Eat or be eaten

Aerial photo of the Jena Experiment in 2016 - In the year 2002, plant communities based on a species pool of 60 species were sown to measure and compare flows in biogeochemical cycles and the interactions between organisms. Image: The Jena Experiment Biodiversity increases the efficiency of energy use in grasslands Plants obtain their energy from the sun. Other beings rely on eating to survive. Yet how does the energy flow inside ecosystems function and are there differences between ecosystems with many species in comparison to those with few species' Researchers have now examined these questions using a holistic approach by evaluating data gathered through a large-scale biodiversity experiment. For the first time, they did not just investigate one feeding type such as herbivores but the integrated feeding relationships across an entire ecosystem. Previous research examining the effects of biodiversity on the functioning of ecosystems focused mainly on single feeding levels (trophic levels) or simplified food chains. ,,We have analyzed an entire feeding network - in other words, multitrophic interactions - above and belowground.