Journal article

Microbial drivers of plant richness and productivity in a grassland restoration experiment along a gradient of land-use intensity


Authors listAbrahao, A; Marhan, S; Boeddinghaus, RS; Nawaz, A; Wubet, T; Hölzel, N; Klaus, VH; Kleinebecker, T; Freitag, M; Hamer, U; Oliveira, RS; Lambers, H; Kandeler, E

Publication year2022

Pages1936-1950

JournalNew Phytologist

Volume number236

Issue number5

ISSN0028-646X

eISSN1469-8137

Open access statusHybrid

DOI Linkhttps://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18503

PublisherWiley


Abstract
Plant-soil feedbacks (PSFs) underlying grassland plant richness and productivity are typically coupled with nutrient availability; however, we lack understanding of how restoration measures to increase plant diversity might affect PSFs. We examined the roles of sward disturbance, seed addition and land-use intensity (LUI) on PSFs. We conducted a disturbance and seed addition experiment in 10 grasslands along a LUI gradient and characterized plant biomass and richness, soil microbial biomass, community composition and enzyme activities. Greater plant biomass at high LUI was related to a decrease in the fungal to bacterial ratios, indicating highly productive grasslands to be dominated by bacteria. Lower enzyme activity per microbial biomass at high plant species richness indicated a slower carbon (C) cycling. The relative abundance of fungal saprotrophs decreased, while pathogens increased with LUI and disturbance. Both fungal guilds were negatively associated with plant richness, indicating the mechanisms underlying PSFs depended on LUI. We show that LUI and disturbance affect fungal functional composition, which may feedback on plant species richness by impeding the establishment of pathogen-sensitive species. Therefore, we highlight the need to integrate LUI including its effects on PSFs when planning for practices that aim to optimize plant diversity and productivity.



Citation Styles

Harvard Citation styleAbrahao, A., Marhan, S., Boeddinghaus, R., Nawaz, A., Wubet, T., Hölzel, N., et al. (2022) Microbial drivers of plant richness and productivity in a grassland restoration experiment along a gradient of land-use intensity, New Phytologist, 236(5), pp. 1936-1950. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18503

APA Citation styleAbrahao, A., Marhan, S., Boeddinghaus, R., Nawaz, A., Wubet, T., Hölzel, N., Klaus, V., Kleinebecker, T., Freitag, M., Hamer, U., Oliveira, R., Lambers, H., & Kandeler, E. (2022). Microbial drivers of plant richness and productivity in a grassland restoration experiment along a gradient of land-use intensity. New Phytologist. 236(5), 1936-1950. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18503



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