Effects of multiple stressors on the dimensionality of ecological stability

Abstract

Ecological stability is a multidimensional construct. Investigating multiple stability dimensions is key to understand how ecosystems respond to disturbance. Here, we evaluated the single and combined effects of common agricultural stressors (insecticide, herbicide and nutrients) on four dimensions of stability (resistance, resilience, recovery and invariability) and on the overall dimensionality of stability (DS) using the results of a freshwater mesocosm experiment. Functional recovery and resilience to pesticides were enhanced in nutrient-enriched systems, whereas compositional recovery was generally not achieved. Pesticides did not affect compositional DS, whereas functional DS was significantly increased by the insecticide only in non-enriched systems. Stressor interactions acted non-additively on single stability dimensions as well as on functional DS. Moreover we demonstrate that pesticides can modify the correlation between functional and compositional aspects of stability. Our study shows that different disturbance types, and their interactions, require specific management actions to promote ecosystem stability.