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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Recurso digital |
| Language: | |
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Zenodo
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14558461 |
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Table of Contents:
- <p>Many biodiversity - ecosystem functioning (BEF) experiments have shown enhanced productivity with biodiversity, often explained by niche differentiation and complementarity effects. Yet, most of these results are based on artificial plant assemblages, with a major focus on aboveground productivity. Consequently, our comprehension of the BEF relationship in natural ecosystem and for belowground functions remains largely unknown.</p> <p>In this study, we simulated a long-term non-random species loss in a naturally diverse temperate meadow. We created a richness gradient spanning from 1 to more than 20 species per plot, removing the rare and sub-ordinate species from the vegetation. After 3 and 6 years of experimental manipulation, soil cores were collected to investigate the effects of species removal on belowground biomass, vertical distribution of roots, and root traits. We also used ingrowth cores to quantify the short-term root production of plant communities. We investigated the consistency of below and aboveground responses to species removal.</p> <p>Consistent with aboveground responses, species removal had little effects on root biomass and community root traits, except for a decrease in biomass in the uppermost soil layer (0-5cm) found only after 6 years. Similarly, the vertical distribution of root biomass and traits was largely unaffected by diversity loss, suggesting little evidence for vertical niche differentiation. Nevertheless, species loss decreased the root production in spring (3 months), albeit this lower short-term root production was diluted after a year, when monocultures of dominants almost matched the annual root production of controls.</p> <p><em>Synthesis:</em> Our results from a non-random species removal experiment revealed minimal impact of a realistic diversity loss on root biomass and traits, but a decrease in short-term fine root production. These results challenge traditional BEF theory and the niche differentiation hypothesis, suggesting that dominant species primarily determine belowground biomass structure and characteristics. High diversity may only temporarily increase short-term root production.</p>