Ochoa-Hueso, Raul, Eldridge, David J., Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Soliveres, Santiago, Bowker, Matthew A., Gross, Nicolas, Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Yoann ORCID: 0000-0002-5615-5541, Quero, Jose L., Garcia-Gomez, Miguel, Valencia, Enrique ORCID: 0000-0003-3359-0759, Arredondo, Tulio, Beinticinco, Laura, Bran, Donaldo, Cea, Alex, Coaguila, Daniel ORCID: 0000-0001-7177-6058, Dougill, Andrew J., Espinosa, Carlos I., Gaitan, Juan, Guuroh, Reginald T., Guzman, Elizabeth, Gutierrez, Julio R., Hernandez, Rosa M., Huber-Sannwald, Elisabeth, Jeffries, Thomas ORCID: 0000-0001-6479-0353, Linstaedter, Anja, Mau, Rebecca L., Monerris, Jorge, Prina, Anibal ORCID: 0000-0003-3522-9342, Pucheta, Eduardo, Stavi, Ilan, Thomas, Andrew D., Zaady, Eli, Singh, Brajesh K. and Maestre, Fernando T. ORCID: 0000-0002-7434-4856 (2018). Soil fungal abundance and plant functional traits drive fertile island formation in global drylands. J. Ecol., 106 (1). S. 242 - 254. HOBOKEN: WILEY. ISSN 1365-2745

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Abstract

Dryland vegetation is characterized by discrete plant patches that accumulate and capture soil resources under their canopies. These fertile islands are major drivers of dryland ecosystem structure and functioning, yet we lack an integrated understanding of the factors controlling their magnitude and variability at the global scale. We conducted a standardized field survey across 236 drylands from five continents. At each site, we measured the composition, diversity and cover of perennial plants. Fertile island effects were estimated at each site by comparing composite soil samples obtained under the canopy of the dominant plants and in open areas devoid of perennial vegetation. For each sample, we measured 15 soil variables (functions) associated with carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling and used the relative interaction index to quantify the magnitude of the fertile island effect for each function. In 80 sites, we also measured fungal and bacterial abundance (quantitative PCR) and diversity (Illumina MiSeq). The most fertile islands, i.e. those where a higher number of functions were simultaneously enhanced, were found at lower elevation sites with greater soil pH values and sand content under semiarid climates, particularly at locations where the presence of tall woody species with a low-specific leaf area increased fungal abundance beneath plant canopies, the main direct biotic controller of the fertile island effect in the drylands studied. Positive effects of fungal abundance were particularly associated with greater nutrient contents and microbial activity (soil extracellular enzymes) under plant canopies.Synthesis. Our results show that the formation of fertile islands in global drylands largely depends on: (1) local climatic, topographic and edaphic characteristics, (2) the structure and traits of local plant communities and (3) soil microbial communities. Our study also has broad implications for the management and restoration of dryland ecosystems worldwide, where woody plants are commonly used as nurse plants to enhance the establishment and survival of beneficiary species. Finally, our results suggest that forecasted increases in aridity may enhance the formation of fertile islands in drylands worldwide.

Item Type: Journal Article
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCIDORCID Put Code
Ochoa-Hueso, RaulUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Eldridge, David J.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Delgado-Baquerizo, ManuelUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Soliveres, SantiagoUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Bowker, Matthew A.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Gross, NicolasUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Le Bagousse-Pinguet, YoannUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0002-5615-5541UNSPECIFIED
Quero, Jose L.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Garcia-Gomez, MiguelUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Valencia, EnriqueUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0003-3359-0759UNSPECIFIED
Arredondo, TulioUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Beinticinco, LauraUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Bran, DonaldoUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Cea, AlexUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Coaguila, DanielUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0001-7177-6058UNSPECIFIED
Dougill, Andrew J.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Espinosa, Carlos I.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Gaitan, JuanUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Guuroh, Reginald T.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Guzman, ElizabethUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Gutierrez, Julio R.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Hernandez, Rosa M.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Huber-Sannwald, ElisabethUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Jeffries, ThomasUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0001-6479-0353UNSPECIFIED
Linstaedter, AnjaUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Mau, Rebecca L.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Monerris, JorgeUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Prina, AnibalUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0003-3522-9342UNSPECIFIED
Pucheta, EduardoUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Stavi, IlanUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Thomas, Andrew D.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Zaady, EliUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Singh, Brajesh K.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Maestre, Fernando T.UNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0002-7434-4856UNSPECIFIED
URN: urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-200632
DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.12871
Journal or Publication Title: J. Ecol.
Volume: 106
Number: 1
Page Range: S. 242 - 254
Date: 2018
Publisher: WILEY
Place of Publication: HOBOKEN
ISSN: 1365-2745
Language: English
Faculty: Unspecified
Divisions: Unspecified
Subjects: no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:
KeywordsLanguage
ECOSYSTEM MULTIFUNCTIONALITY; LITTER DECOMPOSITION; ORGANIC-MATTER; PULSE DYNAMICS; RESPONSES; DIVERSITY; IMPACTS; CLIMATE; CRUSTS; DESERTMultiple languages
Plant Sciences; EcologyMultiple languages
Refereed: Yes
URI: http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/20063

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