Article
Agronomy
Tianxue Yang, Junda Chen, Xiaoyue Zhong, Xuechen Yang, Gui Wang, Yuan Yao, Marcelo Sternberg, Wei Sun
Summary: The study investigates the effects of increased precipitation amount and decreased precipitation frequency on plant biomass and allocation in different degraded grasslands in northeast China. Results show that lower precipitation frequency promotes belowground biomass but reduces aboveground biomass, while higher precipitation amount enhances aboveground biomass in lightly and moderately degraded grasslands. The interaction between precipitation amount and frequency influences biomass allocation strategies, with adjustments in root distribution observed in moderately degraded grasslands. These findings highlight the importance of considering degradation level when predicting ecosystem responses to changing precipitation regimes.
Article
Agronomy
Md Shahariar Jaman, Honghui Wu, Qiang Yu, Qiqi Tan, Yunlong Zhang, Quoc Khanh Dam, Taofeek O. Muraina, Chong Xu, Minghui Jing, Xiaotong Jia, Jie Wang, Nianpeng He, Wentao Luo, Alan Knapp, Kate Wilkins, Scott L. Collins, Yiqi Luo
Summary: Extreme drought affects above- and below-ground carbon storage differently along an aridity gradient. It significantly reduces aboveground carbon and litter carbon, but has no effect on belowground carbon. The regionally extreme drought will result in a loss of total plant carbon in grasslands dominated by above-ground plant carbon pools.
Article
Ecology
Roger Grau-Andres, Sylvia Thieffry, Shanyi Tian, David A. Wardle, Paul Kardol
Summary: Changes in precipitation regimes have significant impacts on the abundance and community composition of functional groups of bryosphere fauna. The response of bryosphere fauna to precipitation is stronger with reduced precipitation volumes and varies across environmental gradients. Drought-induced changes in trophic interactions and food resources may increase faunal abundance in the bryosphere, particularly in older, less productive forests.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rui Yin, Wenkuan Qin, Xudong Wang, Dong Xie, Hao Wang, Hongyang Zhao, Zhenhua Zhang, Jin-Sheng He, Martin Schaedler, Paul Kardol, Nico Eisenhauer, Biao Zhu
Summary: Experimental soil warming in an alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau showed that it promoted plant growth, soil microbial respiration, and soil fauna feeding. However, it caused changes in their phenology, creating mismatches between organisms. This phenological asynchrony may have implications for ecosystem functioning and stability.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yongjie Liu, Mingjie Xu, Guoe Li, Mingxia Wang, Zhenqing Li, Hans J. De Boeck
Summary: Climate change is expected to impact plant growth and biomass allocation, with studies showing that aboveground, belowground, and total biomass increase with growing season precipitation in a water-limited ecosystem. Allocation patterns vary along precipitation gradients, with significant differences between plant species. Isometric partitioning was observed in one species, while rhizome or stolon-forming species showed different allocation strategies. This research provides insights into how changes in biomass allocation can affect ecosystem functioning, especially in the context of environmental change.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ana Paula Portela, Isabelle Durance, Cristiana Vieira, Joao Honrado
Summary: The need to understand the impact of communities on ecosystem functioning and services in riparian ecosystems has been highlighted by environmental changes and biodiversity loss. This study used the response-effect trait framework to link drivers, traits, ecosystem functions, and services in riparian ecosystems and assessed their sensitivity to environmental changes. The findings suggest that riparian plant communities can propagate the effects of environmental changes to ecosystem functioning and services, highlighting the importance of managing these ecosystems for sustaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Simon Jeffery, Tess F. J. van de Voorde, W. Edwin Harris, Liesje Mommer, Jan Willem Van Groenigen, Gerlinde B. De Deyn, Flemming Ekelund, Maria J. I. Briones, T. Martijn Bezemer
Summary: This study investigated the effects of biochar on soil biota and plant community composition. The results showed that biochar produced from meadow cuttings and applied at a rate of 10 t/ha had transient impacts on soil biota abundance and plant communities over a 3-year timeframe, with minimal effects on soil biota diversity and plant biodiversity and productivity.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Siyuan Feng, Jingyi Ding, Tianyu Zhan, Wenwu Zhao, Paulo Pereira
Summary: The response of plant communities to global climate change is crucial for ecological restoration. In this study, the relationship between environmental factors and the root:shoot ratio was explored using transect surveys in Inner Mongolia. The results showed that low precipitation use efficiency results in a high root:shoot ratio, while high precipitation use efficiency leads to a low root:shoot ratio. The study highlights the importance of precipitation use efficiency in determining aboveground and belowground biomass allocation.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gao-Lin Wu, Zhen Cheng, Juha Mikael Alatalo, Jingxue Zhao, Yu Liu
Summary: This study found that aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) of all major grassland types in northern China consistently declined over the past 30 years, on average by about 6.1%. The primary factor driving this decrease was warming, increased solar radiation, and resulting soil temperature rise. Alpine and lowland grasslands were more sensitive to climate change compared to temperate grasslands.
Article
Soil Science
Alejandro Berlinches de Gea, Guixin Li, Jingxuan Olivia Chen, Wenjia Wu, Aarzoo Kohra, Semih Karst Aslan, Stefan Geisen
Summary: Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) are often positively correlated, but the impact of soil biodiversity on plant performance is still not well understood. This study manipulated microbiome predatory protist diversity to investigate its effect on plant biomass, and found that the relationship between soil biodiversity and plant biomass is context-dependent. Positive soil BEF relationships may not be the norm and should be evaluated in a context-dependent manner.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Rutger A. Wilschut, Jonathan R. De Long, Stefan Geisen, S. Emilia Hannula, Casper W. Quist, Basten Snoek, Katja Steinauer, E. R. Jasper Wubs, Qiang Yang, Madhav P. Thakur
Summary: This study found that the combined effects of warming and precipitation extremes on plant biomass are generally additive. However, the negative effects of the combined effects of warming and drought are smaller in woody plant systems and larger in plant mixtures. Additionally, drought effects on plant biomass are more negative in greenhouse studies compared to field studies.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhen Cheng, Jingxue Zhao, Luming Ding, Zhi-Hua Shi, Paul Kardol, Gao-Lin Wu
Summary: The findings of this study demonstrate that climate factors are more important than species richness for the provisioning of ecosystem functions at large spatial scales. In summary, this study underscores the importance of considering climate factors alongside species richness when assessing ecosystem functioning across extensive geographical areas.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Chunhui Zhang, Nianxun Xi
Summary: The study found that changes in rainfall can lead to asynchronous responses of aboveground and belowground plant biomass, affecting plant biomass allocation. Reduction in rainfall led to a decrease in aboveground plant biomass, while addition of rainfall increased it. Increased root allocation may help mitigate drought stress for soil microbes, while rainfall addition potentially removes water limitation for soil microbial growth.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Junjiong Shao, Xuhui Zhou, Kees Jan Groenigen, Guiyao Zhou, Huimin Zhou, Lingyan Zhou, Meng Lu, Jianyang Xia, Lin Jiang, Bruce A. Hungate, Yiqi Luo, Fangliang He, Madhav P. Thakur
Summary: This study found that the impact of warming on grassland productivity is strongly influenced by plant diversity. Warming increased plant productivity in grasslands with lower plant diversity, but decreased productivity in grasslands with higher plant diversity. The effects were partially attributed to changes in plant dominance and shifts in interspecific interactions based on plant diversity levels.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaoxia Gao, Shikui Dong, Yudan Xu, Ellen L. Fry, Yu Li, Shuai Li, Hao Shen, Jiannan Xiao, Shengnan Wu, Mingyue Yang, Jing Zhang, Yangliu Zhi, Shiliang Liu, Zhanhuan Shang, Jane C. Yeomans
Summary: In this study, a chronosequence of alpine grasslands undergoing restoration in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau was used to test two competing hypotheses for biomass allocation. The results showed that biomass allocation varied significantly during the revegetation period from degraded grassland, and was linked with soil properties, thus supporting the optimal partitioning hypothesis.
LAND DEGRADATION & DEVELOPMENT
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Katharine E. Ankrom, Andre L. C. Franco, Steven J. Fonte, Laureano A. Gherardi, Cecilia Milano de Tomasel, Carl Wepking, Pingting Guan, Shuyan Cui, Osvaldo E. Sala, Diana H. Wall
Summary: This study used soil nematodes as biological indicators to study the response of grassland ecosystems under different precipitation conditions. The results showed that increasing precipitation led to significant changes in nematode community structure in grassland ecosystems, with unique responses observed in different habitats.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Luis Weber-Grullon, Laureano Gherardi, William A. Rutherford, Steven R. Archer, Osvaldo E. Sala
Summary: Woody-plant encroachment, driven by factors such as drought, overgrazing, herbivory, and competition, has been affecting the southwestern United States for over a century. This study found that precipitation and herbivory have significant effects on the germination and survival of mesquite, a shrub species encroaching in grasslands and desert areas. The findings highlight the importance of considering both biotic and abiotic drivers in managing shrub encroachment.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andre L. C. Franco, Pingting Guan, Shuyan Cui, Cecilia M. de Tomasel, Laureano A. Gherardi, Osvaldo E. Sala, Diana H. Wall
Summary: Free-living nematodes play a critical role in soil carbon cycling, and changes in precipitation can affect their diversity and C footprint.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andre L. C. Franco, Byron J. Adams, Melisa A. Diaz, Nathan P. Lemoine, Nicholas B. Dragone, Noah Fierer, W. Berry Lyons, Ian Hogg, Diana H. Wall
Summary: Studies have shown that Antarctic soil biotic communities have significantly changed in response to climate change since the Last Glacial Maximum. Newly exposed soils are more suitable for invertebrates compared to older soils, with faunal abundance and diversity strongly influenced by climate-driven changes.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peng Zhang, Pingting Guan, Cao Hao, Jingjing Yang, Zhijing Xie, Donghui Wu
Summary: This study investigated the differences in bacterial and fungal communities in different land use types (primary forest, secondary forest, cropland) in the Changbai Mountains of China. Forest-to-cropland conversion altered the structure and composition of bacterial and fungal communities, potentially leading to changes in function. Soil properties significantly impacted the community structures of bacteria and fungi.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Priscila Silva Matos, Cristiane Figueira da Silva, Marcos Gervasio Pereira, Eliane Maria Ribeiro da Silva, Ricardo Martinez Tarre, Andre Luiz Custodio Franco, Everaldo Zonta
Summary: This research assessed the effects of different land uses on the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) community and glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) production. The study found that land use type significantly influenced the AMF community and GRSP, while seasonality had a minimal impact. The management practices in agroforestry systems affected AMF sporulation and species diversity. Additionally, there were correlations between the AMF community and key soil parameters, such as soil aggregate stability and soil organic carbon (SOC).
ACTA OECOLOGICA-INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Courtney M. Currier, Osvaldo E. Sala
Summary: Plant growth cycles are influenced by environmental factors, with precipitation being a major driver of phenological change in drylands. Temperature has a modest effect on plant phenology compared to precipitation.
Article
Soil Science
Wei Wang, Yunhui Li, Pingting Guan, Liang Chang, Xinyu Zhu, Peng Zhang, Donghui Wu
Summary: This study simulated the impact of climate warming on soil aggregation and phosphorus fractions through experiments, showing that natural restoration increased larger aggregates and associated P fractions, while climate warming hindered these increases. Bacterial and fungal activities play a crucial role in determining phosphorus distribution within aggregates.
Article
Ecology
Eli R. Perez-Ruiz, Enrique R. Vivoni, Osvaldo E. Sala
Summary: This study investigated the seasonal variability and controls on net ecosystem production using 10 years of data in a mixed shrubland watershed of the Chihuahuan Desert. The findings revealed that excess water during the wet season can sustain annual ecosystem productivity by impacting subsequent dry season carbon uptake.
Article
Microbiology
Yurong Yang, Wenbo Luo, Jiazheng Xu, Pingting Guan, Liang Chang, Xuefeng Wu, Donghui Wu
Summary: This study investigates the effects of diversity and network complexity of AMF community on soil aggregates and associated carbon under long-term climate change and land-use conversion. The results show that fallow land enhances AMF community diversity and network complexity, leading to higher soil organic carbon content in soil aggregates.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jianan Li, Ximei Niu, Ping Wang, Jingjing Yang, Jinwen Liu, Donghui Wu, Pingting Guan
Summary: Soil microorganisms obtain energy and nutrients by decomposing plant litter through soil extracellular enzymes. The type of litter is a critical factor that influences the activity of soil extracellular enzymes. However, it is still unclear how litter types modulate soil extracellular enzyme activity in different degraded grasslands.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Lei Wang, Xin Chen, Xingfu Yan, Congli Wang, Pingting Guan, Zhanhui Tang
Summary: This study reveals the effects of soil composition, AMF, and RKN on biomass and nutrient allocation strategies in cherry tomato. Results showed that these factors individually or interactively influenced biomass and nutrient allocation. Cherry tomato adjusted its strategies in response to the joint action of these factors to adapt to soil environment variation.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Jingjing Yang, Pingting Guan, Peng Zhang, Yunga Wu, Deli Wang, Donghui Wu
Summary: The research found that precipitation has an impact on microbial nutrient demand in agroecosystems, especially in different soil profiles. Soil pH and moisture are the main factors affecting soil enzyme activity. Furthermore, the nutrient limitation mechanism in soil varies with precipitation changes, with microbial phosphorus limitation exacerbated by increased precipitation in the topsoil and microbial carbon and phosphorus limitation positively correlated with precipitation in the subsoil.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Pingting Guan, Jianan Li, Cao Hao, Jingjing Yang, Lihong Song, Ximei Niu, Ping Wang, Mohammad Mahamood, Donghui Wu
Summary: Precipitation levels have unimodal patterns on the abundance and footprint of nematodes, which are governed by mean annual precipitation (MAP) in agroecosystems. Soil pH determines the abundance and footprint of nematodes in low precipitation levels. Precipitation plays a crucial role in global biodiversity change across terrestrial ecosystems, and affects soil organism diversity in natural ecosystems.
SOIL ECOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)