物多样性研究造成负面影响。因此, 生物多样性事业需要科学、可操作的物种概念。本文在吸收了生物学物种概念、遗传学物种概念、进化物种概念以及系统发生物种概念等的长处, 也分析了它们的不足和问题的基础上提出一个新的物种概念, 即形态-生物学物种概念。最后, 以芍药属(Paeonia)几个物种的处理为例, 说明这一新的物种概念是可操作的, 划分的物种在形态上区别分明, 易于鉴别。更重要的是, 其结果得到基于25或26个单拷贝或寡拷贝核基因DNA序列所作的系统发生分析的强有力支持。各个物种在系统发生树上形成单系和独立的谱系, 表明其间各自形成独立的基因库, 没有基因交换, 它们独立进化, 有各自的生态位和独立的分布区。因此, 利用这一新的物种概念能够达到预期目标。

Ecologists and evolutionary biologists are increasingly using big-data approaches to tackle questions at large spatial, taxonomic, and temporal scales. However, despite recent efforts to gather two centuries of biodiversity inventories into comprehensive databases, many crucial research questions remain unanswered. Here, we update the concept of knowledge shortfalls and review the tradeoffs between generality and uncertainty. We present seven key shortfalls of current biodiversity data. Four previously proposed shortfalls pinpoint knowledge gaps for species taxonomy (Linnean), distribution (Wallacean), abundance (Prestonian), and evolutionary patterns (Darwinian). We also redefine the Hutchinsonian shortfall to apply to the abiotic tolerances of species and propose new shortfalls relating to limited knowledge of species traits (Raunkiaeran) and biotic interactions (Eltonian). We conclude with a general framework for the combined impacts and consequences of shortfalls of large-scale biodiversity knowledge for evolutionary and ecological research and consider ways of overcoming the seven shortfalls and dealing with the uncertainty they generate.

<p> <strong></strong> </p><p class="Abstract" style="text-align:justify;"> <p class="Abstract"> <span> <strong>Background &amp; Aims:</strong></span><span>Climate changeand biodiversity loss are two major changes that human society is experiencing.Climate change affects all aspects of biodiversity and is a major driver ofbiodiversity loss; in turn, biodiversity loss exacerbates climate change.Therefore, halting or even reversing climate change and biodiversity loss is aglobal issue that needs to be addressed by human society. However, we lack aclear understanding of the complex relationships and feedback mechanismsbetween climate change and biodiversity. Here, we summarize the research onclimate and biodiversity change in the last decade by focusing on studiesinvestigating the responses and feedback of biodiversity to climate change atdifferent organizational levels, spatial scales, and diversity dimensions.</span> </p> <p class="Abstract"> <span><strong>Progress:</strong></span><span> Our results showed thatmost studies focus on the direct impacts of climate change on biodiversity,involving different organizational levels and dimensions and trophic levels ofbiodiversity. Studies on the indirect impacts of climate change were rare, and we suggested that mechanistic studies needto be strengthened. The mechanisms and quantification of the effects ofbiodiversity on ecosystem multifunctionality were challenges for currentresearch. There was no consensus on how biodiversity contributes to ecosystemresponse to climate change; the positive and negative feedback effects ofbiodiversity in the context of climate change were a blind spot in domestic andinternational research.</span> </p> <p class="Abstract"> <span> <strong>Prospects:</strong></span><span>The future direction and key scientific issues thatneed to be solved in the field of climate change and biodiversity change arenumerous. We identify 4 main areas of future research: understanding (1) theimpacts of multi-factor climate change on biodiversity, (2) how mitigation andadaptation measures to climate change can benefit biodiversity conservation, (3)how the theory of biodiversity and ecosystem function can be applied to thereal-world ecosystems and (4) what is the contribution of biodiversityconservation to carbon neutrality goals.</span> </p></p><p> <br></p><p> <strong></strong><strong></strong> </p>

气候变化与生物多样性变化是人类社会正在经历的两大变化。气候变化影响生物多样性的方方面面, 是导致生物多样性丧失的一个主要驱动因子; 反过来, 生物多样性丧失会加剧气候变化。因此, 阻止甚至扭转气候变化和生物多样性丧失是当前人类社会亟需解决的全球性问题，但我们对气候变化与生物多样性之间的复杂关系和反馈机制尚缺乏清晰认识。本文总结了近年气候变化与生物多样性变化的研究进展, 重点概述了不同组织层次、空间尺度和维度的生物多样性对气候变化的响应和反馈等相关领域的研究进展和主要问题。结果发现多数研究关注气候变化对生物多样性的直接影响, 涉及到生物多样性的不同组织层次、维度和营养级, 但针对气候变化间接影响的研究仍然较少, 机理研究同样需要加强; 生物多样性对生态系统功能影响的环境依赖和尺度推演、生物多样性对生态系统多功能性的作用机理和量化方法是当前研究面临的挑战; 生物多样性对生态系统响应气候变化的作用机制尚无统一的认识; 生物多样性对气候变化的正、负反馈效应是国内外研究的盲点。最后, 本文展望了未来发展方向和需要解决的关键科学问题, 包括多因子气候变化对生物多样性的影响; 减缓和适应气候变化的措施如何惠益于生物多样性保护; 生物多样性与生态系统功能的理论如何应用到现实世界; 生物多样性保护对实现碳中和目标的贡献。

Population ecology is the most mature of the three subdisciplines of ecology partly because it has a solid mathematical foundation and partly because it can address the primary questions of distribution and abundance with experimental protocols. Yet there is much left to do to integrate our population knowledge into community and ecosystem ecology to help address the global issues of food security and the conservation of biodiversity. Many different approaches are now being developed to bring about this integration and much more research will be necessary to decide which if any will be most useful in achieving our goals of explaining the changes we see in the distribution and abundance of animals and plants. Food web ecology would appear to be the best approach at present because it uses the detailed information of the population ecology of particular species in combination with data on consumer-resource interactions to apply to the applied problems of biodiversity conservation, food security, pest management and disease prevention. If we can use our understanding of population ecology to address the practical problems of our time in a creative way, we will benefit both the human population and the Earth's biodiversity. Much remains to be done. © 2015 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

<p class="Abstract"> <strong><span>Background&amp; Aims:</span></strong><span>&nbsp;</span><span>Alienplant invasion has significantly threatened native biodiversity, ecologicalsecurity, socio-economic development, and human health. Consequently, exploringthe mechanisms of alien plant invasion and its ecological impacts are of greatimportance to the ecologically sustainable development of our country. Bothquestions are also key topics in the field of invasion ecology. Over the pastdecade, ecologists have conducted much research and achieved fruitful outcomes,providing theoretical guidance for the prevention and management of invasivealien plants and biodiversity conservation.&nbsp;</span></p><p class="Abstract"> <span style="font-weight:700;">Progresses:&nbsp;&nbsp;</span>Based on domestic and international studies inthis field over the past decade, the present article reviews the progress ofplant invasion ecology, focusing on the following three aspects of the field.First, we present the roles of species characteristics, biotic and abioticenvironments on alien plant invasion. Second, we review the impacts of alienplant invasion on native ecosystems. Third, we briefly introduce the term‘native plant invasion’ as an analog to alien plant invasion, as well asapplications of multi-omics technology in the area.<br><span> <p class="Abstract"> <strong>Prospects: </strong>The review looks ahead to further developments in invasion ecology,including that (1) multiple species experiments rather than single speciesexperiments are more suited to obtaining gerneralizable findings; (2) thegeographical scale is increasing, such as from local scale to latitudinalgradient pattern; (3) more studies are integrating multiple invasion theories,rather than one hypothesis, into a unified framework. </p></span></p>

外来植物入侵对本地生物多样性、生态安全、社会经济发展和人类健康造成了严重威胁。因此, 探究植物入侵机制及其生态效应对我国生态可持续发展具有重要意义, 也是植物入侵生态学的主要研究内容。过去10年, 生态学家开展了大量研究, 取得了丰硕成果, 为推动入侵植物防控与生物多样性保护提供了理论指导。为深入解析外来植物入侵机制, 为其防控管理提供依据, 本文从以下3个方面综述了植物入侵生态学重要进展: 首先是外来植物生物学特性、生物和非生物环境对植物入侵的调控作用; 其次是外来植物入侵对本地生态系统的影响; 最后介绍了外来植物入侵的类比研究范式——本地植物入侵, 以及多组学技术在入侵生态学研究中的应用。基于这些研究进展, 本文展望了该领域的未来发展趋势, 包括: (1)研究对象从单一物种扩展到多物种比较; (2)研究地理范围从局域尺度扩大到纬度梯度格局; (3)入侵机制从单一理论验证到综合阐释多个假说。

The species richness (diversity) of local plant and animal assemblages-biological communities-balances regional processes of species formation and geographic dispersal, which add species to communities, against processes of predation, competitive exclusion, adaptation, and stochastic variation, which may promote local extinction. During the past three decades, ecologists have sought to explain differences in local diversity by the influence of the physical environment on local interactions among species, interactions that are generally believed to limit the number of coexisting species. But diversity of the biological community often fails to converge under similar physical conditions, and local diversity bears a demonstrable dependence upon regional diversity. These observations suggest that regional and historical processes, as well as unique events and circumstances, profoundly influence local community structure. Ecologists must broaden their concepts of community processes and incorporate data from systematics, biogeography, and paleontology into analyses of ecological patterns and tests of community theory.

生物多样性是生态系统复杂性的重要特征, 理解多样性的形成和维持机制一直是理论生态学研究的核心议题。本文从三方面概述了生物多样性理论的最新进展。一是物种共存和群落构建, 总结了现代共存理论和基于过程的群落构建理论的新进展。二是物种相互作用, 综述了利用经验数据推断物种相互作用关系和强度的最新方法。三是生态-进化动态, 介绍了生态-进化模型的一般框架及其在生物多样性研究中的应用。最后对生物多样性理论的发展趋势做了展望, 特别是多尺度整合理论和全球变化下的预测理论。

As global biodiversity losses accelerate, there is increasing evidence shows that there may be negative impacts on ecosystem functioning, such as declines in plant primary productivity and imbalances in nutrient cycling. Thus, it is critical to understand the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF). However, ecosystems can provide multiple functions simultaneously (ecosystem multifunctionality, EMF). Since 2007, the quantification of relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality (BEMF) has generated additional questions and controversies, such as the lack of consensus in appropriate multifunctionality indices and uncertain trade-offs among ecosystem functions. In this review, we briefly summarize the history of BEMF studies and the methods of EMF quantification, then outline the mechanisms of EMF maintenance and current research progress. We emphasize the importance of optimizing EMF quantifications and investigating the relationship between different dimensions of biodiversity and EMF. We also provide suggestions and directions for future research on BEMF.

全球变化和人类活动引起的生物多样性丧失将会对生态系统功能产生诸多不利影响, 如生产力下降、养分循环失衡等。因此, 始于20世纪90年代的生物多样性与生态系统功能(biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, BEF)研究一直是生态学界关注的热点。然而, 随着研究的深入, 人们逐步认识到生态系统并非仅仅提供单个生态系统功能, 而是能同时提供多个功能, 这一特性被称之为&#x0201c;生态系统多功能性&#x0201d; (ecosystem multifunctionality, EMF)。尽管有此认识, 但直到2007年, 研究者才开始定量描述生物多样性与生态系统多功能性(biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality, BEMF)的关系。目前, BEMF研究已成为生态学研究的一个重要议题, 但仍存在很多问题和争议, 如缺少公认的多功能性测度标准、生态系统不同功能之间的权衡问题等。本文概述了BEMF研究的发展历程、常用的量化方法、EMF的维持机制和不同研究视角下BEMF的关系。针对现有研究中的不足, 本文还总结了需要进一步深入研究的地方, 特别强调了优化EMF测度方法和研究不同维度生物多样性与EMF间关系的重要性, 以期对未来的BEMF研究有所帮助。

<p class="Abstract"> <strong>Aims: </strong>Wild Plants with Extremely Small Populations (WPESP)are plant species with high risk of extinction that are in urgent need ofconservation. This concept has become a hotspot of biodiversity conservation inChina since it was first proposed. In 2010, China officially launched theImplementation Plan of Rescuing and Conserving China’s WPESP (2011–2015), whichinitiated conservation research efforts and achieved successful progress.<br><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a topic search onWeb of Science and on China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) with“extremely small population*” and “plant” as the search terms. We reviewed theresearch results and achievements from academic papers, dissertations, andconference papers in order to evaluate the conservation of WPESP in China. <br><strong>Results: </strong>WPESPresearch provides an important theoretical basis to guide conservationpractice. We systematically reviewed research on the conservation of WPESP inrecent years from six aspects: (1) the survey and monitoring of population,community and habitat, (2) adaptation, (3) genetic diversity, (4) reproductivebiology, (5) endangered mechanisms, and (6) dynamic models. In this paper, wereviewed WPESP conservation progress from five aspects: (1) <i>in situ</i> conservation, (2) <i>ex situ</i> conservation and germplasm conservation, (3)reintroduction, (4) artificial propagation, and (5) technical regulation systemconstruction. We also proposed several priorities for future conservationresearch. <br><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Based on current theoretical and practicalresearch, we propose five priorities for future conservation research of WPESPin China. We suggest that the conservation list should be adjusted and improvedperiodically. Researchers should highlight the observation and prediction ofpopulation structure, reinforce research on the formation and recoverymechanisms of small populations and conduct long-term systematic studies ofspecific species. The WPESP concept should be promoted at international levelsto increase its influence. We hope this review may provide a reference fornational biodiversity protection and ecological civilization construction.</p>

极小种群野生植物大都分布范围狭窄、个体数量稀少且自然更新困难, 面临随时灭绝的风险, 迫切需要拯救性保护。极小种群野生植物这一概念自提出以来受到了保护生物学领域的广泛关注, 已成为当前中国生物多样性保护的一个热点方向。我国于2010年正式启动实施极小种群野生植物拯救保护工程, 并开展了大量的保护研究和实践。以“extremely small population*”和“plant”为检索词在Web of Science进行了主题检索, 以“极小种群”和“植物”为检索词在中国知网进行了主题检索, 对获取的的学术期刊论文、学位论文和会议论文进行了梳理。本文从极小种群野生植物种群、群落及生境调查与监测、适应性、遗传多样性、繁殖生物学、濒危机制、动态模型6个方面对近年来极小种群野生植物的理论研究工作进行了较为系统的综述。在此基础上, 从就地保护、迁地保护与种质资源保存、野外回归、人工繁育、标准化体系5个方面, 回顾了极小种群野生植物保护实践及取得的进展。基于极小种群野生植物保护理论与实践研究现状, 我们建议在极小种群野生植物未来保护工作中不断调整和完善保护名录, 加强种群结构的观测和预测、小种群形成和恢复机制的针对性研究以及特定物种的长期系统性研究, 同时注意推进这一概念在国际上的推广。希望本文能为国家生物多样性保护和生态文明建设提供参考。

The origin and evolution of biodiversity is one of the most attractivescientific questions of the nature. With the accumulation of multi-omics dataand the development of related analysis techniques, our understanding of thisproblem has been deepened gradually, with new meanings assigned to it. On theoccasion of the 30th Anniversary of the launch of Biodiversity, this papersystematically reviews the important progress in the field of biodiversity(e.g. the re-construction of “Tree of Life”, the spatiotemporal distributionpattern of biodiversity, the concepts of species and speciation, and the originand diversification of new characters) in the past decade. We believe that moreaccurate reconstruction of the “Tree of Life”, in-depth mining of genomic data,and multidisciplinary integration will be the main trends in the future.

生物多样性的起源与进化是自然界最具吸引力的科学问题之一。随着多组学数据的积累和相关分析技术的发展, 人们对该问题的理解逐渐深入, 不断赋予其新的内涵。值此《生物多样性》创刊三十周年之际, 本文系统评述生物多样性研究领域最近十年在“生命之树”重建、生物多样性时空分布格局、物种概念与物种形成以及新性状起源与多样化等方面的重要进展。我们认为, 更精准地重建“生命之树”、深入挖掘基因组数据以及多学科交叉融合将是今后研究的主要趋势。

High-quality biodiversity data are the scientific basis for understanding the origin and maintenance of biodiversity and dealing with its extinction risk. Currently, we identify at least seven knowledge shortfalls or gaps in biodiversity science, including the lack of knowledge on species descriptions, species geographic distributions, species abundance and population dynamics, evolutional history, functional traits, interactions between species and the abiotic environment, and biotic interactions. The arrival of the current era of big data offers a potential solution to address these shortfalls. Big data mining and its applications have recently become the frontier of biodiversity science and macroecology. It is a challenge for ecologists to utilize and effectively analyze the ever-growing quantity of biodiversity data. In this paper, I review several biodiversity-related studies over global, continental, and regional scales, and demonstrate how big data approaches are used to address biodiversity questions. These examples include forest cover changes, conservation ecology, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and the effect of climate change on biodiversity. Furthermore, I summarize the current challenges facing biodiversity data collection, data processing and data analysis, and discuss potential applications of big data approaches in the fields of biodiversity science and macroecology.

高质量的生物多样性数据是认知生物多样性的起源和维持机制及应对其丧失风险的科学基础。当前, 在新物种发现、已知物种的地理分布、种群数量与时空动态、物种进化史、功能性状、物种与环境之间以及物种与物种之间的相互作用等7个方面都存在着知识上的空缺。大数据时代的到来为弥补这些知识空缺提供了可能,大数据的挖掘及其应用最近已成为国际生物多样性与宏生态学研究的前沿内容。如何有效地利用和分析不断增长的生物多样性大数据是生物多样性研究面临的一个极大挑战。本文通过全球、大陆和区域尺度上的研究案例展示了大数据在生物多样性研究中应用的新进展, 内容涉及森林覆盖变化、保护生态学、生物多样性与生态系统功能、气候变化对生物多样性的影响等。最后, 对大数据在生物多样性研究中存在的数据采集、处理和分析等方面的问题进行了总结, 并对其潜在应用前景进行了探讨。