Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1111/ele.12243
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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.
Source Titel 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 10.1111/ele.12243