Plant diversity effects on soil microorganisms support the singular hypothesis
Open accessAbstract
The global decline in biodiversity has generated concern over the consequences for ecosystem functioning and services. Although ecosystem functions driven by soil microorganisms such as plant productivity, decomposition, and nutrient cycling are of particular importance, interrelationships between plant diversity and soil microorganisms are poorly understood. We analyzed the response of soil microorganisms to variations in plant species richness (1–60) and plant functional group richness (1–4) in an experimental grassland system over a period of six years. Major abiotic and biotic factors were considered for exploring the mechanisms responsible for diversity effects. Further, microbial growth characteristics were assessed following the addition of macronutrients. Effects of plant diversity on soil microorganisms were most pronounced in the most diverse plant communities though differences only became established after a time lag of four years. Differences in microbial growth characteristics indicate successional changes from a disturbed (zymogeneous) to an established (autochthonous) microbial community four years after establishment of the experiment. Supporting the singular hypothesis for plant diversity, the results suggest that plant species are unique, each contributing to the functioning of the belowground system. The results reinforce the need for long‐term biodiversity experiments to fully appreciate consequences of current biodiversity loss for ecosystem functioning.
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The presence of legumes did not increase root biomass production and the metabolic activity of soil microorganisms in The Jena Experiment.
“However, the presence of legumes did not increase root biomass production and the metabolic activity of soil microorganisms in The Jena Experiment 20,38 .”
From Plant diversity increases soil microbial activity and soil carbon storage (2015) · cites this paper as [20]
Fine root carbon is a measure of carbon input and basal respiration is a measure of microbial metabolic activity, and both were included as variables potentially mediating plant community effects.
“As variables potentially mediating plant community effects we included fine root carbon as measure of carbon input 31,32 and basal respiration as measure of microbial metabolic activity 20,34,37 .”
From Plant diversity increases soil microbial activity and soil carbon storage (2015) · cites this paper as [20]
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Plant diversity increases soil microbial activity and soil carbon storage
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- Authors
- Eisenhauer, N., Beßler, H., Engels, C., Gleixner, G., Habekost, M., Milcu, A., Partsch, S., Sabais, A. C. W., Scherber, C., Steinbeiss, S., Weigelt, A., Weisser, W. W., & Scheu, S.
- Affiliations
- Technische Universität Darmstadt (DE)
- Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
- Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (DE)
- Imperial College London (GB)
- University of Göttingen (DE)
- Helmholtz Munich (DE)
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Eisenhauer, N.
- Venue
- Ecology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2010-02
- Volume
- 91
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 485-496
- ISSN
- 0012-9658 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-9170
- OpenAlex
- W2115803014
- Cited by
- 533
- References
- 49
- Citations by year
- 2026: 18 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 49 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 45 · 2020: 42 · 2019: 50 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 31 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 18.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- Locations
- Ecology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
- mediaTUM – the media and publications repository of the Technical University Munich (Technical University Munich) (submittedVersion)
- Site cant be reached (submittedVersion)
- GRO (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Nature and Landscape Conservation › Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Soil Science › Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Keywords
- plant diversity, soil microbes, plant species richness, plant functional groups, grassland, microbial growth, microbial succession, biodiversity loss, ecosystem functioning, belowground processes
- MeSH terms
- Plants, Population, Soil Microbiology, Biodiversity
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