Impacts of soil faunal community composition on model grassland ecosystems

M. A. Bradford; T. H. Jones; H. I. Black; B. Boag; M. Bonkowski; Robin Cook; T. Eggers; A. C. Gange; S. J. Grayston; E. Kandeler; A. E. McCaig; J. E. Newington; James Ivor Prosser; H. Setala; R. D. Bardgett

doi:10.1126/science.1075805

Impacts of soil faunal community composition on model grassland ecosystems

M. A. Bradford, T. H. Jones, H. I. Black, B. Boag, M. Bonkowski, Robin Cook, T. Eggers, A. C. Gange, S. J. Grayston, E. Kandeler, A. E. McCaig, J. E. Newington, James Ivor Prosser, H. Setala, R. D. Bardgett

Aberdeen Centre For Environmental Sustainability

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

242 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Human impacts, including global change, may alter the composition of soil faunal communities, but consequences for ecosystem functioning are poorly understood. We constructed model grassland systems in the Ecotron controlled environment facility and manipulated soil community composition through assemblages of different animal body sizes. Plant community composition, microbial and root biomass, decomposition rate, and mycorrhizal colonization were all markedly affected. However, two key ecosystem processes, aboveground net primary productivity and net ecosystem productivity, were surprisingly resistant to these changes. We hypothesize that positive and negative faunal-mediated effects in soil communities cancel each other out, causing no net ecosystem effects.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	615-618
Number of pages	3
Journal	Science
Volume	298
Issue number	5593
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1075805
Publication status	Published - 2002

Keywords

TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
DECOMPOSITION
BIODIVERSITY
AGROECOSYSTEMS
MINERALIZATION
DIVERSITY
NITROGEN
GROWTH

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1126/science.1075805

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title = "Impacts of soil faunal community composition on model grassland ecosystems",

abstract = "Human impacts, including global change, may alter the composition of soil faunal communities, but consequences for ecosystem functioning are poorly understood. We constructed model grassland systems in the Ecotron controlled environment facility and manipulated soil community composition through assemblages of different animal body sizes. Plant community composition, microbial and root biomass, decomposition rate, and mycorrhizal colonization were all markedly affected. However, two key ecosystem processes, aboveground net primary productivity and net ecosystem productivity, were surprisingly resistant to these changes. We hypothesize that positive and negative faunal-mediated effects in soil communities cancel each other out, causing no net ecosystem effects.",

keywords = "TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS, DECOMPOSITION, BIODIVERSITY, AGROECOSYSTEMS, MINERALIZATION, DIVERSITY, NITROGEN, GROWTH",

author = "Bradford, {M. A.} and Jones, {T. H.} and Black, {H. I.} and B. Boag and M. Bonkowski and Robin Cook and T. Eggers and Gange, {A. C.} and Grayston, {S. J.} and E. Kandeler and McCaig, {A. E.} and Newington, {J. E.} and Prosser, {James Ivor} and H. Setala and Bardgett, {R. D.}",

year = "2002",

doi = "10.1126/science.1075805",

language = "English",

volume = "298",

pages = "615--618",

journal = "Science",

issn = "0036-8075",

publisher = "AMER ASSOC ADVANCEMENT SCIENCE",

number = "5593",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impacts of soil faunal community composition on model grassland ecosystems

AU - Bradford, M. A.

AU - Jones, T. H.

AU - Black, H. I.

AU - Boag, B.

AU - Bonkowski, M.

AU - Cook, Robin

AU - Eggers, T.

AU - Gange, A. C.

AU - Grayston, S. J.

AU - Kandeler, E.

AU - McCaig, A. E.

AU - Newington, J. E.

AU - Prosser, James Ivor

AU - Setala, H.

AU - Bardgett, R. D.

PY - 2002

Y1 - 2002

N2 - Human impacts, including global change, may alter the composition of soil faunal communities, but consequences for ecosystem functioning are poorly understood. We constructed model grassland systems in the Ecotron controlled environment facility and manipulated soil community composition through assemblages of different animal body sizes. Plant community composition, microbial and root biomass, decomposition rate, and mycorrhizal colonization were all markedly affected. However, two key ecosystem processes, aboveground net primary productivity and net ecosystem productivity, were surprisingly resistant to these changes. We hypothesize that positive and negative faunal-mediated effects in soil communities cancel each other out, causing no net ecosystem effects.

AB - Human impacts, including global change, may alter the composition of soil faunal communities, but consequences for ecosystem functioning are poorly understood. We constructed model grassland systems in the Ecotron controlled environment facility and manipulated soil community composition through assemblages of different animal body sizes. Plant community composition, microbial and root biomass, decomposition rate, and mycorrhizal colonization were all markedly affected. However, two key ecosystem processes, aboveground net primary productivity and net ecosystem productivity, were surprisingly resistant to these changes. We hypothesize that positive and negative faunal-mediated effects in soil communities cancel each other out, causing no net ecosystem effects.

KW - TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS

KW - DECOMPOSITION

KW - BIODIVERSITY

KW - AGROECOSYSTEMS

KW - MINERALIZATION

KW - DIVERSITY

KW - NITROGEN

KW - GROWTH

U2 - 10.1126/science.1075805

DO - 10.1126/science.1075805

M3 - Article

SN - 0036-8075

VL - 298

SP - 615

EP - 618

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 5593

ER -

Impacts of soil faunal community composition on model grassland ecosystems

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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