The positive effect of plant diversity on soil carbon depends on climate

Spohn, M and Bagchi, S and Biederman, LA and Borer, ET and Bråthen, KA and Bugalho, MN and Caldeira, MC and Catford, JA and Collins, SL and Eisenhauer, N and Hagenah, N and Haider, S and Hautier, Y and Knops, JMH and Koerner, SE and Laanisto, L and Lekberg, Y and Martina, JP and Martinson, H and McCulley, RL and Peri, PL and Macek, P and Power, SA and Risch, AC and Roscher, C and Seabloom, EW and Stevens, C and Veen, GFC and Virtanen, R and Yahdjian, L (2023) The positive effect of plant diversity on soil carbon depends on climate. In: Nature Communications, 14 (1).

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Abstract

Little is currently known about how climate modulates the relationship between plant diversity and soil organic carbon and the mechanisms involved. Yet, this knowledge is of crucial importance in times of climate change and biodiversity loss. Here, we show that plant diversity is positively correlated with soil carbon content and soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio across 84 grasslands on six continents that span wide climate gradients. The relationships between plant diversity and soil carbon as well as plant diversity and soil organic matter quality (carbon-to-nitrogen ratio) are particularly strong in warm and arid climates. While plant biomass is positively correlated with soil carbon, plant biomass is not significantly correlated with plant diversity. Our results indicate that plant diversity influences soil carbon storage not via the quantity of organic matter (plant biomass) inputs to soil, but through the quality of organic matter. The study implies that ecosystem management that restores plant diversity likely enhances soil carbon sequestration, particularly in warm and arid climates. © 2023, Springer Nature Limited.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Nature Communications
Publisher:	Nature Research
Additional Information:	The copyright for this article belongs to authors.
Keywords:	carbon; nitrogen; organic matter; soil organic matter; carbon, biodiversity; carbon storage; climate change; ecosystem management; phytomass; soil carbon; soil organic matter; species diversity, Article; biodiversity; carbon sequestration; climate; climate change; controlled study; decomposition; desert climate; desiccation; environmental management; knowledge; Shannon index; soil; biodiversity; biomass; ecosystem; plant, Biodiversity; Biomass; Carbon; Ecosystem; Nitrogen; Plants; Soil
Department/Centre:	Division of Biological Sciences > Centre for Ecological Sciences
Date Deposited:	18 Nov 2024 21:38
Last Modified:	18 Nov 2024 21:38
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/85339

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