Megaherbivores have pervasive ecological effects. In African rainforests, elephants can increase aboveground carbon, though the mechanisms are unclear. Here we combine a large unpublished dataset of forest elephant feeding with published browsing preferences totaling > 120,000 records covering 700 plant species, including nutritional data for 102 species. Elephants increase carbon stocks by: 1) promoting high wood density tree species via preferential browsing on leaves from low wood density species, which are more digestible; 2) dispersing seeds of trees that are relatively large and have the highest average wood density among tree guilds based on dispersal mode. Loss of forest elephants could cause a 5-12% decline in carbon stocks due to regeneration failure of elephant-dispersed trees and an increase in abundance of low wood density trees. These results show the major importance of megaherbivores in maintaining diverse, high-carbon tropical forests. Successful elephant conservation will contribute to climate mitigation at a scale of global relevance.
", "keywords": ["0106 biological sciences", "570", "plant animal interactions", "Elephants", "MESH: Carbon", "carbon cycling", "Forests", "01 natural sciences", "Trees", "megafauna", "MESH: Biomass", "Animals", "MESH: Animals", "Biomass", "nature-based solutions", "Tropical Climate", "biogeochemical cycles", "MESH: Forests", "Biological Sciences", "15. Life on land", "Carbon", "MESH: Trees", "[SDE.BE] Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology", "MESH: Elephants", "MESH: Tropical Climate", "[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecology"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.2201832120"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2201832120"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Proceedings%20of%20the%20National%20Academy%20of%20Sciences", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1073/pnas.2201832120", "name": "item", "description": "10.1073/pnas.2201832120", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1073/pnas.2201832120"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2021-12-23T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1101/2021.12.23.473993", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:18:20Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2021-12-23", "title": "Megaherbivores modify forest structure and increase carbon stocks through multiple pathways", "description": "AbstractMegaherbivores have pervasive ecological effects. In African rainforests, elephants can increase aboveground carbon, though the mechanisms are unclear. Here we combine a large unpublished dataset of forest elephant feeding with published browsing preferences totaling > 120,000 records covering 700 plant species, including nutritional data for 102 species. Elephants increase carbon stocks by: 1) promoting high wood density tree species via preferential browsing on leaves from low wood density species, which are more digestible; 2) dispersing seeds of trees that are relatively large and have the highest average wood density among tree guilds based on dispersal mode. Loss of forest elephants could cause a 5-12% decline in carbon stocks due to regeneration failure of elephant-dispersed trees and an increase in abundance of low wood density trees. These results show the major importance of megaherbivores in maintaining diverse, high-carbon tropical forests. Successful elephant conservation will contribute to climate mitigation at a scale of global relevance.The biogeochemical cycling of multiple soil elements is fundamental for life on Earth. Here, we conducted a global field survey across 16 chronosequences from contrasting biomes with soil ages ranging from centuries to millions of years. For this, we collected and analysed 435 topsoil samples (0\uffe2\uff80\uff9310\uffc2\uffa0cm) from 87 locations. We showed that high levels of topsoil element coupling, defined as the average correlation among nineteen soil elements, are maintained over geological timescales globally. Cross\uffe2\uff80\uff90biome changes in plant biodiversity, soil microbial structure, weathering, soil pH and texture, and mineral\uffe2\uff80\uff90free unprotected organic matter content largely controlled multi\uffe2\uff80\uff90element coupling. Moreover, elements with heavier atomic mass were naturally more decoupled and unpredictable in space than those with lighter mass. Only the coupling of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, which are essential to life on Earth, deviated from this predictable pattern, suggesting that this anomaly may be an undeniable fingerprint of life in terrestrial soils.-2), as a proxy of light harvesting regulation and plant acclimation. * Violaxanthin cycle pigment pool (VAZ, violaxanthin + zeaxanthin + antheraxanthin, mmol mol Chl-1), as proxy photoprotective compounds through thermal dissipation. * Total tocopherols (mmol mol Chl-1), as a proxy of antioxidant compounds. * Defoliation (%), as a proxy of crown transparency. * Crown health. Is the linear combination of the variables mentioned above. **Belowground root parameters:** * Fine root branching. * Fine root leghth (cm). Mean length of the fine roots. * Fine root diameter (cm). Mean diameter of the fine roots. **Soil chemical analyses** * Total organic carbon content (org. C), total organic nitrogen content (org. N) and total organic phosphorus content (org. P). These analyses were expressed as mg of organic C, N or P per 100 mg of soil (%). * Mineral N (ammonium+nitrate+nitrite) was expresed as ppm, \u03bcg per g. * Phosphate was expresed as ppm, \u03bcg per g. * Potassium was expresed as ppm, \u03bcg per g. * pH **Soil microbial functional genes** * Carbon hydrolysis genes (i.e., genes involved in starch, hemicellulose, cellulose, chitin, pectin and lignin degradation). abfA, manB, Xyl, cex, pgu, glx, lig, mnp, apu, iso-plu, ammiA, sga, chiA * Carbon fixation genes. aclB,accA, mcrA, pccA, korA, smtA, frdA, rbcL, acsB, acsA, acsE. * Methane oxidation. pmoA, mmoX, mxaF, pqq-mdh * Nitrogen cycling (i.e., genes involved in N fixation, nitrification, denitrification, ammonification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation, assimilatory and dissimilatory N reduction and organic N mineralization. nifH, amoA1, amoA2, amoB, ureC, gdhA, hao, nxrA, nirS, nirK, nosZ, hzsB. * Phosphorus cycling genes (i.e., mineralization, solubilization, biosynthesis and hydrolysis of phosphorus). gcd, pqqC, phoD, phoX, phnK, ppx, ppk. * Sulfur cycling genes. soxY, yedZ, dsrA, dsrB, apsA. These genes were expresed as the abundance, gene copy number relative to 16S. The primer pairs and the encoded enzymes of the analyzed soil microbial functional genes may be found in the electronic supplementary material published in Table S2 of the manuscript.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "Quercus ilex", "defoliation", "13. Climate action", "Dehesa", "FOS: Agricultural sciences", "soil microbial communities", "14. Life underwater", "biogeochemical cycles", "15. Life on land", "soil functional genes"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Encinas-Valero, Manuel, Esteban, Raquel, Here\u015f, Ana-Mar\u00eda, Vivas, Mar\u00eda, Solla, Alejandro, Moreno, Gerardo, Corcobado, Tamara, Odriozolacrobiology, I\u00f1aki, Garbisu, Carlos, Epelde, Lur, Curiel Yuste, Jorge,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.gb5mkkwws"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5061/dryad.gb5mkkwws", "name": "item", "description": "10.5061/dryad.gb5mkkwws", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5061/dryad.gb5mkkwws"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2023-11-06T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5061/dryad.qjq2bvqkn", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:21:30Z", "type": "Dataset", "title": "The contribution of Fe(III) reduction to soil carbon mineralization in montane meadows depends on soil chemistry, not parent material or microbial community", "description": "The long-term stability of soil carbon (C) is strongly influenced by organo-mineral interactions.\u00a0Iron (Fe)-oxides can both inhibit microbial decomposition by providing physicochemical protection for organic molecules and enhance rates of C mineralization by serving as a terminal electron acceptor, depending on redox conditions. Restoration of floodplain hydrology in montane meadows has been proposed as a method of sequestering C for climate change mitigation. However, dissimilatory microbial reduction of Fe(III) could lead to C losses under increased reducing conditions. In this study, we explored variations in Fe-C interactions over a range of redox conditions and in soils derived from two distinct parent materials to elucidate biochemical and microbial controls on soil C cycling in Sierra Nevada montane meadows. Differences in parent material were associated with different rates of Fe(III) reduction at increasing soil moisture levels, but not with differences in soil C mineralization. Known Fe(III)-reducing taxa were present in all samples but neither the relative abundance nor richness of Fe(III) reducers corresponded with measured rates of Fe(III) reduction. Under reducing conditions, our results suggest that Fe(III) reduction contributes to C mineralization only when Fe-bound C is present. However, Fe-bound C was not present in all of our soils and was below theoretical limits for C sorption onto Fe-oxides where it was found. Overall, our results suggest that meadow-specific soil chemistry drives Fe-C interactions and that the impact of Fe on C cycling in montane meadows may be smaller than in other ecosystems.", "keywords": ["montane meadows", "13. Climate action", "Wetlands", "meadow restoration", "Iron reduction", "FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences", "biogeochemical cycles", "Carbon cycle", "15. Life on land"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Reed, Cody C., Dunham\u2010Cheatham, Sarrah M., Castle, Sarah C., Vuono, David C., Sullivan, Benjamin W.,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.qjq2bvqkn"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5061/dryad.qjq2bvqkn", "name": "item", "description": "10.5061/dryad.qjq2bvqkn", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5061/dryad.qjq2bvqkn"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2023-05-11T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.7910/DVN/VXPUK8", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:24:27Z", "type": "Dataset", "title": "Cave Subterranean Estuaries: Geological Distribution and Biogeochemical Significance - Jesse Dugan MSc Dissertation", "description": "Raw data for the database 'Cave Subterranean Estuaries: Geological Distribution and Biogeochemical Significance'. Completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science from the University of Liverpool", "keywords": ["Biogeochemical Cycles", "Estuarine", "Estuary", "Cave", "Volcanic Tube", "Coastal Geology", "Karst", "Coastal Cave", "Conservation", "Chemistry", "Siliciclastic Caves", "Subterranean Estuary", "Earth and Environmental Sciences", "Submarine Groundwater Discharge", "Volcanic Caves"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Dugan, Jesse", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/VXPUK8"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.7910/DVN/VXPUK8", "name": "item", "description": "10.7910/DVN/VXPUK8", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.7910/DVN/VXPUK8"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-01-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10261/335188", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-07-26T16:24:38Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-11-30", "title": "Soil element coupling is driven by ecological context and atomic mass", "description": "Abstract
The biogeochemical cycling of multiple soil elements is fundamental for life on Earth. Here, we conducted a global field survey across 16 chronosequences from contrasting biomes with soil ages ranging from centuries to millions of years. For this, we collected and analysed 435 topsoil samples (0\uffe2\uff80\uff9310\uffc2\uffa0cm) from 87 locations. We showed that high levels of topsoil element coupling, defined as the average correlation among nineteen soil elements, are maintained over geological timescales globally. Cross\uffe2\uff80\uff90biome changes in plant biodiversity, soil microbial structure, weathering, soil pH and texture, and mineral\uffe2\uff80\uff90free unprotected organic matter content largely controlled multi\uffe2\uff80\uff90element coupling. Moreover, elements with heavier atomic mass were naturally more decoupled and unpredictable in space than those with lighter mass. Only the coupling of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, which are essential to life on Earth, deviated from this predictable pattern, suggesting that this anomaly may be an undeniable fingerprint of life in terrestrial soils.The biogeochemical cycling of multiple soil elements is fundamental for life on Earth. Here, we conducted a global field survey across 16 chronosequences from contrasting biomes with soil ages ranging from centuries to millions of years. For this, we collected and analysed 435 topsoil samples (0\uffe2\uff80\uff9310\uffc2\uffa0cm) from 87 locations. We showed that high levels of topsoil element coupling, defined as the average correlation among nineteen soil elements, are maintained over geological timescales globally. Cross\uffe2\uff80\uff90biome changes in plant biodiversity, soil microbial structure, weathering, soil pH and texture, and mineral\uffe2\uff80\uff90free unprotected organic matter content largely controlled multi\uffe2\uff80\uff90element coupling. Moreover, elements with heavier atomic mass were naturally more decoupled and unpredictable in space than those with lighter mass. Only the coupling of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, which are essential to life on Earth, deviated from this predictable pattern, suggesting that this anomaly may be an undeniable fingerprint of life in terrestrial soils.Megaherbivores have pervasive ecological effects. In African rainforests, elephants can increase aboveground carbon, though the mechanisms are unclear. Here we combine a large unpublished dataset of forest elephant feeding with published browsing preferences totaling > 120,000 records covering 700 plant species, including nutritional data for 102 species. Elephants increase carbon stocks by: 1) promoting high wood density tree species via preferential browsing on leaves from low wood density species, which are more digestible; 2) dispersing seeds of trees that are relatively large and have the highest average wood density among tree guilds based on dispersal mode. Loss of forest elephants could cause a 5-12% decline in carbon stocks due to regeneration failure of elephant-dispersed trees and an increase in abundance of low wood density trees. These results show the major importance of megaherbivores in maintaining diverse, high-carbon tropical forests. Successful elephant conservation will contribute to climate mitigation at a scale of global relevance.