Publication Details |
Category | Text Publication |
Reference Category | Journals |
DOI | 10.1111/ele.12243 |
Document | Shareable Link |
Title (Primary) | Functional diversity of leaf nitrogen concentrations drives grassland carbon fluxes |
Author | Milcu, A.; Roscher, C.; Gessler, A.; Bachmann, D.; Gockele, M.; Guderle, M.; Landais, D.; Piel, C.; Escape, C.; Devidal, S.; Ravel, O.; Buchmann, N.; Gleixner, G.; Hildebrandt, A.; Roy, J. |
Journal | Ecology Letters |
Year | 2014 |
Department | BZF; CHS |
Volume | 17 |
Issue | 4 |
Page From | 435 |
Page To | 444 |
Language | englisch |
Keywords | Apparent quantum yield; biodiversity–ecosystem functioning; Ecotron; gross primary productivity; Jena Experiment; net ecosystem productivity; nitrogen use efficiency; plant species richness; Rao's quadratic entropy; water use efficiency |
UFZ wide themes | RU5 |
Abstract | Little is known about the role of plant functional diversity for ecosystem-level carbon (C) fluxes. To fill this knowledge gap, we translocated monoliths hosting communities with four and 16 sown species from a long-term grassland biodiversity experiment (‘The Jena Experiment’) into a controlled environment facility for ecosystem research (Ecotron). This allowed quantifying the effects of plant diversity on ecosystem C fluxes as well as three parameters of C uptake efficiency (water and nitrogen use efficiencies and apparent quantum yield). By combining data on ecosystem C fluxes with vegetation structure and functional trait-based predictors, we found that increasing plant species and functional diversity led to higher gross and net ecosystem C uptake rates. Path analyses and light response curves unravelled the diversity of leaf nitrogen concentration in the canopy as a key functional predictor of C fluxes, either directly or indirectly via LAI and aboveground biomass. |
Persistent UFZ Identifier | https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=14665 |
Milcu, A., Roscher, C., Gessler, A., Bachmann, D., Gockele, M., Guderle, M., Landais, D., Piel, C., Escape, C., Devidal, S., Ravel, O., Buchmann, N., Gleixner, G., Hildebrandt, A., Roy, J. (2014): Functional diversity of leaf nitrogen concentrations drives grassland carbon fluxes Ecol. Lett. 17 (4), 435 - 444 |