The theory of ecology is based on over 100 a of research and investigation, all centered on aboveground pat-terns and processes. However, as contemporary ecologists are increasingly acknowledging, belowground structur...The theory of ecology is based on over 100 a of research and investigation, all centered on aboveground pat-terns and processes. However, as contemporary ecologists are increasingly acknowledging, belowground structures, func-tions, and processes are some of the most poorly understood areas in ecology. This lack of understanding of belowground ecological processes seriously restricts the advance of global change research. The interdisciplinary field of belowground ecology began to flourish in the 1990s, along with the expan-sion of global change research, and quickly gained momen-tum. Belowground ecology aims to investigate belowground structures, functions, and processes, as well as their rela-tionships with corresponding aboveground features, empha-sizing the responses of belowground systems under global change conditions. Key research areas include root ecology, belowground animals, and soil microorganisms. This review summarizes and analyzes the relationships between above- and belowground ecosystems, root ecology, root biogeogra-phy, belowground biodiversity, as well as research areas with particular challenges and progress. This commentary em-phasizes certain theoretical issues concerning the responses of belowground processes to global change, and concludes that belowground ecology is a critical research priority in the 21st century.展开更多
Aims Intensive land management practices can compromise soil biodiversity,thus jeopardizing long-term soil productivity.Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)play a pivotal role in promoting soil productivity through oblig...Aims Intensive land management practices can compromise soil biodiversity,thus jeopardizing long-term soil productivity.Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)play a pivotal role in promoting soil productivity through obligate symbiotic associations with plants.However,it is not clear how properties of plant communities,especially species richness and composition influence the viability of AMF populations in soils.Methods Here we test whether monocultures of eight plant species from different plant functional groups,or a diverse mixture of plant species,maintain more viable AMF propagules.To address this question,we extracted AMF spores from 12-year old plant monocultures and mixtures and paired single AMF spores with single plants in a factorial design crossing AMF spore origin with plant species identity.Important Findings AMF spores from diverse plant mixtures were more successful at colonizing multiple plant species and plant individuals than AMF spores from plant monocultures.Furthermore,we found evidence that AMF spores originating from diverse mixtures more strongly increased biomass than AMF from monocultures in the legume Trifolium repens L.AMF viability and ability to interact with many plant species were greater when AMF spores originated from 12-year old mixtures than monocultures.Our results show for the first time that diverse plant communities can sustain AMF viability in soils and demonstrate the potential of diverse plant communities to maintain viable AMF propagules that are a key component to soil health and productivity.展开更多
文摘The theory of ecology is based on over 100 a of research and investigation, all centered on aboveground pat-terns and processes. However, as contemporary ecologists are increasingly acknowledging, belowground structures, func-tions, and processes are some of the most poorly understood areas in ecology. This lack of understanding of belowground ecological processes seriously restricts the advance of global change research. The interdisciplinary field of belowground ecology began to flourish in the 1990s, along with the expan-sion of global change research, and quickly gained momen-tum. Belowground ecology aims to investigate belowground structures, functions, and processes, as well as their rela-tionships with corresponding aboveground features, empha-sizing the responses of belowground systems under global change conditions. Key research areas include root ecology, belowground animals, and soil microorganisms. This review summarizes and analyzes the relationships between above- and belowground ecosystems, root ecology, root biogeogra-phy, belowground biodiversity, as well as research areas with particular challenges and progress. This commentary em-phasizes certain theoretical issues concerning the responses of belowground processes to global change, and concludes that belowground ecology is a critical research priority in the 21st century.
基金supported by the German Research Foundation(RO2397/7)conducted in the framework of the Jena Experiment(FOR 456/1451)+1 种基金with additional support from the Friedrich Schiller University of JenaFurther support was provided by the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research(iDiv)Halle-Jena-Leipzig,funded by the German Research Foundation(FZT 118).
文摘Aims Intensive land management practices can compromise soil biodiversity,thus jeopardizing long-term soil productivity.Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)play a pivotal role in promoting soil productivity through obligate symbiotic associations with plants.However,it is not clear how properties of plant communities,especially species richness and composition influence the viability of AMF populations in soils.Methods Here we test whether monocultures of eight plant species from different plant functional groups,or a diverse mixture of plant species,maintain more viable AMF propagules.To address this question,we extracted AMF spores from 12-year old plant monocultures and mixtures and paired single AMF spores with single plants in a factorial design crossing AMF spore origin with plant species identity.Important Findings AMF spores from diverse plant mixtures were more successful at colonizing multiple plant species and plant individuals than AMF spores from plant monocultures.Furthermore,we found evidence that AMF spores originating from diverse mixtures more strongly increased biomass than AMF from monocultures in the legume Trifolium repens L.AMF viability and ability to interact with many plant species were greater when AMF spores originated from 12-year old mixtures than monocultures.Our results show for the first time that diverse plant communities can sustain AMF viability in soils and demonstrate the potential of diverse plant communities to maintain viable AMF propagules that are a key component to soil health and productivity.
