articleNature CommunicationsOct 19, 2023GOLD OA

The positive effect of plant diversity on soil carbon depends on climate

MSMarie SpohnSBSumanta BagchiLBLori BiedermanETElizabeth T. BorerKAKari Anne Bråthen

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences · Indian Institute of Science Bangalore · +35 more institutions

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Abstract

Little is currently known about how climate modulates the relationship between plant diversity and soil organic carbon and the mechanisms involved. Yet, this knowledge is of crucial importance in times of climate change and biodiversity loss. Here, we show that plant diversity is positively correlated with soil carbon content and soil carbon-to-nitrogen ratio across 84 grasslands on six continents that span wide climate gradients. The relationships between plant diversity and soil carbon as well as plant diversity and soil organic matter quality (carbon-to-nitrogen ratio) are particularly strong in warm and arid climates. While plant biomass is positively correlated with soil carbon, plant biomass is not…

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182
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30.35
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100%
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58
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30

Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Soil carbon
  • Environmental science
  • Soil organic matter
  • Biomass (ecology)
  • Ecosystem
  • Carbon fibers
  • Carbon sequestration
  • Arid
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