Plant diversity and overyielding: insights from belowground facilitation of intercropping in agriculture

Despite increasing evidence that plant diversity in experimental systems may enhance ecosystem productivity, the mechanisms causing this overyielding remain debated. Here, we review studies of overyielding observed in agricultural intercropping systems, and show that a potentially important mechanism underlying such facilitation is the ability of some crop species to chemically mobilize otherwise-unavailable forms of one or more limiting soil nutrients such as phosphorus (P) and micronutrients (iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn)). Phosphorus-mobilizing crop species improve P nutrition for themselves and neighboring non-P-mobilizing species by releasing acid phosphatases, protons and/or carboxylates into…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• DO
  Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Australian Government
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 31210103906, 30870406, 31121062
• AR
  Australian Research Council
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Award: 2011CB100405