Hump hypothesis loses ground in biomass research

Western Farm Press
Iowa State University
Sep. 22, 2011 3:29pm

For decades, scientists have believed that a relationship exists between how much biomass plant species produce and how many species can coexist.

This idea comes from a 1970s study that showed as plant biomass produced - called plant productivity - in a system increased, so did the number of plant species - referred to as plant richness - to a point. After that point, the number of plant species is thought to decline.

When plotted on a graph, the resulting line forms a hump shape, with maximum species richness occurring at the point of intermediate productivity.

Now it's time to get over the hump, according to new research in the current issue of the journal Science.

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