Work

Plant attributes explain the distribution of soil microbial communities in two contrasting regions of the globe

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: We lack strong empirical evidence for links between plant attributes (plant community attributes and functional traits) and the distribution of soil microbial communities at large spatial scales. Using datasets from two contrasting regions and ecosystem types in Australia and England, we report that aboveground plant community attributes, such as diversity (species richness) and cover, and functional traits can predict a unique portion of the variation in the diversity (number of phylotypes) and community composition of soil bacteria and fungi that cannot be explained by soil abiotic properties and climate. We further identify the relative importance and evaluate the potential direct and indirect effects of climate, soil properties and plant attributes in regulating the diversity and community composition of soil microbial communities. Finally, we deliver a list of examples of common taxa from Australia and England that are strongly related to specific plant traits, such as specific leaf area index, leaf nitrogen and nitrogen fixation. Together, our work provides new evidence that plant attributes, especially plant functional traits, can predict the distribution of soil microbial communities at the regional scale and across two hemispheres.

Source: New Phytologist

DOI: 10.1111/nph.15161

Authors: Manuel Delgado‐Baquerizo, Ellen L. Fry, David J. Eldridge, Franciska T. de Vries, Peter Manning, Kelly Hamonts, Jens Kattge, Gerhard Boenisch, Brajesh K. Singh, Richard D. Bardgett

Institutions: Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Manchester, UNSW Sydney, Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Western Sydney University, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry

Language: English

Topic: Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology

Subfield: Ecology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Zero hunger

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: Ecological Society of America, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK Government, British Ecological Society, University of Cambridge, Hermon Slade Foundation, Fondation pour la Recherche sur la Biodiversite, Directorate for Biological Sciences, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Natural Environment Research Council, Australian Research Council, HORIZON EUROPE Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions

Awards: G135438393, G1499040441, G2025007194, G2991375329, G3345895242, G504025110, G5264237701, G5811937480, Biodiversity and the provision of multiple ecosystem services in current and future lowland multifunctional landscapes, Do microbial and plant diversity interact to regulate multifunctionality?, Resilience and regime shifts in peatland microbial communities: implications for soil functioning, Biodiversity and the provision of multiple ecosystem services in current and future lowland multifunctional landscapes, Diversification of grassland through the manipulation of plant-soil interactions and the identification of indicators of restorability, G8811127032, G906149497

OpenAlex ID: W2802353972

FWCI: 11.58

Cites: 45

Cited by: 187

Related to: 10