Liang, JingjingCrowther, Thomas WPicard, NicolasWiser, SusanZhou, MoAlberti, GiorgioSchulze, Ernst-DetlefMcGuire, A DavidBozzato, FabioPretzsch, Hansde-Miguel, SergioPaquette, AlainHérault, BrunoScherer-Lorenzen, MichaelBarrett, Christopher BGlick, Henry BHengeveld, Geerten MNabuurs, Gert-JanPfautsch, SebastianViana, HelderVibrans, Alexander CAmmer, ChristianSchall, PeterVerbyla, DavidTchebakova, NadjaFischer, MarkusWatson, James VChen, Han Y HLei, XiangdongSchelhaas, Mart-JanLu, HuicuiGianelle, DamianoParfenova, Elena ISalas, ChristianLee, EungulLee, BoknamKim, Hyun SeokBruelheide, HelgeCoomes, David APiotto, DanielSunderland, TerrySchmid, BernhardGourlet-Fleury, SylvieSonké, BonaventureTavani, RebeccaZhu, JunBrandl, SusanneVayreda, JordiKitahara, FumiakiSearle, Eric BNeldner, Victor JNgugi, Michael RBaraloto, ChristopherFrizzera, LorenzoBałazy, RadomirOleksyn, JacekZawiła-Niedźwiecki, TomaszBouriaud, OlivierBussotti, FilippoFinér, LeenaJaroszewicz, BogdanJucker, TommasoValladares, FernandoJagodzinski, Andrzej MPeri, Pablo LGonmadje, ChristelleMarthy, WilliamO'Brien, TimothyMartin, Emanuel HMarshall, Andrew RRovero, FrancescoBitariho, RobertNiklaus, Pascal AAlvarez-Loayza, PatriciaChamuya, NurdinValencia, RenatoMortier, FrédéricWortel, VerginiaEngone-Obiang, Nestor LFerreira, Leandro VOdeke, David EVasquez, Rodolfo MLewis, Simon LReich, Peter B2017-05-152017-05-152016-10-14Liang, J., Crowther, T. W., Picard, N., Wiser, S., Zhou, M., Alberti, G., ... Reich, P. B. (2016). Positive biodiversity-productivity relationship predominant in global forests. Science, 354, 196. doi: 10.1126/science.aaf8957http://hdl.handle.net/10400.19/4589The biodiversity-productivity relationship (BPR) is foundational to our understanding of the global extinction crisis and its impacts on ecosystem functioning. Understanding BPR is critical for the accurate valuation and effective conservation of biodiversity. Using ground-sourced data from 777,126 permanent plots, spanning 44 countries and most terrestrial biomes, we reveal a globally consistent positive concave-down BPR, showing that continued biodiversity loss would result in an accelerating decline in forest productivity worldwide. The value of biodiversity in maintaining commercial forest productivity alone-US$166 billion to 490 billion per year according to our estimation-is more than twice what it would cost to implement effective global conservation. This highlights the need for a worldwide reassessment of biodiversity values, forest management strategies, and conservation priorities.engjournal article10.1126/science.aaf8957