How soil biodiversity influences ecosystem stability in experimental grasslands

• Applicant: Dr. Gaowen Yang
• Subject Area: Ecology and Biodiversity of Plants and Ecosystems
• Term: from 2019 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 434341960

Understanding the factors that determine the stability of ecosystem functioning when faced with a changing environment is a focal point in ecological research. It is becoming well established that biodiversity, especially plant diversity, is a major factor contributing to ecosystem stability. Soil biodiversity, which comprises a large part of biodiversity on Earth, is threatened by global anthropogenic changes. However, we know little about whether and how the loss of soil biodiversity influences ecosystem stability. Because it is difficult to manipulate soil biodiversity in a field study, the dilution-to-extinction approach will be used to create soil communities with a realistic gradient of species richness in this study. Grassland microcosms will be established along the soil biodiversity gradient in greenhouse experiments. Firstly, I will use a microcosm experiment to test whether soil biodiversity loss can decrease ecosystem stability through its detrimental effects on plant biomass production and the stabilizing effect of plant diversity, or increase ecosystem stability through shifting plant community composition. Ecosystem resistance, defined as the degree to which ecosystem functioning changes during a perturbation, is one important component of ecosystem stability. Secondly, I will test whether the loss of soil biodiversity can result in decreases in the resistance and resilience of multiple ecosystem functions, such as biomass production, litter decomposition, soil aggregate formation, nitrogen and phosphorus leaching and nutrient provision, to warming, drought and nitrogen deposition. This study will provide a better understanding of the links between soil biodiversity loss and ecosystem stability, which is crucial for predicting how anthropogenically induced changes in soil biodiversity will impact ecosystem stability.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants