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Soil community history strengthens belowground multitrophic functioning across plant diversity levels in a grassland experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Angelos Amyntas

    (Friedrich Schiller University Jena
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
    University of Göttingen)

  • Nico Eisenhauer

    (German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
    Leipzig University)

  • Stefan Scheu

    (University of Göttingen
    University of Göttingen)

  • Bernhard Klarner

    (University of Göttingen)

  • Krassimira Ilieva-Makulec

    (Cardinal St. Wyszynski University)

  • Anna-Maria Madaj

    (German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
    Leipzig University)

  • Benoit Gauzens

    (Friedrich Schiller University Jena
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig)

  • Jingyi Li

    (Friedrich Schiller University Jena
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig)

  • Anton M. Potapov

    (German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig
    Senckenberg Museum für Naturkunde Görlitz)

  • Benjamin Rosenbaum

    (Friedrich Schiller University Jena
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig)

  • Leonardo Bassi

    (Leipzig University)

  • Pamela Medina Berkum

    (Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology)

  • Ulrich Brose

    (Friedrich Schiller University Jena
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig)

Abstract

Biodiversity experiments revealed that plant diversity loss can decrease ecosystem functions across trophic levels. To address why such biodiversity-function relationships strengthen over time, we established experimental mesocosms replicating a gradient in plant species richness across treatments of shared versus non-shared history of (1) the plant community and (2) the soil fauna community. After 4 months, we assessed the multitrophic functioning of soil fauna via biomass stocks and energy fluxes across the food webs. We find that soil community history significantly enhanced belowground multitrophic function via changes in biomass stocks and community-average body masses across the food webs. However, variation in plant diversity and plant community history had unclear effects. Our findings underscore the importance of long-term community assembly processes for soil fauna-driven ecosystem function, with species richness and short-term plant adaptations playing a minimal role. Disturbances that disrupt soil community stability may hinder fauna-driven ecosystem functions, while recovery may require several years.

Suggested Citation

  • Angelos Amyntas & Nico Eisenhauer & Stefan Scheu & Bernhard Klarner & Krassimira Ilieva-Makulec & Anna-Maria Madaj & Benoit Gauzens & Jingyi Li & Anton M. Potapov & Benjamin Rosenbaum & Leonardo Bassi, 2024. "Soil community history strengthens belowground multitrophic functioning across plant diversity levels in a grassland experiment," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-54401-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54401-z
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