Fungal-bacterial diversity and microbiome complexity predict ecosystem functioning

The soil microbiome is highly diverse and comprises up to one quarter of Earth's diversity. Yet, how such a diverse and functionally complex microbiome influences ecosystem functioning remains unclear. Here we manipulated the soil microbiome in experimental grassland ecosystems and observed that microbiome diversity and microbial network complexity positively influenced multiple ecosystem functions related to nutrient cycling (e.g. multifunctionality). Grassland microcosms with poorly developed microbial networks and reduced microbial richness had the lowest multifunctionality due to fewer taxa present that support the same function (redundancy) and lower diversity of taxa that support different functions…

• NS
  National Science Foundation
• NI
  Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie
• SN
  Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung

  Awards: 137136, 166079
• KN
  Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen
• A
  Agroscope