Details zur Publikation

Kategorie Textpublikation
Referenztyp Zeitschriften
DOI 10.1111/geb.13461
Lizenz creative commons licence
Titel (primär) Tree diversity effects on soil microbial biomass and respiration are context dependent across forest diversity experiments
Autor Cesarz, S.; Craven, D.; Auge, H. ORCID logo ; Bruelheide, H.; Castagneyrol, B.; Gutknecht, J.; Hector, A.; Jactel, H.; Koricheva, J.; Messier, C.; Muys, B.; O’Brien, M.J.; Paquette, A.; Ponette, Q.; Potvin, C.; Reich, P.B.; Scherer-Lorenzen, M.; Smith, A.R.; Verheyen, K.; Eisenhauer, N.
Quelle Global Ecology and Biogeography
Erscheinungsjahr 2022
Department BZF
Band/Volume 31
Heft 5
Seite von 872
Seite bis 885
Sprache englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1111%2Fgeb.13461&file=geb13461-sup-0001-Appendix.zip
Keywords aboveground–belowground interactions, biodiversity–ecosystem functioning, biodiversity loss, context dependence, global change, soil biota, soil microbial functions, soil microorganisms, tree diversity, TreeDivNet
Abstract

Aim

Soil microorganisms are essential for the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Although soil microbial communities and functions are linked to tree species composition and diversity, there has been no comprehensive study of the generality or context dependence of these relationships. Here, we examine tree diversity–soil microbial biomass and respiration relationships across environmental gradients using a global network of tree diversity experiments.

Location

Boreal, temperate, subtropical and tropical forests.

Time period

2013.

Major taxa studied

Soil microorganisms.

Methods

Soil samples collected from 11 tree diversity experiments were used to measure microbial respiration, biomass and respiratory quotient using the substrate-induced respiration method. All samples were measured using the same analytical device, method and procedure to reduce measurement bias. We used linear mixed-effects models and principal components analysis (PCA) to examine the effects of tree diversity (taxonomic and phylogenetic), environmental conditions and interactions on soil microbial properties.

Results

Abiotic drivers, mainly soil water content, but also soil carbon and soil pH, significantly increased soil microbial biomass and respiration. High soil water content reduced the importance of other abiotic drivers. Tree diversity had no effect on the soil microbial properties, but interactions with phylogenetic diversity indicated that the effects of diversity were context dependent and stronger in drier soils. Similar results were found for soil carbon and soil pH.

Main conclusions

Our results indicate the importance of abiotic variables, especially soil water content, for maintaining high levels of soil microbial functions and modulating the effects of other environmental drivers. Planting tree species with diverse water-use strategies and structurally complex canopies and high leaf area might be crucial for maintaining high soil microbial biomass and respiration. Given that greater phylogenetic distance alleviated unfavourable soil water conditions, reforestation efforts that account for traits improving soil water content or select more phylogenetically distant species might assist in increasing soil microbial functions.

dauerhafte UFZ-Verlinkung https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=25793
Cesarz, S., Craven, D., Auge, H., Bruelheide, H., Castagneyrol, B., Gutknecht, J., Hector, A., Jactel, H., Koricheva, J., Messier, C., Muys, B., O’Brien, M.J., Paquette, A., Ponette, Q., Potvin, C., Reich, P.B., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., Smith, A.R., Verheyen, K., Eisenhauer, N. (2022):
Tree diversity effects on soil microbial biomass and respiration are context dependent across forest diversity experiments
Glob. Ecol. Biogeogr. 31 (5), 872 - 885 10.1111/geb.13461