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Plant diversity increases soil microbial activity and soil carbon storage

Author

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  • Markus Lange

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

  • Nico Eisenhauer

    (Institute of Ecology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
    Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig)

  • Carlos A. Sierra

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

  • Holger Bessler

    (Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

  • Christoph Engels

    (Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)

  • Robert I. Griffiths

    (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology)

  • Perla G. Mellado-Vázquez

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

  • Ashish A. Malik

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

  • Jacques Roy

    (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Stefan Scheu

    (J.F. Blumenbach Institute of Zoology and Anthropology, Georg August University Göttingen)

  • Sibylle Steinbeiss

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

  • Bruce C. Thomson

    (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology)

  • Susan E. Trumbore

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

  • Gerd Gleixner

    (Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry)

Abstract

Plant diversity strongly influences ecosystem functions and services, such as soil carbon storage. However, the mechanisms underlying the positive plant diversity effects on soil carbon storage are poorly understood. We explored this relationship using long-term data from a grassland biodiversity experiment (The Jena Experiment) and radiocarbon (14C) modelling. Here we show that higher plant diversity increases rhizosphere carbon inputs into the microbial community resulting in both increased microbial activity and carbon storage. Increases in soil carbon were related to the enhanced accumulation of recently fixed carbon in high-diversity plots, while plant diversity had less pronounced effects on the decomposition rate of existing carbon. The present study shows that elevated carbon storage at high plant diversity is a direct function of the soil microbial community, indicating that the increase in carbon storage is mainly limited by the integration of new carbon into soil and less by the decomposition of existing soil carbon.

Suggested Citation

  • Markus Lange & Nico Eisenhauer & Carlos A. Sierra & Holger Bessler & Christoph Engels & Robert I. Griffiths & Perla G. Mellado-Vázquez & Ashish A. Malik & Jacques Roy & Stefan Scheu & Sibylle Steinbei, 2015. "Plant diversity increases soil microbial activity and soil carbon storage," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-8, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:6:y:2015:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms7707
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7707
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    Cited by:

    1. Gerrit Angst & Kevin E. Mueller & Michael J. Castellano & Cordula Vogel & Martin Wiesmeier & Carsten W. Mueller, 2023. "Unlocking complex soil systems as carbon sinks: multi-pool management as the key," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Brèteau-Amores, Sandrine & Yousefpour, Rasoul & Hanewinkel, Marc & Fortin, Mathieu, 2023. "Forest adaptation strategies to reconcile timber production and carbon sequestration objectives under multiple risks of extreme drought and windstorm events," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    3. Guangzhou Wang & Haley M. Burrill & Laura Y. Podzikowski & Maarten B. Eppinga & Fusuo Zhang & Junling Zhang & Peggy A. Schultz & James D. Bever, 2023. "Dilution of specialist pathogens drives productivity benefits from diversity in plant mixtures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Marie Spohn & Sumanta Bagchi & Lori A. Biederman & Elizabeth T. Borer & Kari Anne Bråthen & Miguel N. Bugalho & Maria C. Caldeira & Jane A. Catford & Scott L. Collins & Nico Eisenhauer & Nicole Hagena, 2023. "The positive effect of plant diversity on soil carbon depends on climate," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Cameron Wagg & Christiane Roscher & Alexandra Weigelt & Anja Vogel & Anne Ebeling & Enrica Luca & Anna Roeder & Clemens Kleinspehn & Vicky M. Temperton & Sebastian T. Meyer & Michael Scherer-Lorenzen , 2022. "Biodiversity–stability relationships strengthen over time in a long-term grassland experiment," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.

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