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Research article2023Peer reviewedOpen access

The positive effect of plant diversity on soil carbon depends on climate

Spohn, Marie; Bagchi, Sumanta; Biederman, Lori A.; Borer, Elizabeth T.; Brathen, Kari Anne; Bugalho, Miguel N.; Caldeira, Maria C.; Catford, Jane A.; Collins, Scott L.; Eisenhauer, Nico; Hagenah, Nicole; Haider, Sylvia; Hautier, Yann; Knops, Johannes M. H.; Koerner, Sally E.; Laanisto, Lauri; Lekberg, Ylva; Martina, Jason P.; Martinson, Holly; Mcculley, Rebecca L.;
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Abstract

Little is currently known about how climate modulates the relationship between plant diversity and soil organic carbon and the mechanisms involved. Yet, this knowledge is of crucial importance in times of climate change and biodiversity loss. Here, we show that plant diversity is positively correlated with soil carbon content and soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio across 84 grasslands on six continents that span wide climate gradients. The relationships between plant diversity and soil carbon as well as plant diversity and soil organic matter quality (carbon-to-nitrogen ratio) are particularly strong in warm and arid climates. While plant biomass is positively correlated with soil carbon, plant biomass is not significantly correlated with plant diversity. Our results indicate that plant diversity influences soil carbon storage not via the quantity of organic matter (plant biomass) inputs to soil, but through the quality of organic matter. The study implies that ecosystem management that restores plant diversity likely enhances soil carbon sequestration, particularly in warm and arid climates.

Published in

Nature Communications
2023, Volume: 14, number: 1, article number: 6624
Publisher: NATURE PORTFOLIO

    Sustainable Development Goals

    SDG15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Soil Science

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42340-0

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/127581