More diverse crop rotations have been promoted for their potential to remediate the range of ecosystem services compromised by biologically simplified grain\uffe2\uff80\uff90based agroecosystems, including increasing soil organic carbon (SOC). We hypothesized that functional diversity offers a more predictive means of characterizing the impact of crop rotations on SOC concentrations than species diversity per se. Furthermore, we hypothesized that functional diversity can either increase or decrease SOC depending on its associated carbon (C) input to soil. We compiled a database of 27 cropping system sites and 169 cropping systems, recorded the species and functional diversity of crop rotations, SOC concentrations (g C kg/soil), nitrogen (N) fertilizer applications (kg\uffc2\uffa0N\uffc2\uffb7ha\uffe2\uff88\uff921\uffc2\uffb7yr\uffe2\uff88\uff921), and estimated C input to soil (Mg\uffc2\uffa0C\uffc2\uffb7ha\uffe2\uff88\uff921\uffc2\uffb7yr\uffe2\uff88\uff921). We categorized crop rotations into three broad categories: grain\uffe2\uff80\uff90only rotations, grain rotations with cover crops, and grain rotations with perennial crops. We divided the grain\uffe2\uff80\uff90only rotations into two sub\uffe2\uff80\uff90categories: cereal\uffe2\uff80\uff90only rotations and those that included both cereals and a legume grain. We compared changes in SOC and C input using mean effect sizes and 95% bootstrapped confidence intervals. Cover cropped and perennial cropped rotations, relative to grain\uffe2\uff80\uff90only rotations, increased C input by 42% and 23% and SOC concentrations by 6.3% and 12.5%, respectively. Within grain\uffe2\uff80\uff90only rotations, cereal\uffc2\uffa0+\uffc2\uffa0legume grain rotations decreased total C input (\uffe2\uff88\uff9216%), root C input (\uffe2\uff88\uff9212%), and SOC (\uffe2\uff88\uff925.3%) relative to cereal\uffe2\uff80\uff90only rotations. We found no effect of species diversity on SOC within grain\uffe2\uff80\uff90only rotations. N fertilizer rates mediated the effect of functional diversity on SOC within grain\uffe2\uff80\uff90only crop rotations: at low N fertilizer rates (\uffe2\uff89\uffa475\uffc2\uffa0kg N\uffc2\uffb7ha\uffe2\uff88\uff921\uffc2\uffb7yr\uffe2\uff88\uff921), the decrease in SOC with cereal\uffc2\uffa0+\uffc2\uffa0legume grain rotations was less than at high N fertilizer rates. Our results show that increasing the functional diversity of crop rotations is more likely to increase SOC concentrations if it is accompanied by an increase in C input. Functionally diverse perennial and cover cropped rotations increased both C input and SOC concentrations, potentially by exploiting niches in time that would otherwise be unproductive, that is, increasing the \uffe2\uff80\uff9cperenniality\uffe2\uff80\uff9d of crop rotations.
", "keywords": ["Crops", " Agricultural", "2. Zero hunger", "Science", "Ecology and Evolutionary Biology", "Agriculture", "Fabaceae", "cropping systems", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "functional diversity", "Poaceae", "sustainable agriculture", "Soil", "meta\u2010analysis", "soil organic matter", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "cover crops", "soil carbon", "Organic Chemicals", "perennials", "Fertilizers", "nitrogen fertilizer", "biodiversity"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.1648"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Ecological%20Applications", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1002/eap.1648", "name": "item", "description": "10.1002/eap.1648", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1002/eap.1648"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2017-12-27T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1007/s11104-017-3388-5", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:15:00Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2017-08-26", "title": "Livestock grazing and aridity reduce the functional diversity of biocrusts", "description": "Livestock grazing and climate change are two of the most important global change drivers affecting ecosystem functioning in drylands. Grazing and climate are known to influence the cover and composition of biocrusts, which are substantial components of dryland soils globally. Much less is known, however, about how these global change drivers affect the functional diversity of biocrust communities in these ecosystems. Here, we evaluate the role of increasing aridity and grazing intensity in driving the functional diversity of biocrusts. We collected data on multiple biocrust functional traits and community composition, recent and historic grazing intensity, and vascular plants at 151 sites from drylands in eastern Australia. We then used structural equation modelling and a fourth corner analysis to examine the combined effects of aridity and grazing on biocrust functional diversity and individual functional traits. Aridity had a significant direct suppressive effect on biocrust functional diversity. Effects of grazing by livestock, kangaroos and rabbits on functional diversity were predominantly indirect and suppressive, mediated by a reduction in biocrust cover. Grazing did, however, promote functional diversity via an increase in vascular plant richness, with a concomitant increase in biocrust richness. The overall effect of grazing on biocrust functional diversity however was negative. Fourth corner analyses revealed that livestock grazing had a significant negative effect on the ability of biocrusts to stabilise the soil. Aridity had strong negative effects on biocrust height and their ability to absorb water and capture sediment. Few significant relationships were detected between enzyme-related traits and environmental variables. Our findings provide novel evidence that the combination of increasing aridity and intensified livestock grazing will reduce the functional diversity and capabilities of biocrust communities, with resultant declines in ecosystem functioning.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "0106 biological sciences", "13. Climate action", "XXXXXX - Unknown", "Trait; Biological soil crust; soil crusts; ecosystem function; functional diversity; livestock; Drylands", "11. Sustainability", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "01 natural sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11104-017-3388-5.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-017-3388-5"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Plant%20and%20Soil", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1007/s11104-017-3388-5", "name": "item", "description": "10.1007/s11104-017-3388-5", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1007/s11104-017-3388-5"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2017-08-26T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.apsoil.2020.103596", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:15:38Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-06-02", "title": "Soil management intensity shifts microbial catabolic profiles across a range of European long-term field experiments", "description": "Assessing soil microbial functionality has the potential to reveal meaningful effects of soil management on soil processes influencing soil quality. We used MicroResp\u2122 to assess microbial respiration upon the addition of six carbon substrates (glucose, alanine, aminobutyric acid, N-acetyl glucosamine, alpha-ketoglutaric acid, and lignin). From this, we calculated the multiple substrate induced respiration (MSIR), the microbial catabolic profile expressed as absolute and relative utilization rate, and the Shannon microbial functional diversity index (H\u2032). We tested the effect of tillage (reduced vs. conventional) and organic matter addition (high vs. low) on these microbial parameters in soil from 10 European long-term field experiments (LTEs), and investigated their relationships with labile organic carbon fractions and various soil parameters linked to soil functions. Reduced tillage and high organic matter input increased MSIR compared to conventional tillage and low organic matter input. In addition, reduced tillage resulted in a small but significant increase in functional diversity compared to conventional tillage. An increase in soil management intensity (CT-Low > CT-High > RT-Low > RT-High) was associated with lower utilization of all the substrates expressed as absolute utilization rate, and a proportionately higher utilization of alpha-ketoglutaric acid compared to the other substrates. More intensive management systems also showed lower soil quality as measured by various soil parameters, in particular total and labile organic carbon, basal respiration, and microbial biomass nitrogen. The present work shows for the first time the key role of labile organic carbon, as affected by soil management, in determining microbial functional diversity. Aggregating results from 10 European arable LTEs, making use of a comprehensive dataset, MicroResp\u2122 showed that reduced tillage and increased organic matter addition created a more favourable habitat for the microbial community to utilize different carbon substrates and, thereby, the potential for nutrient cycling.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "MicroResp\u2122", "Microbial functional diversity", "15. Life on land", "01 natural sciences", "Community level physiological profiling", "6. Clean water", "Tillage", "Structural equation modelling", "13. Climate action", "Organic matter addition", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2020.103596"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Applied%20Soil%20Ecology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.apsoil.2020.103596", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.apsoil.2020.103596", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.apsoil.2020.103596"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-10-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.baae.2020.07.003", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:15:40Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-07-24", "title": "Grazing and aridity have contrasting effects on the functional and taxonomic diversity of ants", "description": "Open AccessM.D-B. was supported by the European Union\u2019s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 702057 (CLIMIFUN) and by a Large Research Grant from the British Ecological Society (Grant Agreement No. LRA17 1193, MUSGONET).", "keywords": ["Richness", "0106 biological sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "Grazing", "Ants", "XXXXXX - Unknown", "Drylands", "Functional diversity", "Ecolog\u00eda", "15. Life on land", "01 natural sciences", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2020.07.003"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Basic%20and%20Applied%20Ecology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.baae.2020.07.003", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.baae.2020.07.003", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.baae.2020.07.003"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-11-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.ejsobi.2013.10.007", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:15:55Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2013-11-02", "title": "Effect Of Biochar Addition On Soil Microbial Community In A Wheat Crop", "description": "Biochar is known to enhance soil fertility and C sequestration, but relatively little information is currently available about its effect on soil microbial community, a component of terrestrial ecosystems that plays a key role in nutrient cycling. This study tested the effects of soil amendment with two loads of wood-derived biochar (30 and 60 t ha(-1)) in a wheat crop in Tuscany (Italy). Soil samples were collected 3 and 14 months after treatments over two successive growing seasons, and analysed for pH, total organic C (C-org), extractable C (C-ext), microbial biomass-C (C-mic), 25 specific microbial activities, mean substrate-induced respiration (mSIR) for 25 substrates, functional microbial diversity and bacterial genetic diversity. No significant effect of biochar treatment was observed on C-org, C-ext, C-mic, microbial quotient (C-mic % C-org) or genetic diversity. An increase in mSIR, some specific microbial activities and soil pH, and a significant change in functional diversity were observed 3 months after treatment. In contrast, no effect of biochar was detected 14 months after treatment for the parameters considered, except for a small but significant increase in pH. Our data suggest that biochar addition stimulated soil microbial activity without causing any apparent disturbance, but this positive effect was very short-lived. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "Soil management", "Wood-derived biochar", "Soil bacterial diversity; Soil management; Soil microbial activity; Soil microbial functional diversity; Wheat crop; Wood-derived biochar;", "Soil microbial functional diversity", "Wheat crop", "Soil microbial activity", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "Soil bacterial diversity", "15. Life on land", "6. Clean water"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejsobi.2013.10.007"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/European%20Journal%20of%20Soil%20Biology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.ejsobi.2013.10.007", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.ejsobi.2013.10.007", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.ejsobi.2013.10.007"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2014-01-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.062", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:15:59Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2017-04-29", "title": "Ecological impacts of atmospheric pollution and interactions with climate change in terrestrial ecosystems of the Mediterranean Basin: Current research and future directions", "description": "Mediterranean Basin ecosystems, their unique biodiversity, and the key services they provide are currently at risk due to air pollution and climate change, yet only a limited number of isolated and geographically-restricted studies have addressed this topic, often with contrasting results. Particularities of air pollution in this region include high O3 levels due to high air temperatures and solar radiation, the stability of air masses, and dominance of dry over wet nitrogen deposition. Moreover, the unique abiotic and biotic factors (e.g., climate, vegetation type, relevance of Saharan dust inputs) modulating the response of Mediterranean ecosystems at various spatiotemporal scales make it difficult to understand, and thus predict, the consequences of human activities that cause air pollution in the Mediterranean Basin. Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement coordinated research and experimental platforms along with wider environmental monitoring networks in the region. In particular, a robust deposition monitoring network in conjunction with modelling estimates is crucial, possibly including a set of common biomonitors (ideally cryptogams, an important component of the Mediterranean vegetation), to help refine pollutant deposition maps. Additionally, increased attention must be paid to functional diversity measures in future air pollution and climate change studies to establish the necessary link between biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services in Mediterranean ecosystems. Through a coordinated effort, the Mediterranean scientific community can fill the above-mentioned gaps and reach a greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying the combined effects of air pollution and climate change in the Mediterranean Basin.", "keywords": ["air pollution; climate change; coordinated research networks; environmental monitoring; functional diversity; Mediterranean ecosystems; toxicology; pollution", "570", "Coordinated research networks", "550", "Nitrogen", "Climate", "Climate Change", "Air pollution", "Functional diversity", "01 natural sciences", "Air Pollution", "11. Sustainability", "Climate change", "Humans", "14. Life underwater", "Ecosystem", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "Air Pollutants", "Atmosphere", "Research", "Aquatic Ecology", "Environmental monitoring", "Biodiversity", "15. Life on land", "Medio Ambiente", "13. Climate action", "Air pollution; Climate change; Coordinated research networks; Environmental monitoring; Functional diversity; Mediterranean ecosystems; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Atmosphere; Biodiversity; Climate; Humans; Nitrogen; Research; Climate Change; Ecosystem; Environmental Monitoring", "Mediterranean ecosystems", "Air pollution; Climate change; Coordinated research networks; Environmental monitoring; Functional diversity; Mediterranean ecosystems; Toxicology; Pollution; Health", " Toxicology and Mutagenesis", "Air pollution; Climate change; Coordinated research networks; Environmental monitoring; Functional diversity; Mediterranean ecosystems; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Atmosphere; Biodiversity; Climate; Humans; Nitrogen; Research; Climate Change; Ecosystem; Environmental Monitoring; Toxicology; Pollution; Health", " Toxicology and Mutagenesis", "Environmental Monitoring"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/86451/1/CAPERMed06042017_F.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.062"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Environmental%20Pollution", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.062", "name": "item", "description": "10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.062", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1016/j.envpol.2017.04.062"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2017-08-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1080/00380768.2013.775004", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:17:59Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2013-08-01", "title": "Functional Diversity Of Soil Microbial Communities In Response To Tillage And Crop Residue Retention In An Eroded Loess Soil", "description": "Abstract This study reports the effects of a long-term tillage and crop residue experiment on the soil microbial ecology of a Loess soil located in Gansu Province, western China. Tillage and residue management treatments were imposed on a nine-year continuous rotation of maize (Zea mays L. cv Zhongdan No. 2), winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Xifeng No. 24) and soybean (Glycine max L. cv Fengshou No. 12). After nine years, there were significant effects on topsoil (0\u201310\u00a0cm) carbon, nitrogen, microbial activity, microbial composition and function. The retention of crop residues compared to residue removal significantly improved all measures of chemical and biological soil fertility. The values of average well color development (AWCD), a measure of the metabolic utilization of organic compounds, for the residue retention treatments were always higher than those with residue removal treatments, and the differences increased with increasing incubation time. Principal component analysis indicated that crop...", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "Loess Plateau", "residue retention", "050303 - Soil Biology", "no tillage", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "Functional diversity", "microbial community", "15. Life on land", "630", "6. Clean water"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Yang, Qili, Wang, Xiaojuan, Shen, Yuying, Philp, Joshua N. (S27471),", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.1080/00380768.2013.775004"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Soil%20Science%20and%20Plant%20Nutrition", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1080/00380768.2013.775004", "name": "item", "description": "10.1080/00380768.2013.775004", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1080/00380768.2013.775004"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2013-06-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1093/aobpla/plaa020", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:18:09Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-05-18", "title": "Effect of aridity on species assembly in gypsum drylands: a response mediated by the soil affinity of species", "description": "AbstractPrevious studies found that plant communities on infertile soils are relatively resistant to climatic variation due to stress tolerance adaptations. However, the species assemblies in gypsum soil habitats require further investigation. Thus, we considered the following questions. (1) Do harsher arid conditions determine the characteristics of the species that form plant assemblages? (2) Is the selection of the species that assemble in arid conditions mediated by their ability to grow on gypsum soils? (3) Is the selection of species that assemble in harsher conditions related to phylogenetically conserved functional traits? Perennial plant communities were analysed in 89 gypsum-soil sites along a 400 km climate gradient from the central to southeastern Iberian Peninsula. Each local assemblage was analysed in 30 \uffc3\uff97 30 m plots and described based on taxonomic, functional (soil plant affinity) and phylogenetic parameters. The mean maximum temperatures in the hottest month, mean annual precipitation and their interaction terms were used as surrogates for the aridity conditions in generalized linear models. In the hottest locations, the gypsophily range narrowed and the mean gypsophily increased at the community level, thereby suggesting the filtering of species and the dominance of soil specialists in the actual plant assemblies. Drier sites had higher taxonomic diversity. The species that formed the perennial communities were close in evolutionary terms at the two ends of the aridity gradient. The mean maximum temperatures in the hottest month had the main abiotic filtering effect on perennial plant communities, which was mediated by the ability of species to grow on gypsum soils, and thus gypsum specialists dominated the species assemblies in the hottest locations. In contrast, the perennial communities on gypsum soils were relatively resistant to changes in precipitation. Our findings suggest that the warmer environmental conditions predicted by global change models will favour gypsum specialists over generalists.
Biological soil crusts (BSC) are complex biotic aggregates comprised of lichens, cyanobacteria, algae and other micro\uffe2\uff80\uff90organism that are known to differently affect plant development along life cycle by selecting plant functional traits based on species\uffe2\uff80\uff90specific effects. In addition, functional differences between interacting species should modulate their response ability to other environmental factors. Thus, it should be expected that the effects of the BSC on plants will be significantly determined by the own functional diversity in the community.
To understand the multiple effects of BSC and the extent to which the functional diversity of interacting plant species can modulate their effects on the development of coexisting species, we applied an experimental approach by manipulating the initial functional diversity of the entire annual plant community and BSC conditions in a common garden trial. We crossed three sorts of assemblages built on the basis of plant stature (combinations of only large, or only small, or diverse sized plant species in pots) with three lichen\uffe2\uff80\uff90dominated BSC disturbance scenarios (intact, or tiny mechanically disaggregated, or absent portions of BSC).
BSC strongly affected the establishment and development of gypsophilous annual plants in a complex, multifaceted manner, which shifted throughout the plant life cycle. We demonstrated that lichen\uffe2\uff80\uff90dominated BSC could act as a major physical barrier to the establishment of annual plants at a heterogeneous fine spatial scale. Such a restrictive effect was particularly marked in the presence of intact BSC. However, after annual plants overcame the restrictions imposed by BSC, the same biotic layer facilitated plant growth and fitness, regardless of its physical integrity, resulting in larger plants producing more fruits.
Importantly, our results suggest that the functional diversity structure of the community may also drive growth and fitness of coexisting species by activating alternative coexistence mechanisms such as niche partitioning or competition symmetry. This study highlights the importance of plant neighbourhood features for the performance of interacting species, and confirms a novel, experimental way to explore the effects of community diversity on plants for the interpretation of assembly mechanisms.
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Understanding the mechanisms that underlie species assembly is a central concern in community ecology. Abiotic and biotic filters are probabilistic \uffe2\uff80\uff98sieves\uffe2\uff80\uff99 that allow species with certain functional traits to become a part of the community, or not. We manipulated natural plant assemblies in order to identify variations in the timings of biotic and abiotic filters that determine community trait assemblies.
We extracted soil portions when the investigated annual plant community was in its seed phase (\uffe2\uff80\uff98community monolith\uffe2\uff80\uff99), thereby maintaining the structure and similar soil characteristics to the field conditions. Community monoliths were subjected to experimental manipulation in terms of the rainfall timing and amount, and perturbations of the biological soil crust (BSC; intact vs. perturbed). We surveyed the experimental community assembly over time based on the functional diversity by considering important functional traits in different life stages.
We found that autumn droughts acted as abiotic filters by favouring the germination and establishment of species with greater investment in the root biomass. Under severe droughts (66% water reduction), the experimental assemblies were dominated by species with functional traits adapted to water shortage conditions: high leaf dry matter content, low specific leaf area, small individual size, low reproductive ratio and high root:shoot ratio. We identified two roles of BSCs in annual plant species assemblies: (a) as a biotic filter that limited the establishment of species based on seed size, and (b) as a buffer against water stress conditions by reducing soil evapotranspiration.
Synthesis. We demonstrated the importance of the timing and amount of rainfall for shaping annual plant communities, and identified germination filters as the main process that determined community assemblies. Our results suggest that the phenotypic integration of functional traits facilitates resistance to drought during the life cycle. The BSC\uffe2\uff80\uff93annual plant relationship shifted from negative, by acting as a germination filter, to positive, by acting as a buffer in later stages. Climatic fluctuations and fine scale biotic determinants of spatial heterogeneity emerged as sources of changes in the community assembly in time and space to possibly promote species coexistence and trait differences among the communities studied.
", "keywords": ["Annual plants", "0106 biological sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "Drought", "Biotic and abiotic filters", "Community assembly", "annual plant", " biological soil crust", " biotic and abiotic filters", " coexistence", " community assembly", " drought", " functional diversity", " Mediterranean grassland", "Biological soil crusts", "drought", "Functional diversity", "15. Life on land", "functional diversity", "Mediterranean grassland", "01 natural sciences", "6. Clean water", "biological soil crust", "gypsum soil", "annual plant", "13. Climate action", "community assembly", "precipitation seasonality", "Coexistence"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/1365-2745.13210"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13210"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Journal%20of%20Ecology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/1365-2745.13210", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/1365-2745.13210", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/1365-2745.13210"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-06-19T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.1111/ejss.13290", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:18:27Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-07-25", "title": "Post-fire recovery of soil microbial functions is promoted by plant growth", "description": "AbstractForest fires can alter the biological properties of soils. There is increasing evidence that fires cause a shift in soil microbial communities, which play a central role in forest carbon and nutrient cycling. In this study, we evaluate the effect of soil heating on soil microbial functions. We hypothesised that fire reduces the catabolic functional diversity of soil, and that post\uffe2\uff80\uff90fire plant growth enhances its recovery. To test this, we experimentally heated a forest soil at 200\uffc2\uffb0C (T200) or 450\uffc2\uffb0C (T450). Heated and unheated soils were then incubated in tubs with or without live grass (Lolium perenne L.). We determined the functional profiles by measuring the substrate\uffe2\uff80\uff90induced respiration (SIR) using the Microresp\uffe2\uff84\uffa2 technique and analysed nutrient availability at the end of the incubation. At both temperatures, soil heating altered the respiration responses to substrate additions and the catabolic functional diversity of soils. Functional diversity was initially reduced in T200 soils but recovered at the end of the incubation. In contrast, T450 soils initially maintained the catabolic functional diversity, but decreased at the end of the incubation. Heating\uffe2\uff80\uff90induced nutrient availability stimulated the growth of grass, which in turn increased the response to several substrates and increased the functional diversity to values similar to the unheated controls. Our results suggest that fire\uffe2\uff80\uff90driven alteration of soil microbial communities has consequences at a functional level, and that the recovery of plant communities enhances the recovery of soil microbial functions.
Highlights
Soil experimental heating altered microbial functions and reduced soil functional diversity.
Soil heating also increased nutrient availability, enhancing plant growth.
Growth of plants promoted the recovery of soil functional diversity.
Post\uffe2\uff80\uff90fire recovery of functional diversity may be related to the recovery of photosynthetic tissues.
", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "soil heating", "soil microbial functions", "Incendis forestals", "Forest fires", "Aboveground biomass", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "Soil microbial functions", "catabolic functional diversity", "substrate-induced respiration", "S\u00f2ls", "13. Climate action", "forest fires", "Substrate-induced respiration", "Soils", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "Catabolic functional diversity", "Forest soils", "aboveground biomass", "Soil heating", "S\u00f2ls forestals"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ejss.13290"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13290"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/European%20Journal%20of%20Soil%20Science", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.1111/ejss.13290", "name": "item", "description": "10.1111/ejss.13290", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.1111/ejss.13290"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-07-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5061/dryad.2v6wwpzs3", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:21:08Z", "type": "Dataset", "created": "2024-06-26", "title": "Data from: Climatic water availability mainly drives context-dependency of tree functional diversity effects on soil organic carbon storage in European forests", "description": "Open AccessAbstractThe interplay of forest stand and environmental factors shape soil organic C (SOC) storage in forest ecosystems but little is known about their relative impacts in different soil layers. Moreover, how environmental factors modulate the impact of stand factors, particularly species mixing, on SOC storage, is largely unexplored. \u00a0In this study conducted in 21 forest triplets (two-species mixed stand and respective monocultures nearby) distributed in Europe, we tested the hypothesis that stand factors (functional identity and diversity) have stronger effects on topsoil (FF+0-10 cm) C storage than environmental factors (climatic water availability, clay+silt content, oxalate-extractable Al - Alox) but that the opposite occurs in the subsoil (10-40 cm). We also tested the hypothesis that functional diversity improves SOC storage under high climatic water availability, clay+silt contents, Alox. We characterized functional identity as the proportion of broadleaved species (beech and/or oak), and functional diversity as the product of broadleaved and conifer (pine) proportions. The results show that functional identity was the main driver of topsoil C storage while climatic water availability had the largest control on subsoil C storage. Contrary to expectations, functional diversity decreased topsoil C storage under increasing climatic water availability but the opposite was observed in the subsoil. Functional diversity effects on topsoil C increased with increasing clay+silt content, while its effects on subsoil C was negative at increasing Alox content. This suggests that functional diversity effect on SOC storage along environmental gradients depends on the specific environmental factor and the soil depth under consideration.
", "keywords": ["soil organic carbon", "context-dependency effects", "forest ecosystem services", "FOS: Agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "Other", "15. Life on land", "oxalate-extractable metals", "functional diversity", "6. Clean water", "triplets"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2v6wwpzs3"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5061/dryad.2v6wwpzs3", "name": "item", "description": "10.5061/dryad.2v6wwpzs3", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5061/dryad.2v6wwpzs3"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2023-03-27T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5061/dryad.3xsj3txkf", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:21:09Z", "type": "Dataset", "title": "The diversity of mycorrhiza-associated fungi and trees shape subtropical mountain forest ecosystem functioning", "description": "Aim: Mycorrhiza play key roles in ecosystem structure and functioning in forests. However, how different mycorrhizal types influence mountain forest biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships is largely unknown. We evaluate how the diversity of distinct mycorrhiza-associated fungi and trees shape forest carbon storage along elevational gradients. Location: Gaoligong Mountains within Hengduan Mountains, Southwest China. Taxon: Seed plants and mycorrhizal fungi. Methods: We used the data from 31 subtropical forest plots along elevational gradients on two aspects (east and west) of the mountain. We quantified species richness of trees and symbiotic fungi and assigned both to their mycorrhizal type (arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM), ectomycorrhiza (EcM) and ericoid mycorrhiza (ErM)). We then examined the diversity effects of mycorrhiza-associated fungi and trees on above-ground carbon stored in trees and organic carbon stored in soils. Results: Species richness was highest for AM trees (79.5%), followed by ErM trees (13.4%) and then EcM trees (7.1%). Species richness of AM-associated trees and fungi decreased with increasing elevation, while ErM-associated trees and fungi showed an opposite trend. EcM-associated diversity followed a hump-shaped relationship with elevation. Positive relationships between diversity and above-ground carbon were detected in all three mycorrhizal associations, but despite low species number, canopy-dominating EcM trees comprised 64.4% of the amount of above-ground carbon. Furthermore, community-weighted means of height exhibited positive correlations with forest above-ground carbon, indicating that positive selection effects occur. Soil organic carbon was positively related to EcM-associated fungi diversity, above-ground carbon mass and soil nitrogen availability, with the latter having the strongest direct effects. Main conclusions: The distributions of forest biodiversity and carbon storage can be modulated by distinct mycorrhizal fungi and trees. Moreover, future global changes (e.g., climate warming, intensifying nitrogen deposition) could alter the mycorrhizal-mediated biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships in mountain forests.", "keywords": ["Ectomycorrhiza", "soil organic carbon", "13. Climate action", "arbuscular mycorrhiza", "FOS: Biological sciences", "elevational gradients", "14. Life underwater", "15. Life on land", "above-ground carbon", "functional diversity"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Luo, Ya-Huang, Ma, Liang-Liang, Seibold, Sebastian, Cadotte, Marc W., Burgess, Kevin, Tan, Shao-Lin, Ye, Lin-Jiang, Zheng, Wei, Zou, Jia-Yun, Chen, Zhi-Fa, Liu, De-Tuan, Zhu, Guang-Fu, Shi, Xiao-Chun, Zhao, Wei, Li, De-Zhu, Liu, Jie, Gao, Lian-Ming,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.3xsj3txkf"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5061/dryad.3xsj3txkf", "name": "item", "description": "10.5061/dryad.3xsj3txkf", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5061/dryad.3xsj3txkf"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-12-20T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "3033936657", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:25:38Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-06-02", "title": "Soil management intensity shifts microbial catabolic profiles across a range of European long-term field experiments", "description": "Assessing soil microbial functionality has the potential to reveal meaningful effects of soil management on soil processes influencing soil quality. We used MicroResp\u2122 to assess microbial respiration upon the addition of six carbon substrates (glucose, alanine, aminobutyric acid, N-acetyl glucosamine, alpha-ketoglutaric acid, and lignin). From this, we calculated the multiple substrate induced respiration (MSIR), the microbial catabolic profile expressed as absolute and relative utilization rate, and the Shannon microbial functional diversity index (H\u2032). We tested the effect of tillage (reduced vs. conventional) and organic matter addition (high vs. low) on these microbial parameters in soil from 10 European long-term field experiments (LTEs), and investigated their relationships with labile organic carbon fractions and various soil parameters linked to soil functions. Reduced tillage and high organic matter input increased MSIR compared to conventional tillage and low organic matter input. In addition, reduced tillage resulted in a small but significant increase in functional diversity compared to conventional tillage. An increase in soil management intensity (CT-Low > CT-High > RT-Low > RT-High) was associated with lower utilization of all the substrates expressed as absolute utilization rate, and a proportionately higher utilization of alpha-ketoglutaric acid compared to the other substrates. More intensive management systems also showed lower soil quality as measured by various soil parameters, in particular total and labile organic carbon, basal respiration, and microbial biomass nitrogen. The present work shows for the first time the key role of labile organic carbon, as affected by soil management, in determining microbial functional diversity. Aggregating results from 10 European arable LTEs, making use of a comprehensive dataset, MicroResp\u2122 showed that reduced tillage and increased organic matter addition created a more favourable habitat for the microbial community to utilize different carbon substrates and, thereby, the potential for nutrient cycling.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "MicroResp\u2122", "Microbial functional diversity", "15. Life on land", "01 natural sciences", "Community level physiological profiling", "6. Clean water", "Tillage", "Structural equation modelling", "13. Climate action", "Organic matter addition", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/3033936657"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Applied%20Soil%20Ecology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "3033936657", "name": "item", "description": "3033936657", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/3033936657"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-10-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5061/dryad.rn8pk0ph5", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:21:17Z", "type": "Dataset", "title": "Drivers of soil organic carbon stock during tropical forest succession", "description": "Soil organic matter contributes to productivity in terrestrial ecosystems and contains more carbon than is found in the atmosphere. Yet, there is little understanding of soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration processes during tropical forest succession, particularly after land abandonment from agriculture practices. Here we used vegetation and environmental data from two large-scale surveys covering a total landscape area of 20,000 ha in Southeast Asia to investigate the effects of plant species diversity, functional trait diversity, phylogenetic diversity, aboveground biomass, and environmental factors on SOC sequestration during forest succession. We found that functional trait diversity plays an important role in determining SOC sequestration across successional trajectories. Increases in SOC carbon storage were associated with indirect positive effects of species diversity and succession age via functional trait diversity, but phylogenetic diversity and aboveground biomass showed no significant relationship with SOC stock. Furthermore, the effects of soil properties and functional trait diversity on SOC carbon storage shift across elevation. Synthesis: Our results suggest that reforestation and restoration management practices that implement a trait-based approach by combining long-lived and short-lived species (conservative and acquisitive traits) to increase plant functional diversity could enhance SOC sequestration for climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, as well as accelerate recovery of healthy soils.", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "tropical forest", "FOS: Agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "15. Life on land", "forest soil", "functional diversity", "plant diversity", "swidden agriculture", "soil organic carbon", "13. Climate action", "forest succession", "functional traits", "tropical forest ecology", "soil carbon stock"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.rn8pk0ph5"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5061/dryad.rn8pk0ph5", "name": "item", "description": "10.5061/dryad.rn8pk0ph5", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5061/dryad.rn8pk0ph5"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2023-05-26T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5061/dryad.v41ns1rx0", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:21:18Z", "type": "Dataset", "title": "The functional role and diversity of soil nematodes are stronger at high elevation in the lesser Himalayan mountain ranges", "description": "unspecifiedSoil nematodes are a foremost component of terrestrial biodiversity, they display the whole gamut of trophic guilds and life strategies, and by their activity, affect major ecosystem process, such as organic matter degradation and carbon cycling. Based on nematodes\u2019 functional types, nematode community indices have been developed, and can be used to link variation in nematodes community composition and ecosystem processes. Yet, the use of these indices has been mainly restricted to anthropogenic stresses. In this study, we propose to expand the use of nematodes' derived ecological indices in order to link soil and climate properties with soil food webs, and ecosystem processes that all vary along steep elevation gradients. For this purpose, we explored how elevation affects the trophic and functional diversity of nematode communities sampled every 300 m, from about 1000 m to 3700 m above sea level, across four transects in the lesser Himalayan range of Jammu and Kashmir. We found that (1) the trophic and functional diversity of nematodes increases with elevation; (2) differences in nematodes communities generate habitat-specific functional diversity; (3) the maturity index (\uf053MI), increases with elevation, while the enrichment index decreases, indicating less mature and less productive ecosystems, enhanced fungal-based energy flow, and a predominant role of nematodes in generating carbon influxes at high elevation sites. We thus confirm that the functional contribution of soil nematodes to belowground ecosystem processes, including carbon and energy flow, is stronger at high elevation. Overall, this study highlights the central importance of nematodes in sustaining soil ecosystems and brings insights into their functional role, particularly in alpine and arctic soils.", "keywords": ["alpine biodiversity", "soil nematodes", "15. Life on land", "Soil animals", "functional diversity", "Soil biodiversity"], "contacts": [{"organization": "Kouser, Yasmeen, Shah, Ali, Rasmann, Sergio,", "roles": ["creator"]}]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.v41ns1rx0"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5061/dryad.v41ns1rx0", "name": "item", "description": "10.5061/dryad.v41ns1rx0", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5061/dryad.v41ns1rx0"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-08-23T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.5281/zenodo.10951090", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:21:52Z", "type": "Dataset", "title": "Fire promotes functional plant diversity and modifies soil carbon dynamics in tropical savanna", "description": "Open AccessDataset associated with the manuscript 'Fire promotes functional plant diversity and modifies soil carbon dynamics in tropical savanna' (Teixeira et al.). It includes 6 different datasets and for all datasets, we provided one metadata.The interplay of forest stand and environmental factors shape soil organic C (SOC) storage in forest ecosystems but little is known about their relative impacts in different soil layers. Moreover, how environmental factors modulate the impact of stand factors, particularly species mixing, on SOC storage, is largely unexplored. \u00a0In this study conducted in 21 forest triplets (two-species mixed stand and respective monocultures nearby) distributed in Europe, we tested the hypothesis that stand factors (functional identity and diversity) have stronger effects on topsoil (FF+0-10 cm) C storage than environmental factors (climatic water availability, clay+silt content, oxalate-extractable Al - Alox) but that the opposite occurs in the subsoil (10-40 cm). We also tested the hypothesis that functional diversity improves SOC storage under high climatic water availability, clay+silt contents, Alox. We characterized functional identity as the proportion of broadleaved species (beech and/or oak), and functional diversity as the product of broadleaved and conifer (pine) proportions. The results show that functional identity was the main driver of topsoil C storage while climatic water availability had the largest control on subsoil C storage. Contrary to expectations, functional diversity decreased topsoil C storage under increasing climatic water availability but the opposite was observed in the subsoil. Functional diversity effects on topsoil C increased with increasing clay+silt content, while its effects on subsoil C was negative at increasing Alox content. This suggests that functional diversity effect on SOC storage along environmental gradients depends on the specific environmental factor and the soil depth under consideration.
", "keywords": ["soil organic carbon", "context-dependency effects", "forest ecosystem services", "FOS: Agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "Other", "15. Life on land", "oxalate-extractable metals", "functional diversity", "6. Clean water", "triplets"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/10.5683/SP3/CMZ2P5"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10.5683/SP3/CMZ2P5", "name": "item", "description": "10.5683/SP3/CMZ2P5", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10.5683/SP3/CMZ2P5"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2023-03-27T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10261/359972", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:24:21Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-10-12", "title": "When disturbances favour species adapted to stressful soils: grazing may benefit soil specialists in gypsum plant communities", "description": "BackgroundHerbivory and extreme soils are drivers of plant evolution. Adaptation to extreme soils often implies substrate-specific traits, and resistance to herbivory involves tolerance or avoidance mechanisms. However, little research has been done on the effect of grazing on plant communities rich in edaphic endemics growing on extreme soils. A widespread study case is gypsum drylands, where livestock grazing often prevails. Despite their limiting conditions, gypsum soils host a unique and highly specialised flora, identified as a conservation priority.
MethodsWe evaluated the effect of different grazing intensities on the assembly of perennial plant communities growing on gypsum soils. We considered the contribution of species gypsum affinity and key functional traits of species such as traits related to gypsum specialisation (leaf S accumulation) or traits related to plant tolerance to herbivory such as leaf C and N concentrations. The effect of grazing intensity on plant community indices ( i.e. , richness, diversity, community weighted-means (CWM) and functional diversity (FD) indices for each trait) were modelled using Generalised Linear Mixed Models (GLMM). We analysed the relative contribution of interspecific trait variation and intraspecific trait variation (ITV) in shifts of community index values.
ResultsLivestock grazing may benefit gypsum plant specialists during community assembly, as species with high gypsum affinity, and high leaf S contents, were more likely to assemble in the most grazed plots. Grazing also promoted species with traits related to herbivory tolerance, as species with a rapid-growth strategy (high leaf N, low leaf C) were promoted under high grazing conditions. Species that ultimately formed gypsum plant communities had sufficient functional variability among individuals to cope with different grazing intensities, as intraspecific variability was the main component of species assembly for CWM values.
ConclusionsThe positive effects of grazing on plant communities in gypsum soils indicate that livestock may be a key tool for the conservation of these edaphic endemics.
", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "0106 biological sciences", "Edpahism", "QH301-705.5", "Mineral nutrition", "Intraspecific variability", "R", "Gypsophily", "Functional diversity", "15. Life on land", "01 natural sciences", "Gypsovag", "Medicine", "Biology (General)", "Plant-herbivore interactions", "Gypsophile"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://peerj.com/articles/14222.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10261/359972"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/PeerJ", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10261/359972", "name": "item", "description": "10261/359972", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10261/359972"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-10-12T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "2944126466", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:25:29Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2019-05-12", "title": "Losses in microbial functional diversity reduce the rate of key soil processes", "description": "Open AccessThis work was financially supported by the Australian Research Council (DP 170104634 and DP190103714) and Western Sydney University. We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Jasmine Grinyer for her assistance during experimental setup and providing comments to improve the quality of this manuscript. M. D-B. acknowledges support from the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions of the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-MSCA-IF-2016 under REA grant agreement n\u00b0 702057.", "keywords": ["Functional redundancy", "microbial diversity", "XXXXXX - Unknown", "nutrient cycles", "Microbial functional diversity", "15. Life on land", "ecosystems", "Specialized ecosystem functions", "soils", "Nutrient cycling"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/2944126466"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Soil%20Biology%20and%20Biochemistry", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "2944126466", "name": "item", "description": "2944126466", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/2944126466"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2019-08-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "10.7717/peerj.14222", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:24:07Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-10-12", "title": "When disturbances favour species adapted to stressful soils: grazing may benefit soil specialists in gypsum plant communities", "description": "BackgroundHerbivory and extreme soils are drivers of plant evolution. Adaptation to extreme soils often implies substrate-specific traits, and resistance to herbivory involves tolerance or avoidance mechanisms. However, little research has been done on the effect of grazing on plant communities rich in edaphic endemics growing on extreme soils. A widespread study case is gypsum drylands, where livestock grazing often prevails. Despite their limiting conditions, gypsum soils host a unique and highly specialised flora, identified as a conservation priority.
MethodsWe evaluated the effect of different grazing intensities on the assembly of perennial plant communities growing on gypsum soils. We considered the contribution of species gypsum affinity and key functional traits of species such as traits related to gypsum specialisation (leaf S accumulation) or traits related to plant tolerance to herbivory such as leaf C and N concentrations. The effect of grazing intensity on plant community indices (i.e., richness, diversity, community weighted-means (CWM) and functional diversity (FD) indices for each trait) were modelled using Generalised Linear Mixed Models (GLMM). We analysed the relative contribution of interspecific trait variation and intraspecific trait variation (ITV) in shifts of community index values.
ResultsLivestock grazing may benefit gypsum plant specialists during community assembly, as species with high gypsum affinity, and high leaf S contents, were more likely to assemble in the most grazed plots. Grazing also promoted species with traits related to herbivory tolerance, as species with a rapid-growth strategy (high leaf N, low leaf C) were promoted under high grazing conditions. Species that ultimately formed gypsum plant communities had sufficient functional variability among individuals to cope with different grazing intensities, as intraspecific variability was the main component of species assembly for CWM values.
ConclusionsThe positive effects of grazing on plant communities in gypsum soils indicate that livestock may be a key tool for the conservation of these edaphic endemics.
Understanding the mechanisms that underlie species assembly is a central concern in community ecology. Abiotic and biotic filters are probabilistic \uffe2\uff80\uff98sieves\uffe2\uff80\uff99 that allow species with certain functional traits to become a part of the community, or not. We manipulated natural plant assemblies in order to identify variations in the timings of biotic and abiotic filters that determine community trait assemblies.
We extracted soil portions when the investigated annual plant community was in its seed phase (\uffe2\uff80\uff98community monolith\uffe2\uff80\uff99), thereby maintaining the structure and similar soil characteristics to the field conditions. Community monoliths were subjected to experimental manipulation in terms of the rainfall timing and amount, and perturbations of the biological soil crust (BSC; intact vs. perturbed). We surveyed the experimental community assembly over time based on the functional diversity by considering important functional traits in different life stages.
We found that autumn droughts acted as abiotic filters by favouring the germination and establishment of species with greater investment in the root biomass. Under severe droughts (66% water reduction), the experimental assemblies were dominated by species with functional traits adapted to water shortage conditions: high leaf dry matter content, low specific leaf area, small individual size, low reproductive ratio and high root:shoot ratio. We identified two roles of BSCs in annual plant species assemblies: (a) as a biotic filter that limited the establishment of species based on seed size, and (b) as a buffer against water stress conditions by reducing soil evapotranspiration.
Synthesis. We demonstrated the importance of the timing and amount of rainfall for shaping annual plant communities, and identified germination filters as the main process that determined community assemblies. Our results suggest that the phenotypic integration of functional traits facilitates resistance to drought during the life cycle. The BSC\uffe2\uff80\uff93annual plant relationship shifted from negative, by acting as a germination filter, to positive, by acting as a buffer in later stages. Climatic fluctuations and fine scale biotic determinants of spatial heterogeneity emerged as sources of changes in the community assembly in time and space to possibly promote species coexistence and trait differences among the communities studied.
Land use change significantly alters soil organic carbon content and the microbial community. Therefore, in the present study, the effect of changing cropland to grassland on structural and functional soil microbial diversity was evaluated. The specific aims were (i) to identify the most prominent members of the fungal communities and their relevant ecological guild groups; (ii) to assess changes in the diversity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea; (iii) to determine the relationships between microbial diversity and selected physical and chemical properties. MethodsWe investigated microbial diversity and activity indicators, bulk density and the water-holding capacity of sandy soil under both cropland and 25-year-old grassland (formerly cropland) in Trzebiesz\uffc3\uffb3w, in the Podlasie Region, Poland. Microbial diversity was assessed by: the relative abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea, fungal community composition and functional diversity. Microbial activity was assessed by soil enzyme (dehydrogenase, \uffce\uffb2-glucosidase) and respiration tests.
ResultsIt was shown that compared to cropland, grassland has a higher soil organic carbon content, microbial biomass, basal respiration, rate of enzyme activity, richness and diversity of the microbial community, water holding capacity and the structure of the fungal and ammonia-oxidizing archaea communities was also altered. The implications of these results for soil quality and soil health are also discussed. The results suggest that grassland can have a significant phytosanitary capacity with regard to ecosystem services, due to the prominent presence of beneficial and antagonistic microbes. Moreover, the results also suggest that grassland use may improve the status of soil organic carbon and nitrogen dynamics, thereby increasing the relative abundance of fungi and ammonia-oxidizing archaea. Forest fires can alter the biological properties of soils. There is increasing evidence that fires cause a shift in soil microbial communities, which play a central role in forest carbon and nutrient cycling. In this study, we evaluate the effect of soil heating on soil microbial functions. We hypothesised that fire reduces the catabolic functional diversity of soil, and that post\uffe2\uff80\uff90fire plant growth enhances its recovery. To test this, we experimentally heated a forest soil at 200\uffc2\uffb0C (T200) or 450\uffc2\uffb0C (T450). Heated and unheated soils were then incubated in tubs with or without live grass ( Lolium perenne L.). We determined the functional profiles by measuring the substrate\uffe2\uff80\uff90induced respiration (SIR) using the Microresp\uffe2\uff84\uffa2 technique and analysed nutrient availability at the end of the incubation. At both temperatures, soil heating altered the respiration responses to substrate additions and the catabolic functional diversity of soils. Functional diversity was initially reduced in T200 soils but recovered at the end of the incubation. In contrast, T450 soils initially maintained the catabolic functional diversity, but decreased at the end of the incubation. Heating\uffe2\uff80\uff90induced nutrient availability stimulated the growth of grass, which in turn increased the response to several substrates and increased the functional diversity to values similar to the unheated controls. Our results suggest that fire\uffe2\uff80\uff90driven alteration of soil microbial communities has consequences at a functional level, and that the recovery of plant communities enhances the recovery of soil microbial functions.
Highlights
Soil experimental heating altered microbial functions and reduced soil functional diversity.
Soil heating also increased nutrient availability, enhancing plant growth.
Growth of plants promoted the recovery of soil functional diversity.
Post\uffe2\uff80\uff90fire recovery of functional diversity may be related to the recovery of photosynthetic tissues.
", "keywords": ["2. Zero hunger", "Incendis forestals", "Forest fires", "Aboveground biomass", "04 agricultural and veterinary sciences", "15. Life on land", "Soil microbial functions", "S\u00f2ls", "13. Climate action", "Substrate-induced respiration", "Soils", "0401 agriculture", " forestry", " and fisheries", "Catabolic functional diversity", "Forest soils", "Soil heating", "S\u00f2ls forestals"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/ejss.13290"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/10459.1/83754"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/European%20Journal%20of%20Soil%20Science", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "10459.1/83754", "name": "item", "description": "10459.1/83754", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/10459.1/83754"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2022-07-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "11568/945393", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:24:38Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2017-04-29", "title": "Ecological impacts of atmospheric pollution and interactions with climate change in terrestrial ecosystems of the Mediterranean Basin: Current research and future directions", "description": "Mediterranean Basin ecosystems, their unique biodiversity, and the key services they provide are currently at risk due to air pollution and climate change, yet only a limited number of isolated and geographically-restricted studies have addressed this topic, often with contrasting results. Particularities of air pollution in this region include high O3 levels due to high air temperatures and solar radiation, the stability of air masses, and dominance of dry over wet nitrogen deposition. Moreover, the unique abiotic and biotic factors (e.g., climate, vegetation type, relevance of Saharan dust inputs) modulating the response of Mediterranean ecosystems at various spatiotemporal scales make it difficult to understand, and thus predict, the consequences of human activities that cause air pollution in the Mediterranean Basin. Therefore, there is an urgent need to implement coordinated research and experimental platforms along with wider environmental monitoring networks in the region. In particular, a robust deposition monitoring network in conjunction with modelling estimates is crucial, possibly including a set of common biomonitors (ideally cryptogams, an important component of the Mediterranean vegetation), to help refine pollutant deposition maps. Additionally, increased attention must be paid to functional diversity measures in future air pollution and climate change studies to establish the necessary link between biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services in Mediterranean ecosystems. Through a coordinated effort, the Mediterranean scientific community can fill the above-mentioned gaps and reach a greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying the combined effects of air pollution and climate change in the Mediterranean Basin.", "keywords": ["air pollution; climate change; coordinated research networks; environmental monitoring; functional diversity; Mediterranean ecosystems; toxicology; pollution", "570", "Coordinated research networks", "550", "Nitrogen", "Climate", "Climate Change", "Air pollution", "Functional diversity", "01 natural sciences", "Air Pollution", "11. Sustainability", "Climate change", "Humans", "14. Life underwater", "Ecosystem", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "Air Pollutants", "Atmosphere", "Research", "Aquatic Ecology", "Environmental monitoring", "Biodiversity", "15. Life on land", "Medio Ambiente", "13. Climate action", "Air pollution; Climate change; Coordinated research networks; Environmental monitoring; Functional diversity; Mediterranean ecosystems; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Atmosphere; Biodiversity; Climate; Humans; Nitrogen; Research; Climate Change; Ecosystem; Environmental Monitoring", "Mediterranean ecosystems", "Air pollution; Climate change; Coordinated research networks; Environmental monitoring; Functional diversity; Mediterranean ecosystems; Toxicology; Pollution; Health", " Toxicology and Mutagenesis", "Air pollution; Climate change; Coordinated research networks; Environmental monitoring; Functional diversity; Mediterranean ecosystems; Air Pollutants; Air Pollution; Atmosphere; Biodiversity; Climate; Humans; Nitrogen; Research; Climate Change; Ecosystem; Environmental Monitoring; Toxicology; Pollution; Health", " Toxicology and Mutagenesis", "Environmental Monitoring"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/86451/1/CAPERMed06042017_F.pdf"}, {"href": "https://doi.org/11568/945393"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Environmental%20Pollution", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "11568/945393", "name": "item", "description": "11568/945393", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/11568/945393"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2017-08-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "1959.7/uws:64529", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:24:54Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2020-07-24", "title": "Grazing and aridity have contrasting effects on the functional and taxonomic diversity of ants", "description": "Open AccessM.D-B. was supported by the European Union\u2019s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 702057 (CLIMIFUN) and by a Large Research Grant from the British Ecological Society (Grant Agreement No. LRA17 1193, MUSGONET).", "keywords": ["Richness", "0106 biological sciences", "2. Zero hunger", "Grazing", "Ants", "XXXXXX - Unknown", "Drylands", "Functional diversity", "Ecolog\u00eda", "15. Life on land", "01 natural sciences", "0105 earth and related environmental sciences"]}, "links": [{"href": "https://doi.org/1959.7/uws:64529"}, {"rel": "related", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/Basic%20and%20Applied%20Ecology", "name": "related record", "description": "related record", "type": "application/json"}, {"rel": "self", "type": "application/geo+json", "title": "1959.7/uws:64529", "name": "item", "description": "1959.7/uws:64529", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main/items/1959.7/uws:64529"}, {"rel": "collection", "type": "application/json", "title": "Collection", "name": "collection", "description": "Collection", "href": "https://repository.soilwise-he.eu/cat/collections/metadata:main"}], "time": {"date": "2020-11-01T00:00:00Z"}}, {"id": "2445/190103", "type": "Feature", "geometry": null, "properties": {"updated": "2026-05-23T16:25:19Z", "type": "Journal Article", "created": "2022-07-25", "title": "Post\u2010fire recovery of soil microbial functions is promoted by plant growth", "description": "AbstractForest fires can alter the biological properties of soils. There is increasing evidence that fires cause a shift in soil microbial communities, which play a central role in forest carbon and nutrient cycling. In this study, we evaluate the effect of soil heating on soil microbial functions. We hypothesised that fire reduces the catabolic functional diversity of soil, and that post\uffe2\uff80\uff90fire plant growth enhances its recovery. To test this, we experimentally heated a forest soil at 200\uffc2\uffb0C (T200) or 450\uffc2\uffb0C (T450). Heated and unheated soils were then incubated in tubs with or without live grass (Lolium perenne L.). We determined the functional profiles by measuring the substrate\uffe2\uff80\uff90induced respiration (SIR) using the Microresp\uffe2\uff84\uffa2 technique and analysed nutrient availability at the end of the incubation. At both temperatures, soil heating altered the respiration responses to substrate additions and the catabolic functional diversity of soils. Functional diversity was initially reduced in T200 soils but recovered at the end of the incubation. In contrast, T450 soils initially maintained the catabolic functional diversity, but decreased at the end of the incubation. Heating\uffe2\uff80\uff90induced nutrient availability stimulated the growth of grass, which in turn increased the response to several substrates and increased the functional diversity to values similar to the unheated controls. Our results suggest that fire\uffe2\uff80\uff90driven alteration of soil microbial communities has consequences at a functional level, and that the recovery of plant communities enhances the recovery of soil microbial functions.
Highlights
Soil experimental heating altered microbial functions and reduced soil functional diversity.
Soil heating also increased nutrient availability, enhancing plant growth.
Growth of plants promoted the recovery of soil functional diversity.
Post\uffe2\uff80\uff90fire recovery of functional diversity may be related to the recovery of photosynthetic tissues.
Understanding the mechanisms that underlie species assembly is a central concern in community ecology. Abiotic and biotic filters are probabilistic \uffe2\uff80\uff98sieves\uffe2\uff80\uff99 that allow species with certain functional traits to become a part of the community, or not. We manipulated natural plant assemblies in order to identify variations in the timings of biotic and abiotic filters that determine community trait assemblies.
We extracted soil portions when the investigated annual plant community was in its seed phase (\uffe2\uff80\uff98community monolith\uffe2\uff80\uff99), thereby maintaining the structure and similar soil characteristics to the field conditions. Community monoliths were subjected to experimental manipulation in terms of the rainfall timing and amount, and perturbations of the biological soil crust (BSC; intact vs. perturbed). We surveyed the experimental community assembly over time based on the functional diversity by considering important functional traits in different life stages.
We found that autumn droughts acted as abiotic filters by favouring the germination and establishment of species with greater investment in the root biomass. Under severe droughts (66% water reduction), the experimental assemblies were dominated by species with functional traits adapted to water shortage conditions: high leaf dry matter content, low specific leaf area, small individual size, low reproductive ratio and high root:shoot ratio. We identified two roles of BSCs in annual plant species assemblies: (a) as a biotic filter that limited the establishment of species based on seed size, and (b) as a buffer against water stress conditions by reducing soil evapotranspiration.
Synthesis. We demonstrated the importance of the timing and amount of rainfall for shaping annual plant communities, and identified germination filters as the main process that determined community assemblies. Our results suggest that the phenotypic integration of functional traits facilitates resistance to drought during the life cycle. The BSC\uffe2\uff80\uff93annual plant relationship shifted from negative, by acting as a germination filter, to positive, by acting as a buffer in later stages. Climatic fluctuations and fine scale biotic determinants of spatial heterogeneity emerged as sources of changes in the community assembly in time and space to possibly promote species coexistence and trait differences among the communities studied.
Previous studies found that plant communities on infertile soils are relatively resistant to climatic variation due to stress tolerance adaptations. However, the species assemblies in gypsum soil habitats require further investigation. Thus, we considered the following questions. (1) Do harsher arid conditions determine the characteristics of the species that form plant assemblages? (2) Is the selection of the species that assemble in arid conditions mediated by their ability to grow on gypsum soils? (3) Is the selection of species that assemble in harsher conditions related to phylogenetically conserved functional traits? Perennial plant communities were analysed in 89 gypsum-soil sites along a 400 km climate gradient from the central to southeastern Iberian Peninsula. Each local assemblage was analysed in 30 \uffc3\uff97 30 m plots and described based on taxonomic, functional (soil plant affinity) and phylogenetic parameters. The mean maximum temperatures in the hottest month, mean annual precipitation and their interaction terms were used as surrogates for the aridity conditions in generalized linear models. In the hottest locations, the gypsophily range narrowed and the mean gypsophily increased at the community level, thereby suggesting the filtering of species and the dominance of soil specialists in the actual plant assemblies. Drier sites had higher taxonomic diversity. The species that formed the perennial communities were close in evolutionary terms at the two ends of the aridity gradient. The mean maximum temperatures in the hottest month had the main abiotic filtering effect on perennial plant communities, which was mediated by the ability of species to grow on gypsum soils, and thus gypsum specialists dominated the species assemblies in the hottest locations. In contrast, the perennial communities on gypsum soils were relatively resistant to changes in precipitation. Our findings suggest that the warmer environmental conditions predicted by global change models will favour gypsum specialists over generalists.Land use change significantly alters soil organic carbon content and the microbial community. Therefore, in the present study, the effect of changing cropland to grassland on structural and functional soil microbial diversity was evaluated. The specific aims were (i) to identify the most prominent members of the fungal communities and their relevant ecological guild groups; (ii) to assess changes in the diversity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea; (iii) to determine the relationships between microbial diversity and selected physical and chemical properties. MethodsWe investigated microbial diversity and activity indicators, bulk density and the water-holding capacity of sandy soil under both cropland and 25-year-old grassland (formerly cropland) in Trzebiesz\uffc3\uffb3w, in the Podlasie Region, Poland. Microbial diversity was assessed by: the relative abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea, fungal community composition and functional diversity. Microbial activity was assessed by soil enzyme (dehydrogenase, \uffce\uffb2-glucosidase) and respiration tests.
ResultsIt was shown that compared to cropland, grassland has a higher soil organic carbon content, microbial biomass, basal respiration, rate of enzyme activity, richness and diversity of the microbial community, water holding capacity and the structure of the fungal and ammonia-oxidizing archaea communities was also altered. The implications of these results for soil quality and soil health are also discussed. The results suggest that grassland can have a significant phytosanitary capacity with regard to ecosystem services, due to the prominent presence of beneficial and antagonistic microbes. Moreover, the results also suggest that grassland use may improve the status of soil organic carbon and nitrogen dynamics, thereby increasing the relative abundance of fungi and ammonia-oxidizing archaea.Land use change significantly alters soil organic carbon content and the microbial community. Therefore, in the present study, the effect of changing cropland to grassland on structural and functional soil microbial diversity was evaluated. The specific aims were (i) to identify the most prominent members of the fungal communities and their relevant ecological guild groups; (ii) to assess changes in the diversity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea; (iii) to determine the relationships between microbial diversity and selected physical and chemical properties.
MethodsWe investigated microbial diversity and activity indicators, bulk density and the water-holding capacity of sandy soil under both cropland and 25-year-old grassland (formerly cropland) in Trzebiesz\uffc3\uffb3w, in the Podlasie Region, Poland. Microbial diversity was assessed by: the relative abundance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea, fungal community composition and functional diversity. Microbial activity was assessed by soil enzyme (dehydrogenase, \uffce\uffb2-glucosidase) and respiration tests.
ResultsIt was shown that compared to cropland, grassland has a higher soil organic carbon content, microbial biomass, basal respiration, rate of enzyme activity, richness and diversity of the microbial community, water holding capacity and the structure of the fungal and ammonia-oxidizing archaea communities was also altered. The implications of these results for soil quality and soil health are also discussed. The results suggest that grassland can have a significant phytosanitary capacity with regard to ecosystem services, due to the prominent presence of beneficial and antagonistic microbes. Moreover, the results also suggest that grassland use may improve the status of soil organic carbon and nitrogen dynamics, thereby increasing the relative abundance of fungi and ammonia-oxidizing archaea.