Circular linkages between soil biodiversity, fertility and plant productivity are limited to topsoil at the continental scale

• Published in: The New phytologist Vol. 215; no. 3; pp. 1186 - 1196
• Main Authors: Delgado‐Baquerizo, Manuel, Powell, Jeff R., Hamonts, Kelly, Reith, Frank, Mele, Pauline, Brown, Mark V., Dennis, Paul G., Ferrari, Belinda C., Fitzgerald, Anna, Young, Andrew, Singh, Brajesh K., Bissett, Andrew
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England New Phytologist Trust 01.08.2017; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Altitude; Australia; bacteria; Biodiversity; biogeochemical cycles; Climate; ecosystem functionality; Equator; eukaryotes; Feedback; Fertility; Food chains; Food plants; Food production; Food webs; Frameworks; Linkages; Microorganisms; Mineral nutrients; Modelling; Nutrient cycles; Plant Development; plant productivity; Positive feedback; Productivity; Soil; soil biodiversity; soil chemical properties; Soil depth; Soil erosion; Soil fertility; soil food webs; Soil investigations; Soil layers; Soil Microbiology; soil physical properties; Soil properties; Soil surfaces; Soils; terrestrial ecosystems; Topsoil; Vegetation; Australia; eukaryotes; ecosystem functionality; soil biodiversity; terrestrial ecosystems; bacteria; plant productivity

The current theoretical framework suggests that tripartite positive feedback relationships between soil biodiversity, fertility and plant productivity are universal. However, empirical evidence for these relationships at the continental scale and across different soil depths is lacking. We investiga...