The research article titled "Biodiversity Enhances Pond Ecosystem Multifunctionality Across Europe", co-authored by Prof. Dr. Meryem Beklioğlu (faculty member at the METU Department of Biological Sciences and Director of the Ecosystem Research Center - EKOSAM) and Feride Avcı (researcher at the METU Limnology Laboratory), was published in Nature Ecology & Evolution on October 14, 2026.
Conducted within the framework of the EU Horizon 2020-supported PONDERFUL project, in which METU is a partner, the study investigated a total of 206 ponds across seven European countries: Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey. The field coordination for the 29 ponds surveyed in Turkey was led by Prof. Dr. Beklioğlu and Avcı.
The study examined the relationships between the diversity of aquatic plants, zooplankton, aquatic invertebrates, and amphibians, and multiple ecosystem functions such as methane emissions, primary production, and biomass. Findings revealed a positive relationship between biodiversity and the capacity of ponds to sustain multiple ecosystem functions, a pattern that tended to be stronger in arid regions. Notably, zooplankton diversity demonstrated a particularly strong link to ecosystem multifunctionality, while elevated nutrient concentrations associated with agricultural runoff showed negative impacts. The study emphasizes that preserving biodiversity and mitigating nutrient pollution must be addressed concurrently in pond conservation and restoration strategies.
Full Article: Access the full paper on Nature Ecology & Evolution