Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1007/s11104-017-3328-4
Document Shareable Link
Title (Primary) Fertilization, soil and plant community characteristics determine soil microbial activity in managed temperate grasslands
Author Dietrich, P.; Buchmann, T.; Cesarz, S.; Eisenhauer, N.; Roscher, C.
Source Titel Plant and Soil
Year 2017
Department BZF; iDiv; PHYDIV
Volume 419
Issue 1–2
Page From 189
Page To 199
Language englisch
Supplements https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11104-017-3328-4/MediaObjects/11104_2017_3328_MOESM1_ESM.docx
https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11104-017-3328-4/MediaObjects/11104_2017_3328_MOESM2_ESM.docx
https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1007%2Fs11104-017-3328-4/MediaObjects/11104_2017_3328_MOESM3_ESM.docx
Keywords Above- and belowground interactions; Microbial basal respiration; Biodiversity; Ecosystem functioning; Microbial biomass carbon; Soil characteristics
UFZ wide themes RU1;
Abstract

Aims

Recent studies in experimental grasslands indicated that declining plant species diversity negatively affects soil microbial communities. Here, we assessed if plant diversity effects also occur in “real-world” grasslands.

Methods

We studied the influence of fertilization, soil, and plant community characteristics on soil microbial activity (microbial biomass carbon, basal respiration) in 12 managed temperate grasslands of varying plant species richness in two subsequent years.

Results

The most important variable explaining variation in microbial activity was soil water content, while positive effects of other soil characteristics (organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations) and fertilization became more important in one study year with generally moister soil conditions. Under moister conditions, fertilization also indirectly influenced soil microbial biomass C via negative effects on plant species richness, which itself increased soil microbial biomass C.

Conclusion

Our results show that variation in soil microbial activity in managed grasslands involves direct effects of fertilization as well as indirect effects through changes in plant diversity and the amount of carbon and nitrogen stored in plants and soil. These results emphasize that increased nutrient inputs in grasslands entail complex changes in ecosystem processes and indicate that mechanisms driving soil microbial activity in experimental grasslands also apply to “real-world” grasslands.

Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=19699
Dietrich, P., Buchmann, T., Cesarz, S., Eisenhauer, N., Roscher, C. (2017):
Fertilization, soil and plant community characteristics determine soil microbial activity in managed temperate grasslands
Plant Soil 419 (1–2), 189 - 199 10.1007/s11104-017-3328-4