Plant species richness promotes soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in grasslands without legumes

• Published in: The Journal of ecology Vol. 102; no. 5; pp. 1163 - 1170
• Main Authors: Cong, Wen‐Feng, Ruijven, Jasper, Mommer, Liesje, De Deyn, Gerlinde B, Berendse, Frank, Hoffland, Ellis, Lavorel, Sandra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Cambridge University Press 01.09.2014; John Wiley & Sons Ltd; Blackwell; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biodiversity; biodiversity experiment; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass; carbon; Carbon sequestration; communities; complementarity; diversity-productivity relationship; ecosystem function; ecosystem functioning; ecosystems; elevated co2; functional composition; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Grassland soils; Grasslands; impacts; Legumes; mineralization; Nitrogen; Organic soils; Plant ecology; Plants; Plant–soil (below-ground) interactions; Primary productivity; productivity; Root biomass; sequestration; soil; soil C sequestration; Soil depth; Soil ecology; soil N mineralization; soil organic matter; soil organic matter decomposition; Soil plant interactions; Species diversity; Synecology; Terrestrial ecosystems; time; Grassland; Organic matter; Biomass; Biodiversity; plant-soil (below-ground) interactions; Mineralization; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Soil interaction; root biomass; Species richness; Productivity; Root; Nitrogen; Carbon; Carbon sequestration; soil C sequestration; Soils; Leguminosae; Vegetation; Spermatophyta; Ecosystem functioning; Stock; soil N mineralization; soil organic matter decomposition

The storage of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in soil is important ecosystem functions. Grassland biodiversity experiments have shown a positive effect of plant diversity on soil C and N storage. However, these experiments all included legumes, which constitute an important N input through N₂‐fixation....