Plant diversity and root traits benefit physical properties key to soil function in grasslands

• Published in: Ecology letters Vol. 19; no. 9; pp. 1140 - 1149
• Main Authors: Gould, Iain J., Quinton, John N., Weigelt, Alexandra, De Deyn, Gerlinde B., Bardgett, Richard D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2016; John Wiley and Sons Inc
• Subjects: Aggregate stability; Biodiversity; Ecological function; Ecosystem services; Ecosystems; Germany; Grassland; Grasslands; greenhouses; Herbivores; Hydrology; Letter; Letters; Physical properties; Plant diversity; Plant Physiological Phenomena; Plant Roots - physiology; Plant species; root traits; Soil - chemistry; Soil aggregates; Soil physical properties; soil physics; Soil stability; Soil strength; root traits; biodiversity; grasslands; Aggregate stability; soil physics

Plant diversity loss impairs ecosystem functioning, including important effects on soil. Most studies that have explored plant diversity effects belowground, however, have largely focused on biological processes. As such, our understanding of how plant diversity impacts the soil physical environment...