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Increasing the number of stressors reduces soil ecosystem services worldwide

Author

Listed:
  • Matthias C. Rillig

    (Freie Universität Berlin)

  • Marcel G. A. Heijden

    (Agroscope
    University of Zurich)

  • Miguel Berdugo

    (ETH Zurich
    Complutense University of Madrid)

  • Yu-Rong Liu

    (Huazhong Agricultural University)

  • Judith Riedo

    (Agroscope)

  • Carlos Sanz-Lazaro

    (Universidad de Alicante
    University of Alicante)

  • Eduardo Moreno-Jiménez

    (Freie Universität Berlin
    Universidad Autónoma de Madrid)

  • Ferran Romero

    (Agroscope)

  • Leho Tedersoo

    (University of Tartu)

  • Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo

    (Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS), CSIC
    Universidad Pablo de Olavide)

Abstract

Increasing the number of environmental stressors could decrease ecosystem functioning in soils. Yet this relationship has not been globally assessed outside laboratory experiments. Here, using two independent global standardized field surveys, and a range of natural and human factors, we test the relationship between the number of environmental stressors exceeding different critical thresholds and the maintenance of multiple ecosystem services across biomes. Our analysis shows that having multiple stressors, from medium levels (>50%), negatively and significantly correlates with impacts on ecosystem services and that having multiple stressors crossing a high-level critical threshold (over 75% of maximum observed levels) reduces soil biodiversity and functioning globally. The number of environmental stressors exceeding the >75% threshold was consistently seen as an important predictor of multiple ecosystem services, therefore improving prediction of ecosystem functioning. Our findings highlight the need to reduce the dimensionality of the human footprint on ecosystems to conserve biodiversity and function.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthias C. Rillig & Marcel G. A. Heijden & Miguel Berdugo & Yu-Rong Liu & Judith Riedo & Carlos Sanz-Lazaro & Eduardo Moreno-Jiménez & Ferran Romero & Leho Tedersoo & Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, 2023. "Increasing the number of stressors reduces soil ecosystem services worldwide," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 13(5), pages 478-483, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:13:y:2023:i:5:d:10.1038_s41558-023-01627-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-023-01627-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Tessa Camenzind & Carlos A. Aguilar-Trigueros & Stefan Hempel & Anika Lehmann & Milos Bielcik & Diana R. Andrade-Linares & Joana Bergmann & Jeane Cruz & Jessie Gawronski & Polina Golubeva & Heike Hasl, 2024. "Towards establishing a fungal economics spectrum in soil saprobic fungi," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Yuxi Guo & Elizabeth H. Boughton & Stephanie Bohlman & Carl Bernacchi & Patrick J. Bohlen & Raoul Boughton & Evan DeLucia & John E. Fauth & Nuria Gomez-Casanovas & David G. Jenkins & Gene Lollis & Rya, 2023. "Grassland intensification effects cascade to alter multifunctionality of wetlands within metaecosystems," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.

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