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Liu S, Plaza C, Ochoa-Hueso R, Trivedi C, Wang J, Trivedi P, Zhou G, Piñeiro J, Martins CSC, Singh BK, Delgado-Baquerizo M. Litter and soil biodiversity jointly drive ecosystem functions. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:6276-6285. [PMID: 37578170 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
The decomposition of litter and the supply of nutrients into and from the soil are two fundamental processes through which the above- and belowground world interact. Microbial biodiversity, and especially that of decomposers, plays a key role in these processes by helping litter decomposition. Yet the relative contribution of litter diversity and soil biodiversity in supporting multiple ecosystem services remains virtually unknown. Here we conducted a mesocosm experiment where leaf litter and soil biodiversity were manipulated to investigate their influence on plant productivity, litter decomposition, soil respiration, and enzymatic activity in the littersphere. We showed that both leaf litter diversity and soil microbial diversity (richness and community composition) independently contributed to explain multiple ecosystem functions. Fungal saprobes community composition was especially important for supporting ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF), plant production, litter decomposition, and activity of soil phosphatase when compared with bacteria or other fungal functional groups and litter species richness. Moreover, leaf litter diversity and soil microbial diversity exerted previously undescribed and significantly interactive effects on EMF and multiple individual ecosystem functions, such as litter decomposition and plant production. Together, our work provides experimental evidence supporting the independent and interactive roles of litter and belowground soil biodiversity to maintain ecosystem functions and multiple services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengen Liu
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Plateau Wetland Conservation, Restoration and Ecological Services, Kunming, China
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - César Plaza
- Instituto de Ciencias Agrarias (ICA), CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Raúl Ochoa-Hueso
- Department of Biology, IVAGRO, University of Cádiz, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Agroalimentario (CeiA3), Cádiz, Spain
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Chanda Trivedi
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Juntao Wang
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Pankaj Trivedi
- Microbiome Network and Department of Agricultural Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Guiyao Zhou
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Juan Piñeiro
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
- ETSI Montes, Forestal y del Medio Natural, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Catarina S C Martins
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Brajesh K Singh
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
- Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo
- Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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2
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Molleman F, Rossignol N, Ponge JF, Peres G, Cluzeau D, Ruiz-Camacho N, Cortet J, Pernin C, Villenave C, Prinzing A. Why phylogenetic signal of traits is important in ecosystems: uniformity of a plant trait increases soil fauna, but only in a phylogenetically uniform vegetation. Oecologia 2023; 202:175-191. [PMID: 37204497 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05384-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Phylogenetically closely related plant species often share similar trait states (phylogenetic signal), but local assembly may favor dissimilar relatives and thereby decouple the diversity of a trait from the diversity of phylogenetic lineages. Associated fauna might either benefit from plant trait diversity, because it provides them complementary resources, or suffer from it due to dilution of preferred resources. We hence hypothesize that decoupling of trait and phylogenetic diversity weakens the relationship between the plant-trait diversity and the abundance and diversity of associated fauna. Studying permanent meadows, we tested for combined effects of plant phylogenetic diversity and diversity of two functional traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content) on major groups of soil fauna (earthworms, mites, springtails, nematodes). We found that only in phylogenetically uniform plant communities, was uniformity in the functional traits associated with (i) high abundance in springtails, and (ii) high abundance of the sub-group that feeds more directly on plant material (in springtails and mites) or those that are more prone to disturbance (in nematodes), and (iii) high diversity in all three groups tested (springtails, earthworms, nematodes). Our results suggest that soil fauna profits from the resource concentration in local plant communities that are uniform in both functional traits and phylogenetic lineages. Soil fauna would hence benefit from co-occurrence of closely related plants that have conserved the same trait values, rather than of distantly related plants that have converged in traits. This might result in faster decomposition and a positive feedback between trait conservatism and ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Molleman
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań, Ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
| | - N Rossignol
- Université de Rennes 1/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Research Unit 'Ecobio-Ecosystèmes, Biodiversité, Evolution', Campus Beaulieu, Bâtiment 14 A, 35042, Rennes, France
| | - J F Ponge
- Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS UMR 7179, 4 avenue du Petit Château, 91800, Brunoy, France
| | - G Peres
- UMR SAS INRAE Institut Agro Rennes-Angers, 65 Rue de St-Brieuc, 35042, Rennes, France
| | - D Cluzeau
- Université de Rennes 1/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Research Unit 'Ecobio-Ecosystemes, Biodiversite, Evolution', Station Biologique, 35380, Paimpont, France
| | - N Ruiz-Camacho
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche, 50, avenue Daumesnil, 75012, Paris, France
| | - J Cortet
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3, Université de Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, Route de Mende, 34199, Montpellier, France
| | - C Pernin
- Université de Lille, Institut Mines-Télécom, Université Artois, Junia, ULR 4515-LGCgE, Laboratoire de Génie Civil et geo-Environnement, 59000, Lille, France
| | - C Villenave
- ELISOL environnement, ZA des Tourels, 10 avenue du midi, 30111, Congénies, France
| | - A Prinzing
- Université de Rennes 1/Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Research Unit 'Ecobio-Ecosystèmes, Biodiversité, Evolution', Campus Beaulieu, Bâtiment 14 A, 35042, Rennes, France
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3
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Kriegel P, Vogel S, Angeleri R, Baldrian P, Borken W, Bouget C, Brin A, Bussler H, Cocciufa C, Feldmann B, Gossner MM, Haeler E, Hagge J, Hardersen S, Hartmann H, Hjältén J, Kotowska MM, Lachat T, Larrieu L, Leverkus AB, Macagno ALM, Mitesser O, Müller J, Obermaier E, Parisi F, Pelz S, Schuldt B, Seibold S, Stengel E, Sverdrup-Thygeson A, Weisser W, Thorn S. Ambient and substrate energy influence decomposer diversity differentially across trophic levels. Ecol Lett 2023. [PMID: 37156097 DOI: 10.1111/ele.14227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The species-energy hypothesis predicts increasing biodiversity with increasing energy in ecosystems. Proxies for energy availability are often grouped into ambient energy (i.e., solar radiation) and substrate energy (i.e., non-structural carbohydrates or nutritional content). The relative importance of substrate energy is thought to decrease with increasing trophic level from primary consumers to predators, with reciprocal effects of ambient energy. Yet, empirical tests are lacking. We compiled data on 332,557 deadwood-inhabiting beetles of 901 species reared from wood of 49 tree species across Europe. Using host-phylogeny-controlled models, we show that the relative importance of substrate energy versus ambient energy decreases with increasing trophic levels: the diversity of zoophagous and mycetophagous beetles was determined by ambient energy, while non-structural carbohydrate content in woody tissues determined that of xylophagous beetles. Our study thus overall supports the species-energy hypothesis and specifies that the relative importance of ambient temperature increases with increasing trophic level with opposite effects for substrate energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kriegel
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilians University Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
| | - Sebastian Vogel
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilians University Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
- Bavarian Environment Agency, Biodiversitätszentrum Rhön, Bischofsheim in der Rhön, Germany
| | - Romain Angeleri
- School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, Zollikofen, Switzerland
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution IEE - Conservation Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Petr Baldrian
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Praha 4, Czech Republic
| | - Werner Borken
- Department for Soil Ecology, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Christophe Bouget
- French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment INRAE, 'Forest Ecosystems' Research Unit, Nogent-sur-Vernisson, France
| | - Antoine Brin
- University of Toulouse, Engineering School of Purpan, UMR 1201 INRAE-INPT DYNAFOR, Toulouse, France
| | | | - Cristiana Cocciufa
- Arma dei Carabinieri CUFA, Projects, Conventions, Environmental Education Office, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Martin M Gossner
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Elena Haeler
- School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, Zollikofen, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Forest Growth, Silviculture and Genetics, Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests Natural Hazards and Landscape BFW, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jonas Hagge
- Forest Nature Conservation, Northwest German Forest Research Institute, Hann. Münden, Germany
- Department for Forest Nature Conservation, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sönke Hardersen
- Reparto Carabinieri Biodiversità di Verona, Centro Nazionale Carabinieri Biodiversità "Bosco Fontana", Marmirolo, Italy
| | - Henrik Hartmann
- Department of Biogeochemical Processes, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany
- Julius Kühn Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Forest Protection, Quedlinburg, Germany
| | - Joakim Hjältén
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Martyna M Kotowska
- Department of Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, Georg-August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Thibault Lachat
- School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, Zollikofen, Switzerland
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Laurent Larrieu
- University of Toulouse, INRAE, UMR 1201 DYNAFOR, Castanet-Tolosan, France
- CNPF-CRPF Occitanie, Auzeville-Tolosane, France
| | | | - Anna L M Macagno
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Indiana, Bloomington, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Biostatistics Consulting Center, Indiana University, Indiana, Bloomington, USA
| | - Oliver Mitesser
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilians University Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
| | - Jörg Müller
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilians University Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
- Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Obermaier
- Ecological-Botanical Garden of the University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Francesco Parisi
- Department of Bioscience and Territory, Università degli Studi del Molise, Pesche, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Stefan Pelz
- Institute for Applied Science, University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg, Rottenburg, Germany
| | - Bernhard Schuldt
- Chair of Forest Botany, Institute of Forest Botany and Forest Zoology, Technical University of Dresden, Tharandt, Germany
- Chair of Ecophysiology and Vegetation Ecology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Seibold
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Research Group, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Berchtesgaden National Park, Berchtesgaden, Germany
- Technische Universität Dresden, Forest Zoology, Tharandt, Germany
| | - Elisa Stengel
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilians University Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
| | - Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management (MINA), Norwegian University of Life Sciences NMBU, Ås, Norway
| | - Wolfgang Weisser
- Department for Life Science Systems, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Simon Thorn
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology (Zoology III), Julius Maximilians University Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
- Hessian Agency for Nature Conservation, Environment and Geology, Biodiversity Center, Gießen, Germany
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology Centre, Institute of Entomology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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4
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Njoroge DM, Dossa GGO, Ye L, Lin X, Schaefer D, Tomlinson K, Zuo J, Cornelissen JHC. Fauna access outweighs litter mixture effect during leaf litter decomposition. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160190. [PMID: 36402317 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Decomposition rates of litter mixtures reflect the combined effects of litter species diversity, litter quality, decomposers, their interactions with each other and with the environment. The outcomes of those interactions remain ambiguous and past studies have reported conflicting results (e.g., litter mixture richness effects). To date, how litter diversity and soil fauna interactions shape litter mixture decomposition remains poorly understood. Through a sixteen month long common garden litter decomposition experiment, we tested these interaction effects using litterbags of three mesh sizes (micromesh, mesomesh, and macromesh) to disentangle the contributions of different fauna groups categorized by their size at Wuhan botanical garden (subtropical climate). We examined the decomposition of five single commonly available species litters and their full 26 mixtures combination spanning from 2 to 5 species. In total, 2325 litterbags were incubated at the setup of the experiment and partly harvested after 1, 3, 6, 9, and 16 months after exposure to evaluate the mass loss and the combined effects of soil fauna and litter diversity. We predicted that litter mixture effects should increase with increased litter quality dissimilarity, and soil fauna should enhance litter (both single species litter and litter mixtures) decomposition rate. Litter mass loss ranged from 26.9 % to 87.3 %. Soil fauna access to litterbags accelerated mass loss by 29.8 % on average. The contribution of soil mesofauna did not differ from that of soil meso- and macrofauna. Incubation duration and its interactions with litter quality dissimilarities together with soil fauna determined the litter mixture effect. Furthermore, the litter mixture effect weakened as the decomposition progresses. Faunal contribution was broadly additive to the positive mixture effect irrespective of litter species richness or litter dissimilarity. This implies that combining the dissimilarity of mixture species and contributions of different soil fauna provides a more comprehensive understanding of mixed litter decomposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Mburu Njoroge
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China; Sino-Africa Joint Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Gbadamassi G O Dossa
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan 666303, China; Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, Menglun 666303, China.
| | - Luping Ye
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; University of Chinese Academy of sciences (UCAS), Beijing 100049, China
| | - Douglas Schaefer
- Centre for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Kyle Tomlinson
- Center for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Menglun, Yunnan 666303, China
| | - Juan Zuo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Center of Plant Ecology, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, Menglun 666303, China.
| | - Johannes H C Cornelissen
- Systems Ecology, A-LIFE, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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5
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Plant Litter from Rare Species Increases Functional Diversity and Decomposition of Species Mixtures. Ecosystems 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-022-00740-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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6
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Wambsganss J, Freschet GT, Beyer F, Bauhus J, Scherer-Lorenzen M. Tree Diversity, Initial Litter Quality, and Site Conditions Drive Early-Stage Fine-Root Decomposition in European Forests. Ecosystems 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-021-00728-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AbstractDecomposition of dead fine roots contributes significantly to nutrient cycling and soil organic matter stabilization. Most knowledge of tree fine-root decomposition stems from studies in monospecific stands or single-species litter, although most forests are mixed. Therefore, we assessed how tree species mixing affects fine-root litter mass loss and which role initial litter quality and environmental factors play. For this purpose, we determined fine-root decomposition of 13 common tree species in four European forest types ranging from boreal to Mediterranean climates. Litter incubations in 315 tree neighborhoods allowed for separating the effects of litter species from environmental influences and litter mixing (direct) from tree diversity (indirect). On average, mass loss of mixed-species litter was higher than those of single-species litter in monospecific neighborhoods. This was mainly attributable to indirect diversity effects, that is, alterations in microenvironmental conditions as a result of tree species mixing, rather than direct diversity effects, that is, litter mixing itself. Tree species mixing effects were relatively weak, and initial litter quality and environmental conditions were more important predictors of fine-root litter mass loss than tree diversity. We showed that tree species mixing can alter fine-root litter mass loss across large environmental gradients, but these effects are context-dependent and of moderate importance compared to environmental influences. Interactions between species identity and site conditions need to be considered to explain diversity effects on fine-root decomposition.
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7
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Rubio-Ríos J, Pérez J, Salinas MJ, Fenoy E, López-Rojo N, Boyero L, Casas JJ. Key plant species and detritivores drive diversity effects on instream leaf litter decomposition more than functional diversity: A microcosm study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 798:149266. [PMID: 34340079 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic impacts on freshwater ecosystems cause critical losses of biodiversity that can in turn impair key processes such as decomposition and nutrient cycling. Forest streams are mainly subsidized by terrestrial organic detritus, so their functioning and conservation status can be altered by changes in forest biodiversity and composition, particularly if these changes involve the replacement of functional groups or the loss of key species. We examined this issue using a microcosm experiment where we manipulated plant functional diversity (FD) (monocultures and low-FD and high-FD mixtures, resulting from different combinations of deciduous and evergreen Quercus species) and the presence of a key species (Alnus glutinosa), all in presence and absence of detritivores, and assessed effects on litter decomposition, nutrient cycling, and fungal and detritivore biomass. We found (i) positive diversity effects on detritivore-mediated decomposition, litter nutrient losses and detritivore biomass exclusively when A. glutinosa was present; and (ii) negative effects on the same processes when microbially mediated and on fungal biomass. Most positive trends could be explained by the higher litter palatability and litter trait variability obtained with the inclusion of alder leaves in the mixture. Our results support the hypothesis of a consistent slowing down of the decomposition process as a result of plant biodiversity loss, and hence effects on stream ecosystem functioning, especially when a key (N-fixing) species is lost; and underscore the importance of detritivores as drivers of plant diversity effects in the studied ecosystem processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Rubio-Ríos
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almeria (UAL), 04120 Almería, Spain; Andalusian Centre for the Evaluation and Monitoring of Global Change, CAESCG, Almería, Spain.
| | - J Pérez
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - M J Salinas
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almeria (UAL), 04120 Almería, Spain; Andalusian Centre for the Evaluation and Monitoring of Global Change, CAESCG, Almería, Spain
| | - E Fenoy
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almeria (UAL), 04120 Almería, Spain; Andalusian Centre for the Evaluation and Monitoring of Global Change, CAESCG, Almería, Spain
| | - N López-Rojo
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain
| | - L Boyero
- Department of Plant Biology and Ecology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48940 Leioa, Spain; IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - J J Casas
- Department of Biology and Geology, University of Almeria (UAL), 04120 Almería, Spain; Andalusian Centre for the Evaluation and Monitoring of Global Change, CAESCG, Almería, Spain
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8
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Semchenko M, Xue P, Leigh T. Functional diversity and identity of plant genotypes regulate rhizodeposition and soil microbial activity. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 232:776-787. [PMID: 34235741 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding of the linkages between plant diversity and soil carbon and nutrient cycling is primarily derived from studies at the species level, while the importance and mechanisms of diversity effects at the genotype level are poorly understood. Here we examine how genotypic diversity and identity, and associated variation in functional traits, within a common grass species, Anthoxanthum odoratum, modified rhizodeposition, soil microbial activity and litter decomposition. Root litter quality was not significantly affected by plant genotypic diversity, but decomposition was enhanced in soils with the legacy of higher genotypic diversity. Plant genotypic diversity and identity modified rhizodeposition and associated microbial activity via two independent pathways. Plant genotypic diversity enhanced soil functioning via positive effects on variation in specific leaf area and total rhizodeposition. Genotype identity affected both rhizodeposit quantity and quality, and these effects were mediated by differences in mean specific leaf area, shoot mass and plant height. Rhizodeposition was more strongly predicted by aboveground than belowground traits, suggesting strong linkages between photosynthesis and root exudation. Our study demonstrates that functional diversity and identity of plant genotypes modulates belowground carbon supply and quality, representing an important but overlooked pathway by which biodiversity affects ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Semchenko
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai 40, Tartu, 51005, Estonia
| | - Piao Xue
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
- Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan
| | - Tomas Leigh
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
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9
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Gogo S, Leroy F, Zocatelli R, Jacotot A, Laggoun‐Défarge F. Determinism of nonadditive litter mixture effect on decomposition: Role of the moisture content of litters. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:9530-9542. [PMID: 34306640 PMCID: PMC8293766 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms behind the plant litter mixture effect on decomposition are still difficult to disentangle. To tackle this issue, we used a model that specifically addresses the role of the litter moisture content. Our model predicts that when two litters interact in terms of water flow, the difference of evaporation rate between two litters can trigger a nonadditive mixture effect on decomposition. Water flows from the wettest to the driest litter, changing the reaction rates without changing the overall litter water content. The reaction rate of the litter receiving the water increases relatively more than the decrease in the reaction rate of the litter supplying the water, leading to a synergistic effect. Such water flow can keep the microbial biomass of both litter in a water content domain suitable to maintain decomposition activity. When applied to experimental data (Sphagnum rubellum and Molinia caerulea litters), the model is able to assess whether any nonadditive effect originates from water content variation alone or whether other factors have to be taken into account.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fabien Leroy
- Univ. Orléans, CNRS, BRGM, ISTO, UMR 7327OrléansFrance
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10
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Plazas‐Jiménez D, Cianciaruso MV. Leaf decomposition depends on nutritional trait values but increasing trait variability does not always increase decomposition efficiency. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Plazas‐Jiménez
- Programa de Pós‐Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Univ. Federal de Goiás Goiânia Goiás Brasil
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11
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Warming and leaf litter functional diversity, not litter quality, drive decomposition in a freshwater ecosystem. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20333. [PMID: 33230213 PMCID: PMC7684280 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-77382-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Environment, litter composition and decomposer community are known to be the main drivers of litter decomposition in aquatic ecosystems. However, it remains unclear whether litter quality or functional diversity prevails under warming conditions. Using tank bromeliad ecosystems, we evaluated the combined effects of warming, litter quality and litter functional diversity on the decomposition process. We also assessed the contribution of macroinvertebrates and microorganisms in explaining litter decomposition patterns using litter bags made with different mesh sizes. Our results showed that litter decomposition was driven by litter functional diversity and was increasingly higher under warming, in both mesh sizes. Decomposition was explained by increasing litter dissimilarities in C and N. Our results highlight the importance of considering different aspects of litter characteristics (e.g., quality and functional diversity) in order to predict the decomposition process in freshwater ecosystems. Considering the joint effect of warming and litter traits aspects allow a more refined understanding of the underlying mechanisms of climate change and biodiversity shifts effects on ecosystem functioning.
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12
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Effects of two measures of riparian plant biodiversity on litter decomposition and associated processes in stream microcosms. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19682. [PMID: 33184346 PMCID: PMC7661703 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76656-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant litter decomposition is a key ecosystem process that can be altered by global changes such as biodiversity loss. These effects can be particularly important in detritus-based ecosystems, such as headwater streams, which are mainly fuelled by allochthonous plant litter inputs. However, experiments examining effects of plant diversity on litter decomposition in streams have not reached consensus about which measures of biodiversity are more relevant. We explored the influence of two of these measures, plant species richness (SR; monocultures vs. 3-species mixtures) and phylogenetic distance (PD; species belonging to the same family vs. different families), on leaf litter decomposition and associated processes and variables (nutrient dynamics, fungal biomass and detritivore growth), in a stream microcosm experiment using litter from 9 tree species belonging to 3 families. We found a negative effect of SR on decomposition (which contradicted the results of previous experiments) but a positive effect on fungal biomass. While PD did not affect decomposition, both SR and PD altered nutrient dynamics: there was greater litter and detritivore N loss in low-PD mixtures, and greater litter P loss and detritivore P gain in monocultures. This suggested that the number of species in mixtures and the similarity of their traits both modulated nutrient availability and utilization by detritivores. Moreover, the greater fungal biomass with higher SR could imply positive effects on detritivores in the longer term. Our results provide new insights of the functional repercussions of biodiversity loss by going beyond the often-explored relationship between SR and decomposition, and reveal an influence of plant species phylogenetic relatedness on nutrient cycling that merits further investigation.
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13
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A meta-analysis on decomposition quantifies afterlife effects of plant diversity as a global change driver. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4547. [PMID: 32917880 PMCID: PMC7486393 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18296-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Biodiversity loss can alter ecosystem functioning; however, it remains unclear how it alters decomposition—a critical component of biogeochemical cycles in the biosphere. Here, we provide a global-scale meta-analysis to quantify how changes in the diversity of organic matter derived from plants (i.e. litter) affect rates of decomposition. We find that the after-life effects of diversity were significant, and of substantial magnitude, in forests, grasslands, and wetlands. Changes in plant diversity could alter decomposition rates by as much as climate change is projected to alter them. Specifically, diversifying plant litter from mono- to mixed-species increases decomposition rate by 34.7% in forests worldwide, which is comparable in magnitude to the 13.6–26.4% increase in decomposition rates that is projected to occur over the next 50 years in response to climate warming. Thus, biodiversity changes cannot be solely viewed as a response to human influence, such as climate change, but could also be a non-negligible driver of future changes in biogeochemical cycles and climate feedbacks on Earth. There is evidence that reducing plant litter diversity may slow litter decomposition rate. Here, Mori and colleagues perform a global meta-analysis of litter-bag studies to show that mixed-species litter assemblages decompose faster than monospecific assemblages, with a magnitude comparable to the predicted effect of climate warming.
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14
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Xie T, Shan L, Su P. Drought conditions alter litter decomposition and nutrient release of litter types in an agroforestry system of China. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:8018-8029. [PMID: 32788958 PMCID: PMC7417239 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Evaluating how decomposition rates and litter nutrient release of different litter types respond to changes in water conditions is crucial for understanding global carbon and nutrient cycling. However, it is unclear how decreasing water affects litter mixture interactions for the maize-poplar system in arid regions. Here, the responses of the litter decomposition process and litter mixture interactions in the agroforestry system to changes in water conditions (control, light drought, and moderate drought) were tested. Moderate drought significantly decreased the decomposition rate for poplar leaf and mixed litters, and decomposition rate was significantly reduced for maize straw litter in light and moderate drought stress. The mass loss rates of maize straw and mixed litters were significantly higher than that of the poplar leaf litter under drought conditions, but there was no significant difference among the three litter types in the control. There was no interaction between mass loss of the mixed litter in the control and light drought conditions, and the litter mixture interaction showed nonadditive synergistic interactions under moderate drought. In terms of nutrient release, there was also no interaction between litter mixture with nitrogen and carbon, but there was antagonistic interaction with potassium release under the light drought condition. Our results demonstrate that drought conditions can lead to decreasing decomposition rate and strong changes in the litter mixture interactions from additive effects to nonadditive synergistic effects in moderate drought. Moreover, light drought changed the mixture interaction from an additive effect to an antagonistic interaction for potassium release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Xie
- College of ForestryGansu Agricultural UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Lishan Shan
- College of ForestryGansu Agricultural UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Peixi Su
- Key Laboratory of Land Surface Process and Climate Change in Cold and Arid RegionsNorthwest Institute of Eco‐Environment and ResourcesChinese Academy of SciencesLanzhouChina
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15
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Patoine G, Bruelheide H, Haase J, Nock C, Ohlmann N, Schwarz B, Scherer‐Lorenzen M, Eisenhauer N. Tree litter functional diversity and nitrogen concentration enhance litter decomposition via changes in earthworm communities. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:6752-6768. [PMID: 32724548 PMCID: PMC7381558 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Biodiversity is a major driver of numerous ecosystem functions. However, consequences of changes in forest biodiversity remain difficult to predict because of limited knowledge about how tree diversity influences ecosystem functions. Litter decomposition is a key process affecting nutrient cycling, productivity, and carbon storage and can be influenced by plant biodiversity. Leaf litter species composition, environmental conditions, and the detritivore community are main components of the decomposition process, but their complex interactions are poorly understood. In this study, we tested the effect of tree functional diversity (FD) on litter decomposition in a field experiment manipulating tree diversity and partitioned the effects of litter physiochemical diversity and the detritivore community. We used litterbags with different mesh sizes to separate the effects of microorganisms and microfauna, mesofauna, and macrofauna and monitored soil fauna using pitfall traps and earthworm extractions. We hypothesized that higher tree litter FD accelerates litter decomposition due to the availability of complementary food components and higher activity of detritivores. Although we did not find direct effects of tree FD on litter decomposition, we identified key litter traits and macrodetritivores that explained part of the process. Litter mass loss was found to decrease with an increase in leaf litter carbon:nitrogen ratio. Moreover, litter mass loss increased with an increasing density of epigeic earthworms, with most pronounced effects in litterbags with a smaller mesh size, indicating indirect effects. Higher litter FD and litter nutrient content were found to increase the density of surface-dwelling macrofauna and epigeic earthworm biomass. Based on structural equation modeling, we conclude that tree FD has a weak positive effect on soil surface litter decomposition by increasing the density of epigeic earthworms and that litter nitrogen-related traits play a central role in tree composition effects on soil fauna and decomposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Patoine
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
| | - Helge Bruelheide
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of Biology/Geobotany and Botanical GardenMartin Luther University Halle‐WittenbergHalle (Saale)Germany
| | - Josephine Haase
- GeobotanyFaculty of BiologyUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Charles Nock
- GeobotanyFaculty of BiologyUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
- Department of Renewable ResourcesFaculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental SciencesGeneral Services BuildingUniversity of AlbertaEdmontonABCanada
| | - Niklas Ohlmann
- GeobotanyFaculty of BiologyUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | - Benjamin Schwarz
- Biometry and Environmental System AnalysisFaculty of Environment and Natural ResourcesUniversity of FreiburgFreiburgGermany
| | | | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle‐Jena‐LeipzigLeipzigGermany
- Institute of BiologyLeipzig UniversityLeipzigGermany
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16
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Kou L, Jiang L, Hättenschwiler S, Zhang M, Niu S, Fu X, Dai X, Yan H, Li S, Wang H. Diversity-decomposition relationships in forests worldwide. eLife 2020; 9:e55813. [PMID: 32589142 PMCID: PMC7402676 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant species diversity affects carbon and nutrient cycling during litter decomposition, yet the generality of the direction of this effect and its magnitude remains uncertain. With a meta-analysis including 65 field studies across the Earth's major forest ecosystems, we show here that decomposition was faster when litter was composed of more than one species. These positive biodiversity effects were mostly driven by temperate forests but were more variable in other forests. Litter mixture effects emerged most strongly in early decomposition stages and were related to divergence in litter quality. Litter diversity also accelerated nitrogen, but not phosphorus release, potentially indicating a decoupling of nitrogen and phosphorus cycling and perhaps a shift in ecosystem nutrient limitation with changing biodiversity. Our findings demonstrate the importance of litter diversity effects for carbon and nutrient dynamics during decomposition, and show how these effects vary with litter traits, decomposer complexity and forest characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Kou
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Lei Jiang
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | | | - Miaomiao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of ForestryBeijingChina
| | - Shuli Niu
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xiaoli Fu
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xiaoqin Dai
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Han Yan
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Shenggong Li
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Huimin Wang
- Qianyanzhou Ecological Research Station, Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
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17
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Grossman JJ, Cavender‐Bares J, Hobbie SE. Functional diversity of leaf litter mixtures slows decomposition of labile but not recalcitrant carbon over two years. ECOL MONOGR 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jake J. Grossman
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota–Twin Cities 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue Saint Paul Minnesota55108USA
| | - Jeannine Cavender‐Bares
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota–Twin Cities 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue Saint Paul Minnesota55108USA
| | - Sarah E. Hobbie
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior University of Minnesota–Twin Cities 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue Saint Paul Minnesota55108USA
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18
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Fontana S, Berg MP, Moretti M. Intraspecific niche partitioning in macrodetritivores enhances mixed leaf litter decomposition. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Fontana
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL Birmensdorf Switzerland
| | - Matty P. Berg
- Animal Ecology Group Department of Ecological Science Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
- Community and Conservation Ecology Group Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Science University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Marco Moretti
- Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL Birmensdorf Switzerland
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19
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Peguero G, Sardans J, Asensio D, Fernández-Martínez M, Gargallo-Garriga A, Grau O, Llusià J, Margalef O, Márquez L, Ogaya R, Urbina I, Courtois EA, Stahl C, Van Langenhove L, Verryckt LT, Richter A, Janssens IA, Peñuelas J. Nutrient scarcity strengthens soil fauna control over leaf litter decomposition in tropical rainforests. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191300. [PMID: 31480974 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Soil fauna is a key control of the decomposition rate of leaf litter, yet its interactions with litter quality and the soil environment remain elusive. We conducted a litter decomposition experiment across different topographic levels within the landscape replicated in two rainforest sites providing natural gradients in soil fertility to test the hypothesis that low nutrient availability in litter and soil increases the strength of fauna control over litter decomposition. We crossed these data with a large dataset of 44 variables characterizing the biotic and abiotic microenvironment of each sampling point and found that microbe-driven carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) losses from leaf litter were 10.1 and 17.9% lower, respectively, in the nutrient-poorest site, but this among-site difference was equalized when meso- and macrofauna had access to the litterbags. Further, on average, soil fauna enhanced the rate of litter decomposition by 22.6%, and this contribution consistently increased as nutrient availability in the microenvironment declined. Our results indicate that nutrient scarcity increases the importance of soil fauna on C and N cycling in tropical rainforests. Further, soil fauna is able to equalize differences in microbial decomposition potential, thus buffering to a remarkable extent nutrient shortages at an ecosystem level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guille Peguero
- Centre of Excellence PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.,CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08913 Bellaterra, Spain.,CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Jordi Sardans
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08913 Bellaterra, Spain.,CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Dolores Asensio
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08913 Bellaterra, Spain.,CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Marcos Fernández-Martínez
- Centre of Excellence PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.,CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08913 Bellaterra, Spain.,CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Albert Gargallo-Garriga
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08913 Bellaterra, Spain.,CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Oriol Grau
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08913 Bellaterra, Spain.,CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Joan Llusià
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08913 Bellaterra, Spain.,CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Olga Margalef
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08913 Bellaterra, Spain.,CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Laura Márquez
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08913 Bellaterra, Spain.,CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Romà Ogaya
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08913 Bellaterra, Spain.,CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Ifigenia Urbina
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08913 Bellaterra, Spain.,CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
| | - Elodie A Courtois
- Centre of Excellence PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.,Laboratoire Ecologie, Evolution, Interactions des Systèmes Amazoniens (LEEISA), Université de Guyane, CNRS, IFREMER, 97300 Cayenne, French Guiana
| | - Clément Stahl
- INRA, UMR EcoFoG, CNRS, Cirad, AgroParisTech, Université des Antilles, Université de Guyane, 97310 Kourou, France
| | - Leandro Van Langenhove
- Centre of Excellence PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Lore T Verryckt
- Centre of Excellence PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Andreas Richter
- Department of Microbiology and Ecosystem Science, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ivan A Janssens
- Centre of Excellence PLECO (Plants and Ecosystems), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Josep Peñuelas
- CSIC, Global Ecology Unit CREAF-CSIC-UAB, 08913 Bellaterra, Spain.,CREAF, 08913 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
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20
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Santonja M, Rodríguez-Pérez H, Le Bris N, Piscart C. Leaf Nutrients and Macroinvertebrates Control Litter Mixing Effects on Decomposition in Temperate Streams. Ecosystems 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-019-00410-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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21
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Temporal Shifts in Plant Diversity Effects on Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics During Litter Decomposition in a Mediterranean Shrubland Exposed to Reduced Precipitation. Ecosystems 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-018-0315-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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22
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Can tree species richness attenuate the effect of drought on organic matter decomposition and stabilization in young plantation forests? ACTA OECOLOGICA 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2018.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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23
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van Egmond EM, van Bodegom PM, van Hal JR, van Logtestijn RSP, Berg MP, Aerts R. Nonadditive effects of consumption in an intertidal macroinvertebrate community are independent of food availability but driven by complementarity effects. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:3086-3097. [PMID: 29607008 PMCID: PMC5869218 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Revised: 12/14/2017] [Accepted: 12/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Suboptimal environmental conditions are ubiquitous in nature and commonly drive the outcome of biological interactions in community processes. Despite the importance of biological interactions for community processes, knowledge on how species interactions are affected by a limiting resource, for example, low food availability, remains limited. Here, we tested whether variation in food supply causes nonadditive consumption patterns, using the macroinvertebrate community of intertidal sandy beaches as a model system. We quantified isotopically labeled diatom consumption by three macroinvertebrate species (Bathyporeia pilosa, Haustorius arenarius, and Scolelepis squamata) kept in mesocosms in either monoculture or a three-species community at a range of diatom densities. Our results show that B. pilosa was the most successful competitor in terms of consumption at both high and low diatom density, while H. arenarius and especially S. squamata consumed less in a community than in their respective monocultures. Nonadditive effects on consumption in this macroinvertebrate community were present and larger than mere additive effects, and similar across diatom densities. The underlying species interactions, however, did change with diatom density. Complementarity effects related to niche-partitioning were the main driver of the net diversity effect on consumption, with a slightly increasing contribution of selection effects related to competition with decreasing diatom density. For the first time, we showed that nonadditive effects of consumption are independent of food availability in a macroinvertebrate community. This suggests that, in communities with functionally different, and thus complementary, species, nonadditive effects can arise even when food availability is low. Hence, at a range of environmental conditions, species interactions hold important potential to alter ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily M van Egmond
- Department of Ecological Sciences Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Peter M van Bodegom
- Institute of Environmental Sciences Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Jurgen R van Hal
- Department of Ecological Sciences Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | | | - Matty P Berg
- Department of Ecological Sciences Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, Community and Conservation Ecology Group University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Rien Aerts
- Department of Ecological Sciences Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Amsterdam The Netherlands
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24
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Milligan G, Booth KE, Cox ES, Pakeman RJ, Le Duc MG, Connor L, Blackbird S, Marrs RH. Change to ecosystem properties through changing the dominant species: Impact of Pteridium aquilinum-control and heathland restoration treatments on selected soil properties. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2018; 207:1-9. [PMID: 29149640 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/05/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that soils are influenced by the plant species that grow in them. Here we consider the effects of management-induced changes to plant communities and their soils during restoration within a 20-year manipulative experiment where the aim was to change a late-successional community dominated by the weed, Pteridium aquilinum, to an earlier-successional grass-heath one. The ecological restoration treatments altered the above- and below-ground components of the community substantially. Untreated plots maintained a dense Pteridium cover with little understory vegetation, cutting treatments produce significant reductions of Pteridium, whereas herbicide (asulam) produced significant immediate reductions in Pteridium but regressed towards the untreated plots within 10 years. Thereafter, all asulam-treated plots were re-treated in year 11, and then were spot-sprayed annually. Both cutting and asulam treatments reduced frond density to almost zero and resulted in a grass-heath vegetation. There was also a massive change in biomass distribution, untreated plots had a large above-ground biomass/necromass that was much reduced where Pteridium was controlled. Below-ground in treated plots, there was a replacement of the substantive Pteridium rhizome mass with a much greater root mass of other species. The combined effects of Pteridium-control and restoration treatment, reduced soil total C and N as and available P concentrations, but increased soil pH and available N. Soil biological activity was also affected with a reduction in soil N mineralization rate, but an increased soil-root respiration. Multivariate analysis showed a clear trend along a pH/organic matter gradient, with movement along it correlated to management intensity from the untreated plots with low pH/high organic matter and treated plots with to a higher pH/lower organic matter in the sequence asulam treatment, cut once per year to cut twice per year. The role that these changed soil conditions might have in restricting Pteridium recovery are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Milligan
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - K E Booth
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - E S Cox
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - R J Pakeman
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - M G Le Duc
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - L Connor
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - S Blackbird
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - R H Marrs
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
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25
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Patoine G, Thakur MP, Friese J, Nock C, Hönig L, Haase J, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Eisenhauer N. Plant litter functional diversity effects on litter mass loss depend on the macro-detritivore community. PEDOBIOLOGIA 2017; 65:29-42. [PMID: 29180828 PMCID: PMC5701737 DOI: 10.1016/j.pedobi.2017.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
A better understanding of the mechanisms driving litter diversity effects on decomposition is needed to predict how biodiversity losses affect this crucial ecosystem process. In a microcosm study, we investigated the effects of litter functional diversity and two major groups of soil macro-detritivores on the mass loss of tree leaf litter mixtures. Furthermore, we tested the effects of litter trait community means and dissimilarity on litter mass loss for seven traits relevant to decomposition. We expected macro-detritivore effects on litter mass loss to be most pronounced in litter mixtures of high functional diversity. We used 24 leaf mixtures differing in functional diversity, which were composed of litter from four species from a pool of 16 common European tree species. Earthworms, isopods, or a combination of both were added to each litter combination for two months. Litter mass loss was significantly higher in the presence of earthworms than in that of isopods, whereas no synergistic effects of macro-detritivore mixtures were found. The effect of functional diversity of the litter material was highest in the presence of both macro-detritivore groups, supporting the notion that litter diversity effects are most pronounced in the presence of different detritivore species. Species-specific litter mass loss was explained by nutrient content, secondary compound concentration, and structural components. Moreover, dissimilarity in N concentrations increased litter mass loss, probably because detritivores having access to nutritionally diverse food sources. Furthermore, strong competition between the two macro-detritivores for soil surface litter resulted in a decrease of survival of both macro-detritivores. These results show that the effects of litter functional diversity on decomposition are contingent upon the macro-detritivore community and composition. We conclude that the temporal dynamics of litter trait diversity effects and their interaction with detritivore diversity are key to advancing our understanding of litter mass loss in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Patoine
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Center for Environmental Research and Technology, General and Theoretical Ecology, University of Bremen, Leobener Str, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Madhav P. Thakur
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Julia Friese
- Institute of Ecology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Dornburger Strasse 159, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Charles Nock
- Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstrasse 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lydia Hönig
- Institute of Biology, Geobotany and Botanical Garden, Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg, Am Kirchtor 1, 06108 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Josephine Haase
- Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Institute for Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Universitaetsstrasse 16, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Michael Scherer-Lorenzen
- Department of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstrasse 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nico Eisenhauer
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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26
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Santschi F, Gounand I, Harvey E, Altermatt F. Leaf litter diversity and structure of microbial decomposer communities modulate litter decomposition in aquatic systems. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabienne Santschi
- Department of Aquatic EcologyEawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of Zurich Zürich Switzerland
| | - Isabelle Gounand
- Department of Aquatic EcologyEawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of Zurich Zürich Switzerland
| | - Eric Harvey
- Department of Aquatic EcologyEawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of Zurich Zürich Switzerland
| | - Florian Altermatt
- Department of Aquatic EcologyEawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology Dübendorf Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of Zurich Zürich Switzerland
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27
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Cárdenas RE, Donoso DA, Argoti A, Dangles O. Functional consequences of realistic extinction scenarios in Amazonian soil food webs. Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael E. Cárdenas
- Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador; Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas; Museo de Zoología QCAZ; Laboratorio de Entomología; Av. 12 de octubre 1076 y Roca, Apdo. 17-01-2184 Quito Ecuador
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD); UR 072; LEGS-CNRS; UPR 9034; CNRS; Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex 91198 France
- Université Paris-Sud 11; Orsay Cedex 91405 France
| | - David A. Donoso
- Escuela Politécnica Nacional; Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas; Av. Ladrón de Guevara E11-253 Quito Ecuador
| | - Adriana Argoti
- Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador; Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas; Museo de Zoología QCAZ; Laboratorio de Entomología; Av. 12 de octubre 1076 y Roca, Apdo. 17-01-2184 Quito Ecuador
| | - Olivier Dangles
- Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador; Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas; Museo de Zoología QCAZ; Laboratorio de Entomología; Av. 12 de octubre 1076 y Roca, Apdo. 17-01-2184 Quito Ecuador
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD); UR 072; LEGS-CNRS; UPR 9034; CNRS; Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex 91198 France
- Université Paris-Sud 11; Orsay Cedex 91405 France
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28
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Frasier I, Quiroga A, Noellemeyer E. Effect of different cover crops on C and N cycling in sorghum NT systems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 562:628-639. [PMID: 27107651 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.04.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Revised: 03/18/2016] [Accepted: 04/09/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In many no-till (NT) systems, residue input is low and fallow periods excessive, for which reasons soil degradation occurs. Cover crops could improve organic matter, biological activity, and soil structure. In order to study changes in soil carbon, nitrogen and microbial biomass a field experiment (2010-2012) was set up with sorghum (Sorghum bicolor Moench.) monoculture and with cover crops. Treatments were control (NT with bare fallow), rye (Secale cereale L.) (R), rye with nitrogen fertilization (R+N), vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) (V), and rye-vetch mixture (VR) cover crops. A completely randomized block design with 4 replicates was used. Soil was sampled once a year at 0.06 and 0.12m depth for total C, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and-nitrogen (MBN) determinations. Shoot and root biomass of sorghum and cover crops, litter biomass, and their respective carbon and nitrogen contents were determined. Soil temperatures at 0.06 and 0.12m depth, volumetric water contents and nitrate concentrations were determined at sowing, and harvest of each crop, and during sorghum's vegetative phase. NT led to a small increase in MBC and MBN, despite low litter and root biomass residue. Cover crops increased litter, root biomass, total C, MBC, and MBN. Relationships between MBC, MBN, and root-C and -N adjusted to logistic models (R(2)=0.61 and 0.43 for C and N respectively). Litter cover improved soil moisture to 45-50% water filled pore space and soil temperatures not exceeding 25°C during the warmest month. Microbial biomass stabilized at 20.1gCm(-2) and 1.9gNm(-2) in the upper 0.06m. Soil litter disappearance was a good indicator of mineral N availability. These findings support the view that cover crops, specifically legumes in NT systems can increase soil ecosystem services related to water and carbon storage, habitat for biodiversity, and nutrient availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ileana Frasier
- Facultad de Agronomía Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, EEA Anguil, La Pampa, Argentina
| | - Alberto Quiroga
- Facultad de Agronomía Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina; Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, EEA Anguil, La Pampa, Argentina
| | - Elke Noellemeyer
- Facultad de Agronomía Universidad Nacional de La Pampa, Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina.
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29
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Fujii S, Mori AS, Koide D, Makoto K, Matsuoka S, Osono T, Isbell F. Disentangling relationships between plant diversity and decomposition processes under forest restoration. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Saori Fujii
- Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences; Yokohama National University; Yokohama Kanagawa 240-8501 Japan
| | - Akira S. Mori
- Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences; Yokohama National University; Yokohama Kanagawa 240-8501 Japan
| | - Dai Koide
- Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences; Yokohama National University; Yokohama Kanagawa 240-8501 Japan
| | - Kobayashi Makoto
- Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences; Yokohama National University; Yokohama Kanagawa 240-8501 Japan
- Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere; Hokkaido University; Toikanbetsu 131 Horonobe Hokkaido 098-2943 Japan
| | - Shunsuke Matsuoka
- Center for Ecological Research; Kyoto University; Otsu Shiga 520-2113 Japan
| | - Takashi Osono
- Center for Ecological Research; Kyoto University; Otsu Shiga 520-2113 Japan
| | - Forest Isbell
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior; University of Minnesota; St Paul MN 55108 USA
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30
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Pan X, Berg MP, Butenschoen O, Murray PJ, Bartish IV, Cornelissen JHC, Dong M, Prinzing A. Larger phylogenetic distances in litter mixtures: lower microbial biomass and higher C/N ratios but equal mass loss. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20150103. [PMID: 25876845 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Phylogenetic distances of coexisting species differ greatly within plant communities, but their consequences for decomposers and decomposition remain unknown. We hypothesized that large phylogenetic distance of leaf litter mixtures increases differences of their litter traits, which may, in turn, result in increased resource complementarity or decreased resource concentration for decomposers and hence increased or decreased chemical transformation and reduction of litter. We conducted a litter mixture experiment including 12 common temperate tree species (evolutionarily separated by up to 106 Myr), and sampled after seven months, at which average mass loss was more than 50%. We found no effect of increased phylogenetic distance on litter mass loss or on abundance and diversity of invertebrate decomposers. However, phylogenetic distance decreased microbial biomass and increased carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratios of litter mixtures. Consistently, four litter traits showed (marginally) significant phylogenetic signal and in three of these traits increasing trait difference decreased microbial biomass and increased C/N. We suggest that phylogenetic proximity of litter favours microbial decomposers and chemical transformation of litter owing to a resource concentration effect. This leads to a new hypothesis: closely related plant species occurring in the same niche should promote and profit from increased nutrient availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Pan
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, People's Republic of China Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Campus de Beaulieu, Université de Rennes 1, Bâtiment 14 A, 35042 Rennes, France State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, People's Republic of China
| | - Matty P Berg
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Olaf Butenschoen
- J. F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg August University Göttingen, Berliner Strasse 28, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Phil J Murray
- Department of Sustainable Soils and Grassland Systems, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, UK
| | - Igor V Bartish
- Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic, Pruhobice, Zamek 1 25243, Czech Republic
| | - Johannes H C Cornelissen
- Systems Ecology, Department of Ecological Science, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ming Dong
- Key Laboratory of Hangzhou City for Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310036, People's Republic of China State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, People's Republic of China
| | - Andreas Prinzing
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Campus de Beaulieu, Université de Rennes 1, Bâtiment 14 A, 35042 Rennes, France
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31
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Mixing effects on litter decomposition rates in a young tree diversity experiment. ACTA OECOLOGICA 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.actao.2015.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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32
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Frainer A, Jabiol J, Gessner MO, Bruder A, Chauvet E, McKie BG. Stoichiometric imbalances between detritus and detritivores are related to shifts in ecosystem functioning. OIKOS 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.02687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- André Frainer
- Dept of Ecology and Environmental Science; Umeå Univ.; SE-901 87 Umeå Sweden
- Dept of Arctic and Marine Biology; Univ. of Tromsø; NO-9037 Tromsø Norway
| | - Jérémy Jabiol
- Univ. de Toulouse; INP, UPS; EcoLab (Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement);; 118 Route de Narbonne FR-31062 Toulouse France
- CNRS, EcoLab; FR-31062 Toulouse France
| | - Mark O. Gessner
- Dept of Experimental Limnology; Leibniz Inst. of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB); DE-16775 Stechlin Germany
- Dept of Ecology; Berlin Inst. of Technology (TU Berlin); DE-10587 Berlin Germany
| | - Andreas Bruder
- Dept of Aquatic Ecology; Eawag: Swiss Federal Inst. of Aquatic Science and Technology; Ch-8600 Dübendorf Switzerland
- Inst. of Integrative Biology (IBZ), ETH Zurich; CH-8092 Zurich Switzerland
- Dept of Zoology; Univ. of Otago; 9054 Dunedin New Zealand
| | - Eric Chauvet
- Univ. de Toulouse; INP, UPS; EcoLab (Laboratoire Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Environnement);; 118 Route de Narbonne FR-31062 Toulouse France
- CNRS, EcoLab; FR-31062 Toulouse France
| | - Brendan G. McKie
- Dept of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment; Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences; SE-750 07 Uppsala Sweden
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33
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Frainer A, Moretti MS, Xu W, Gessner MO. No evidence for leaf-trait dissimilarity effects on litter decomposition, fungal decomposers, and nutrient dynamics. Ecology 2015; 96:550-61. [PMID: 26240875 DOI: 10.1890/14-1151.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Biodiversity and ecosystem-functioning theory suggest that litter mixtures composed of dissimilar leaf species can enhance decomposition due to species trait complementarity. Here we created a continuous gradient of litter chemistry trait variability within species mixtures to assess effects of litter dissimilarity on three related processes in a natural stream: litter decomposition, fungal biomass accrual in the litter, and nitrogen and phosphorus immobilization. Litter from a pool of eight leaf species was analyzed for chemistry traits affecting decomposition (lignin, nitrogen, and phosphorus) and assembled in all of the 28 possible two-species combinations. Litter dissimilarity was characterized in terms of a range of trait-diversity measures, using Euclidean and Gower distances and dendrogram-based indices. We found large differences in decomposition rates among leaf species, but no significant relationships between decomposition rate of individual leaf species and litter trait dissimilarity, irrespective of whether decomposition was mediated by microbes alone or by both microbes and litter-consuming invertebrates. Likewise, no effects of trait dissimilarity emerged on either fungal biomass accrual or changes during decomposition of nitrogen or phosphorus concentrations in individual leaf species. In line with recent meta-analyses, these results provide support for the contention that litter diversity effects on decomposition, at least in streams, are less pronounced than effects on terrestrial primary productivity.
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Barantal S, Schimann H, Fromin N, Hättenschwiler S. C, N and P fertilization in an Amazonian rainforest supports stoichiometric dissimilarity as a driver of litter diversity effects on decomposition. Proc Biol Sci 2015; 281:20141682. [PMID: 25320173 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2014.1682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant leaf litter generally decomposes faster as a group of different species than when individual species decompose alone, but underlying mechanisms of these diversity effects remain poorly understood. Because resource C : N : P stoichiometry (i.e. the ratios of these key elements) exhibits strong control on consumers, we supposed that stoichiometric dissimilarity of litter mixtures (i.e. the divergence in C : N : P ratios among species) improves resource complementarity to decomposers leading to faster mixture decomposition. We tested this hypothesis with: (i) a wide range of leaf litter mixtures of neotropical tree species varying in C : N : P dissimilarity, and (ii) a nutrient addition experiment (C, N and P) to create stoichiometric similarity. Litter mixtures decomposed in the field using two different types of litterbags allowing or preventing access to soil fauna. Litter mixture mass loss was higher than expected from species decomposing singly, especially in presence of soil fauna. With fauna, synergistic litter mixture effects increased with increasing stoichiometric dissimilarity of litter mixtures and this positive relationship disappeared with fertilizer addition. Our results indicate that litter stoichiometric dissimilarity drives mixture effects via the nutritional requirements of soil fauna. Incorporating ecological stoichiometry in biodiversity research allows refinement of the underlying mechanisms of how changing biodiversity affects ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Barantal
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE), 1919 Route de MENDE, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France Ecology of Guiana Forest ECOFOG UMR 745, INRA-CIRAD-CNRS-UAG-AgroParisTech, INRA Campus Agronomique, BP 16, Kourou Cedex 97310, France Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, Surrey TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Heidy Schimann
- Ecology of Guiana Forest ECOFOG UMR 745, INRA-CIRAD-CNRS-UAG-AgroParisTech, INRA Campus Agronomique, BP 16, Kourou Cedex 97310, France
| | - Nathalie Fromin
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE), 1919 Route de MENDE, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Stephan Hättenschwiler
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE), 1919 Route de MENDE, 34293 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
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35
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Potential Shift in Plant Communities with Climate Change: Outcome on Litter Decomposition and Nutrient Release in a Mediterranean Oak Forest. Ecosystems 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-015-9896-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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36
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Valencia-Gómez E, Maestre FT, Le Bagousse-Pinguet Y, Quero JL, Tamme R, Börger L, García-Gómez M, Gross N. Functional diversity enhances the resistance of ecosystem multifunctionality to aridity in Mediterranean drylands. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2015; 206:660-71. [PMID: 25615801 PMCID: PMC4407978 DOI: 10.1111/nph.13268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
We used a functional trait-based approach to assess the impacts of aridity and shrub encroachment on the functional structure of Mediterranean dryland communities (functional diversity (FD) and community-weighted mean trait values (CWM)), and to evaluate how these functional attributes ultimately affect multifunctionality (i.e. the provision of several ecosystem functions simultaneously). Shrub encroachment (the increase in the abundance/cover of shrubs) is a major land cover change that is taking place in grasslands worldwide. Studies conducted on drylands have reported positive or negative impacts of shrub encroachment depending on the functions and the traits of the sprouting or nonsprouting shrub species considered. FD and CWM were equally important as drivers of multifunctionality responses to both aridity and shrub encroachment. Size traits (e.g. vegetative height or lateral spread) and leaf traits (e.g. specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content) captured the effect of shrub encroachment on multifunctionality with a relative high accuracy (r(2) = 0.63). FD also improved the resistance of multifunctionality along the aridity gradient studied. Maintaining and enhancing FD in plant communities may help to buffer negative effects of ongoing global environmental change on dryland multifunctionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Valencia-Gómez
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
- Corresponding author: Enrique Valencia Gómez: Tel: +34 914888517
| | - Fernando T. Maestre
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
| | - Yoann Le Bagousse-Pinguet
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science; University of South Bohemia, Branisovska 31, CZ-370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - José Luis Quero
- Departamento de Ingeniería Forestal Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y de Montes Universidad de Córdoba Campus de Rabanales Crta. N-IV km. 396 C.P. 14071, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Riin Tamme
- Department of Botany, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Lai 40, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Luca Börger
- Department of Biosciences, College of Science, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Miguel García-Gómez
- Área de Biodiversidad y Conservación, Departamento de Biología y Geología, Física y Química Inorgánica, Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnología, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, C/ Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain
- Departamento de Ingeniería y Morfología del Terreno, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Calle Profesor Aranguren s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Nicolas Gross
- INRA, USC1339 Chizé (CEBC), F-79360, Villiers en Bois, France
- Centre d’étude biologique de Chizé, CNRS - Université La Rochelle (UMR 7372), F-79360, Villiers en Bois, France
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37
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Coulis M, Fromin N, David JF, Gavinet J, Clet A, Devidal S, Roy J, Hättenschwiler S. Functional dissimilarity across trophic levels as a driver of soil processes in a Mediterranean decomposer system exposed to two moisture levels. OIKOS 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.01917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Coulis
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR 5175, CNRS - Univ. de Montpellier - Univ. Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE; 1919 route de Mende FR-34293 Montpellier Cedex 5 France
| | - Nathalie Fromin
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR 5175, CNRS - Univ. de Montpellier - Univ. Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE; 1919 route de Mende FR-34293 Montpellier Cedex 5 France
| | - Jean-François David
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR 5175, CNRS - Univ. de Montpellier - Univ. Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE; 1919 route de Mende FR-34293 Montpellier Cedex 5 France
| | - Jordane Gavinet
- IRSTEA, UR EMAX; 3275 route de Cézanne CS 40061 FR-13182 Aix en Provence Cedex
- IMBE, UMR Aix-Marseille Univ. - CNRS - IRD - Univ. d'Avignon; Campus St Charles, Case 4 FR-13331 Marseille Cedex 03 France
| | - Alexandre Clet
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR 5175, CNRS - Univ. de Montpellier - Univ. Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE; 1919 route de Mende FR-34293 Montpellier Cedex 5 France
| | - Sébastien Devidal
- European Ecotron of Montpellier, UMS 3248, CNRS, 1 Chemin du Rioux, campus de Baillarguet; FR-34980 Montferrier-sur-Lez France
| | - Jacques Roy
- European Ecotron of Montpellier, UMS 3248, CNRS, 1 Chemin du Rioux, campus de Baillarguet; FR-34980 Montferrier-sur-Lez France
| | - Stephan Hättenschwiler
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive, UMR 5175, CNRS - Univ. de Montpellier - Univ. Paul-Valéry Montpellier - EPHE; 1919 route de Mende FR-34293 Montpellier Cedex 5 France
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Tardif A, Shipley B. The relationship between functional dispersion of mixed-species leaf litter mixtures and species' interactions during decomposition. OIKOS 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.01686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Tardif
- Dépt de Biologie; Univ. de Sherbrooke; 2500 bvd de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K2R1 Canada
- INRA, UR874, Unité de Recherche sur l'Ecosystème Prairial; 5 chemin de Beaulieu FR-63039 Clermont-Ferrand France
| | - Bill Shipley
- Dépt de Biologie; Univ. de Sherbrooke; 2500 bvd de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K2R1 Canada
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