Open AccessInfluence of plant traits, soil microbial properties, and abiotic parameters on nitrogen turnover of grassland ecosystems
Author(s) -
Nicolas Legay,
Sandra Lavorel,
Catherine Baxendale,
Ute Krainer,
Michael Bahn,
MarieNoëlle Binet,
Amélie Cantarel,
MariePascale Colace,
Arnaud Foulquier,
EvaMaria Kastl,
Karl Grigulis,
Bello Mouhamadou,
Franck Poly,
Thomas Pommier,
Michael Schloter,
JeanChristophe Clément,
Richard D. Bardgett
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
hal (le centre pour la communication scientifique directe)
Language(s) - English
DOI - 10.1002/ecs2.1448/full
Subject(s) - abiotic component , grassland , grassland ecosystem , ecosystem , environmental science , nitrogen , nitrogen cycle , ecology , agronomy , soil science , biology , chemistry , organic chemistry
Although it is known that multiple interactions among plant functional traits, microbial properties, and abiotic soil parameters influence the nutrient turnover, the relative contribution of each of these groups of variables is poorly understood. We manipulated grassland plant functional composition and soil nitrogen (N) availability in a multisite mesocosm experiment to quantify their relative effects on soil N turnover. Overall, root traits, arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization, denitrification potential, as well as N availability and water availability, best explained the variation in measured ecosystem properties, especially the trade-off between nutrient sequestration and plant biomass production. Their relative contributions varied with soil N availability. In relatively N-poor soils (10-20 mu g.N.g(-1) soil), N turnover was mainly controlled by microbial properties and abiotic soil parameters, whereas in the relatively N-rich soils (110-120 mu g.N.g(-1) soil), N turnover was mainly controlled by plant traits and microbial properties. This experiment is a strong demonstration of the importance of functional characteristics of both plants and soil microbes, and their interplay with soil N availability, for N turnover in grassland soils