Human appropriation of net primary production and species diversity in agricultural landscapes

The relationship between land-use induced changes in production ecology and species diversity was analyzed based on a transect of 38 squares (600 m×600 m) in landscapes of eastern Austria. “Human appropriation of net primary production” (=HANPP=potential NPP−NPPt), actual NPP (NPPact), harvest (NPPh) and NPPt (=NPPact−harvest) were calculated, considering aboveground processes only. HANPP is an indicator of changes in the production ecology induced by land-use which takes ecosystem productivity and harvest into account. NPPact, NPPt, and HANPP were correlated with data on species richness of vascular plants, bryophytes, orthopterans, gastropods, spiders, ants, and ground beetles. NPPact and HANPP were inversely correlated with species diversity, whereas NPPt was positively correlated with species diversity. Results were compatible with the species-energy hypothesis which predicts a positive relationship between energy flow and species diversity. The analysis of the relationship between HANPP and species diversity may yield results that are relevant in terms of ecological theory and biodiversity conservation.