Meta-Analysis. Its Vital Role in Biodiversity Studies

Résumé ou Introduction

In this synthesis paper, three articles relating to meta-analysis are presented. Meta-analysis is a term widely used in statistics which refers to the combined analysis of a range of individual studies that provide better and global insight of the problem being investigated. In the first article, published studies were compiled that explicitly manipulated soil biodiversity and measured responses of soil C cycling pools and/or processes. Using meta-analysis and regression analysis, it is shown that loss of soil biodiversity can have negative consequences for the soil carbon (C) cycle, significantly reduces plant tissue composition, soil respiration and litter decomposition. Second, meta-analysis has also helped the researchers to elucidate that “LOGDIST” was the main explanatory variable for the decline in abundance of bird populations due to infrastructure. Mammal and bird population densities declined with their proximity to infrastructure. Lastly, meta-analysis further showed that global mean temperature increases of more than 2oC above pre-industrial levels significantly affect local species richness. The resulting meta-model can be used for future biodiversity assessment to prevent further loss and degradation.