Cited by 134Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics StudiesAgronomic Practices and Intercropping SystemsPasture and Agricultural Systems

Aboveground overyielding in grassland mixtures is associated with reduced biomass partitioning to belowground organs

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Bessler, Holger, Temperton, Vicky M., Roscher, Christiane, Buchmann, Nina, Schmid, Bernhard, Schulze, Ernst-Detlef, Weisser, Wolfgang W., Engels, Christof·2009·Ecology

Abstract

We investigated effects of plant species richness in experimental grassland plots on annual above‐ and belowground biomass production estimated from repeated harvests and ingrowth cores, respectively. Aboveground and total biomass production increased with increasing plant species richness while belowground production remained constant. Root to shoot biomass production ratios (R/S) in mixtures were lower than expected from monoculture performance of the species present in the mixtures, showing that interactions among species led to reduced biomass partitioning to belowground organs. This change in partitioning to belowground organs was not confined to mixtures with legumes, but also measured in mixtures without legumes, and correlated with aboveground overyielding in mixtures. It is suggested that species‐rich communities invest less in belowground biomass than do monocultures to extract soil resources, thus leading to increased investment into aboveground organs and overyielding.

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Crossref · 10.1890/08-0867.1

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Authors
Bessler, H., Temperton, V. M., Roscher, C., Buchmann, N., Schmid, B., Schulze, E.-D., Weisser, W. W., & Engels, C.
Affiliations
  • Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
  • Forschungszentrum Jülich (DE)
  • Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (DE)
  • ETH Zurich (CH)
  • University of Zurich (CH)
  • Friedrich Schiller University Jena (DE)
Corresponding author
Engels, Christof
Venue
Ecology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2009-06
Volume
90
Issue
6
Pages
1520-1530
ISSN
  • 0012-9658 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-9170
OpenAlex
W2004805441
Cited by
134
References
64
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 9
FWCI
8.66
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Ecology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
  • JuSER (Forschungszentrum Jülich) (submittedVersion)
  • mediaTUM – the media and publications repository of the Technical University Munich (Technical University Munich) (submittedVersion)
  • MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Zurich Open Repository and Archive (University of Zurich)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Agronomic Practices and Intercropping Systems
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Forestry › Pasture and Agricultural Systems
Keywords
plant species richness, grassland mixtures, biomass allocation, root-shoot ratio, belowground biomass, aboveground biomass, Fabaceae, species interactions, monoculture
MeSH terms
Population Density, Population Dynamics, Plant Roots, Plant Shoots, Biomass, Biodiversity, Plant Development

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