Observational evidence that diversity may increase productivity in Mediterranean shrublands

This paper reports field observational evidence on the diversity-biomass pr oduction relationship from eastern Mediterranean shrublands dominated by Ci stus salviifolius. The main results are: (1) plant diversity and ecosystem primary production are positively correlated in the Cistus shrublands, whic h are multi-growth form systems; (2) the taxonomic and growth form diversit y in Cistus shrublands suggests that there is strong differentiation along the structural niche axis; and thus functional redundancy is weak; (3) the performance of the dominant Cistus in terms of biomass production did not a ffect the overall diversity-biomass production of the studied communities.