Pedobiologia最新文献

{"title":"Microbial, physical and chemical indicators together reveal soil health changes related to land cover types in the southern European sites under desertification risk","authors":"F.A. Rutigliano,&nbsp;R. Marzaioli,&nbsp;E. Grilli,&nbsp;E. Coppola,&nbsp;S. Castaldi","doi":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150894","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150894","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span>Soil microbial communities<span><span>, which play a key role in the provision of essential ecosystem services, are significantly influenced by several physical and chemical soil properties that may change with land management. This study explores the effect of different land cover types (coniferous tree stands, broad-leaved stands, shrublands, pastures/grasslands and croplands) on physical, chemical and microbial properties (all contributing to soil health) in southern European areas under moderate-high </span>desertification<span> risk selected in Italy, Spain and Portugal. In sites that differ in land cover, we determined microbial biomass (C</span></span></span>_mic<span>), activity and indices of microbial metabolism including C</span>_mic/C_org ratio, metabolic quotient (qCO₂<span><span>) and quotient of mineralization (qM). Soil physical and chemical properties were also measured, comprising bulk density (BD), water content (WC), pH, </span>cation exchange capacity (CEC), total organic C (C</span>_org) and some of its labile fractions, extractable C (C_ext) and mineralizable C (C_min), total N content and C/N. Results showed that land cover type played a strong role in determining magnitude of microbial variables with biomass and activity being higher under coniferous tree cover than in other land covers, according to trends in WC, CEC, C_org_, C_ext, C_min, N, C/N. Compared to land cover, aridity index had lower effect on investigated variables. In comparison to sites with higher C_org content, sites with lower C_org content (most croplands) tended to lose C more rapidly, as suggested by high qM values, except for Spanish acidic soils. Therefore, urgent actions must be taken to counteract the tendency of C-poorer soils to lose C, promoting land cover types that facilitate soil recovery by ensuring denser and more continuous soil cover over time. We also identified a minimum set of soil variables that provide information on soil health changes in both short term (microbial variables) and longer term (physical and chemical variables) in areas under desertification risk.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49711,"journal":{"name":"Pedobiologia","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 150894"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47736620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Termite mound as nutrient hot-spots in savannah with emphasis in P cycling and the potential use of mounds as soil amendment","authors":"Danilo López-Hernández","doi":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150888","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150888","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span><span><span>Termites are an important component of pedofauna and are mainly distributed in subtropical and tropical areas. Their main effect on ecosystems is linked to the construction of tunnels, galleries, mounds, and nests. Termites induce strong changes in the physical-chemical and biological properties of the soil, after and through the processes of decomposition of the organic matter and formation of </span>biogenic structures. At sites with abundant termite populations, galleries and foraging holes enhance </span>soil porosity<span> and infiltration<span> rates, thus reducing soil bulk density. Termite activities result in nutrient accumulation in mounds; therefore, abundant termite populations could play an important role in controlling nutrient cycling in savannahs, where nutrients, particularly phosphorus (P), can often be a limiting factor. Regarding the high nutrient concentration accumulated in termite mounds, authors have claimed that parts of termite mounds could have potential as fertilisers for cultivated soils, and indeed, the use of termite materials for soil improvement is an extended practice in rural, poor, indigenous communities of Africa and Asia. This paper reviews the published data on the accumulation of the nutrients, mainly P in the soil of termite mounds in comparison with the none modified soil, and evaluates the potential use of termite biostructures in soil improvement. While it is true that in greenhouse experiments and in home orchards it is possible to observe the benefit of termite mound treatments, the implementation of such practices on a larger scale is prevented by the low ratio (by weight) of termite nests with respect to the total weight of the soil, as well as by the relatively long rate of renewal of termite mounds once destroyed. However, the use of large structure of </span></span></span><span><em>Macrotermes</em></span>, appears to be justified in a low-input agro-ecological scheme to promote the enhancement of termite-mediated ecosystem services.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49711,"journal":{"name":"Pedobiologia","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 150888"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45795705","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Microbial P limitation in tropical forest soils could be overestimated: Insight from a sorption experiment and a meta-analysis","authors":"Taiki Mori ,&nbsp;Xiankai Lu ,&nbsp;Cong Wang ,&nbsp;Qinggong Mao ,&nbsp;Senhao Wang ,&nbsp;Wei Zhang ,&nbsp;Jiangming Mo","doi":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150887","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150887","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span>The prevailing paradigm for soil microbial activity in tropical forests is that microbial activity is limited by phosphorus (P) availability, and thus exogenous P addition stimulates organic matter decomposition. This idea has been testified by studies demonstrating that experimental P addition accelerates </span>soil respiration<span><span><span>. Contrary to this conventional view, we hypothesize that the increased rates of soil microbial respiration could be due to the release of organic material from the surface of </span>soil minerals<span><span> when P is added, because P competes with organic C for binding sites in soil particles. Here we performed a sorption experiment in a tropical </span>evergreen forest in southern China, where P addition had previously been reported to stimulate soil respiration but suppressed leaf </span></span>litter decomposition<span>. P addition to soils significantly increased dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content, which was extracted immediately after P addition and under a cold temperature where microbial activity was suppressed. This result can explain why P addition stimulated soil respiration but not litter decomposition in our study site. Namely, P addition abiotically elevated microbially-available C through the release of organic matter from the soil mineral surface. We also conducted a meta-analysis using data obtained in forest ecosystems, demonstrating that previous studies have consistently reported that P addition led to higher response ratios of soil microbial respiration than litter decomposition. Our findings suggest that the prevailing paradigm (i.e., soil microbial activity in tropical forests is limited by P availability) might require re-evaluation.</span></span></p></div>","PeriodicalId":49711,"journal":{"name":"Pedobiologia","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 150887"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43552046","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reintroduction of threatened digging mammals influences soil microbial communities differently along a rainfall gradient","authors":"Orsi Decker ,&nbsp;Eleonora Egidi ,&nbsp;Anna J.M. Hopkins ,&nbsp;Melissa Danks ,&nbsp;Heloise Gibb","doi":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150889","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150889","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Ecosystem engineers<span> influence co-existing species indirectly, through their modification of habitat conditions, so the loss of these species may have broad consequences for ecosystems globally. Digging mammals alter soil via soil turnover, habitat modification and mycophagy. However, we have a limited understanding of their impacts in different environments. In a continent-scale study spanning 3000 km across southern Australia, we asked whether reintroductions of native digging mammals affect soil microbial communities<span><span> in the soil matrix outside of their diggings, and if those impacts depend on the environmental context? We used high through-put sequencing analysis of bacterial and fungal environmental DNA to measure soil </span>microbial diversity<span> and community structure inside and outside digging mammal reintroduction areas at five reserves along a rainfall gradient from 166 to 877 mm per year, covering arid, semi-arid and temperate systems. Bacterial observed richness was not different inside and outside of the reserves; in contrast, fungal richness was higher in reserves, but only in arid and semi-arid environments. Fungal saprotrophs were more abundant in reserves: the mixing of soil layers mediated by digging mammals might therefore enhance decomposition. However, crust-forming microbes and ectomycorrhizal fungi were lower in abundance inside reserves, likely due to the disturbance and the altered soil nutrients that resulted from digging activity. Impacts of digging mammals varied among ecosystems which highlights the need for managers to consider the ecological context of reintroductions of ecosystem engineers when restoring for ecological functions.</span></span></span></p></div>","PeriodicalId":49711,"journal":{"name":"Pedobiologia","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 150889"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49874329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Methane consumption under the influence of different nitrogen sources in a tropical soil ecosystem","authors":"Bharati Kollah ,&nbsp;Himanshi Verma ,&nbsp;Rakesh Parmar ,&nbsp;Mayanglambam Homeshwari Devi ,&nbsp;Nagvanti Atoliya ,&nbsp;Apekcha Bajpai ,&nbsp;K.C. Shinoji ,&nbsp;Amar Bahadur Singh ,&nbsp;Ashok Patra ,&nbsp;Devendra Jain ,&nbsp;Garima Dubey ,&nbsp;Santosh Ranjan Mohanty","doi":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150891","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150891","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In order to minimize methane (CH₄) concentration in the atmosphere we need to better understand CH₄<span> consumption in agricultural soils<span><span>. Nitrogen application to agriculture is predicted to increase significantly in the coming years to meet food security needs. However, the interaction between </span>soil nitrogen and CH</span></span>₄ consumption is poorly understood. Experiments were carried out to evaluate CH₄ consumption under the influence of the three nitrogen sources comprising N₂(at ambient+5% and ambient+10%),NO₃-N (at 10 mM and 20 mM) and NH₄-N (at 10 mM and 20 mM). CH₄ consumption was evaluated at different CH₄ concentrations and feeding cycles to validate the effect of nitrogen. Among different N sources, N₂ stimulated CH₄ consumption potential by about 1.11–1.71 times over that in the absence of additional nitrogen (control), while N in the form of both NO₃ and NH₄ inhibited CH₄ consumption by 1.14–2.18 times than in the control. CH₄ consumption rate increased with CH₄ feeding cycles. The effect of N sources on CH₄ consumption followed similar trends irrespective of the N rate added.N₂ stimulated the abundance of both <em>nifH</em> and <em>pmoA</em><span> genes. Abundance of methanotrophs </span><em>pmoA</em> gene copies and nitrifiers <span><em>amoA</em></span> gene copies were more in NH₄-Namended soil than NO₃-N.Available NO₃ content in soil increased 9–30% with CH₄ driven N₂ fixation. This study concludes that N₂ stimulated CH₄ consumption while nitrogen in the form of NO₃ and NH₄ inhibited CH₄<span> consumption in a tropical vertisol.</span></p></div>","PeriodicalId":49711,"journal":{"name":"Pedobiologia","volume":"99 ","pages":"Article 150891"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47889600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Control strategies for the invasive plant kudzu (Pueraria montana) only minimally impacts soil activity, chemistry, and bacterial and fungal communities","authors":"Maryam Shahrtash ,&nbsp;Avery E. Tucker ,&nbsp;Mark A. Weaver ,&nbsp;Shawn P. Brown","doi":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150897","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150897","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span>Invasive plant species<span> pose serious threats to biodiversity and stability of native ecosystems. Kudzu (</span></span><em>Pueraria montana</em> var. <em>lobata</em><span><span>) is an abundant and highly aggressive invasive plant in the Southeast United States. Herbicides, bioherbicides, and cultural practices are integral parts of integrated management of kudzu, yet few studies have evaluated the impact of kudzu management strategies on soils and their biological and chemical properties. To examine whether kudzu management options impact edaphic chemistry and/or </span>soil microbial communities<span>, we implemented a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with kudzu control treatments, which included synthetic, biological, and combined herbicide applications as well as mowing. Changes in edaphic chemistry, soil activity, and in bacterial and fungal communities were then measured across a single growing season. Treatments included the herbicides glyphosate and aminopyralid, the fungal bioherbicide </span></span><span><em>Albifimbria </em><em>verrucaria</em></span>, mowing, as well as the combined treatments of aminopyralid and <em>A. verrucaria</em>, glyphosate and mowing, and two controls (untreated control and the surfactant used as a carrier for aminopyralid and <em>A. verrucaria</em><span> spores). Soils were collected at multiple points across the growing season between May and September. Soil enzymatic activity and edaphic chemistry were generally stable across treatments and time. Further, our community analyses indicates that the interaction between treatments and time structures fungal and bacterial soil communities, but only weakly. This study suggests that soil microbial communities are generally stable in response to different management strategies and had no discernable adverse non-target effects. We conclude that land managers likely can use any control strategies that are best suited for their circumstances without undue concern about how kudzu control strategies might impact soils.</span></p></div>","PeriodicalId":49711,"journal":{"name":"Pedobiologia","volume":"101 ","pages":"Article 150897"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46558965","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Collembola (Isotomidae) and mowing management practices control distinct aspects of thatch decomposition in a lawn mesocosm experiment","authors":"Hayden W. Bock,&nbsp;Kyle Wickings","doi":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150896","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150896","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Soil mesofauna, such as Collembola and mites, are important decomposers in many ecosystems. In lawns, soil mesofauna have been implicated in the decomposition of thatch, an unsightly and problematic by-product of management found in many urban grasslands. In this study, we utilized a model lawn mesocosm experiment and ubiquitous soil mesofauna (Collembola: Isotomidae) to understand their role in thatch decomposition under a variety of simulated lawn management conditions. Our results showed that Collembola enhanced thatch decomposition by 6–8% over Collembola-absent treatments, with clipping additions moderating, and in some cases diminishing the role of Collembola in thatch decomposition. This finding was likely caused by substrate switching in the presence of clippings, and Collembola and clipping additions favoring unique aspects of microbial decomposition: Collembola enhanced oxidative enzymes, enhanced microbial biomass carbon, and marginally reduced microbial respiration, which are associated with oligotrophic microbes. Clipping additions generally increased hydrolytic enzymes, had little effect on microbial biomass, and enhanced respiration, which are associated with copiotrophic microbes. These contrasting results highlight the nuanced effects of soil mesofauna in enhancing thatch decomposition and suggest that management decisions related to lawn mowing may be equally important in mitigating thatch in lawns.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49711,"journal":{"name":"Pedobiologia","volume":"101 ","pages":"Article 150896"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45671620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Structure and composition of the nematode community in a restoration area affected by iron tailings","authors":"Letícia Gonçalves Ribeiro ,&nbsp;Heriksen Higashi Puerari ,&nbsp;Aline Oliveira Silva ,&nbsp;Kátia Augusta Vaz ,&nbsp;Jessé Valentim dos Santos ,&nbsp;Cássio Alencar Nunes ,&nbsp;Marisângela Viana Barbosa ,&nbsp;Mara Rúbia da Rocha ,&nbsp;José Oswaldo Siqueira ,&nbsp;Marco Aurélio Carbone Carneiro","doi":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150864","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150864","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In 2015, the Fundão Dam collapse released over 40 million m³<span><span> of iron mine tailings, causing several environmental damages. Certain affected areas were revegetated with a mix of fast-growing species that can allowed the return of some organisms of soil fauna<span>. Nematodes are the most abundant multicellular organisms in soil and are commonly used as bioindicators. Therefore, this study aimed to use the nematode community as bioindicators of the restoration process of an area affected by iron tailings at the margins of the Gualaxo do Norte River. Soil samples were collected from affected and native forest areas to perform physical, chemical, biochemical, and biological analyses. Nematodes were identified and classified according to feeding habits and on a colonizer-persisters (cp) scale. A non-metrical multidimensional scaling and PERMANOVA were conducted to assess differences between communities. Shannon’s diversity index and the maturity index were significantly higher in the restoration area. There was a difference in the composition and the structure of nematode communities of the restoration and reference area, nematode genus occurrence and abundance were different between the areas resulting in differences in feeding habits and life strategies according to the cp scale. The cp-5 nematodes are more abundant in the restoration area and cp-1 in the forest reference area. Bacterivore nematodes were more abundant in the reference forest area. In addition, the soil attributes in the restoration area were altered following the tailings deposition. Such alterations include high pH, low organic matter content, and low </span></span>microbial biomass<span>, which consequently influenced the structure and the composition of the nematode community. This is likely the first report of soil nematode community diversity in the areas of the Rio Doce Basin impacted by the Fundão tailings, and nematodes proved to be good bioindicators to show the differences between the restoration and forest reference area.</span></span></p></div>","PeriodicalId":49711,"journal":{"name":"Pedobiologia","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 150864"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47505896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Taxonomical and functional responses of microbial communities from forest soils of differing tree species diversity to drying-rewetting cycles","authors":"Lauren M. Gillespie ,&nbsp;Luis Daniel Prada-Salcedo ,&nbsp;Ammar Shihan ,&nbsp;Nathalie Fromin ,&nbsp;Kezia Goldmann ,&nbsp;Alexandru Milcu ,&nbsp;François Buscot ,&nbsp;Bruno Buatois ,&nbsp;Stephan Hättenschwiler","doi":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150875","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150875","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The predicted increases in drought in many forest ecosystems may alter soil microbial community diversity and activity, which may further depend on tree species richness. Shifts in microbial community composition and activity could engender changes in ecosystem function, notably, in soil greenhouse gas emissions and C storage. Using soils from mono-specific and mixed three-species forest stands from across Europe, we performed a microcosm experiment to test how soil microbial taxonomic and catabolic diversity are affected by repeated drying-rewetting (DRW) cycles and tree species mixing. We used Illumina sequencing and MicroResp™ analyses to explore community-level changes between microbial functional groups. DRW decreased bacterial richness and carbon substrate use diversity and increased fungal Shannon diversity. Additionally, microbial communities exposed to DRW changed their consumption of 11 out of 15 substrates significantly, suggesting microbial functional shifts. The legacy effect of tree species mixing influenced the structure of the microbial communities (i.e. taxonomic differential abundance) although, community weighted mean (CWM) values of absorptive root traits appeared to affect more strongly microbial richness, relative abundance, and Shannon diversity. No significant tree species mixing:DRW interaction was found for most microbial variables, except for the use of certain substrates and potentially differential abundance. Our data from a laboratory experiment with soils from different forest ecosystems underline that drought may cause shifts in microbial taxonomic and catabolic diversity, while tree species influences primarily taxonomic diversity through root traits.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49711,"journal":{"name":"Pedobiologia","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 150875"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49874341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the response of soil nitrogen cycling to grass invasion","authors":"Natascha Arnauts ,&nbsp;Miguel Portillo-Estrada ,&nbsp;Jolien Wevers ,&nbsp;Monique Carnol ,&nbsp;Bernard Bosman ,&nbsp;François Rineau","doi":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150874","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pedobi.2023.150874","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><span>In heathlands, high mineral N input causes replacement of </span><span><em>Calluna vulgaris</em></span>, the dominant plant, by fast-growing grasses such as <span><em>Molinia caerulea</em></span><span><span>. The vegetation shift signifies altered litter quality from low- to high-quality litter due to differences in lignin content. Litter quality usually affects decomposition processes, which can, in turn, alter nutrient cycling. Therefore, the change in plant dominance in this ecosystem possibly alters soil carbon<span> and nutrient cycles, and consequently, ecosystem services (e.g. biodiversity conservation, </span></span>groundwater recharge<span>, …). We hypothesise that, because of its higher litter quality, nutrient turnover becomes faster with grass encroachment. We tested this hypothesis in a field set-up consisting of 14 plots presenting a gradient of increasing grass dominance (from 0% to 100%). We measured nine soil parameters and assessed possible associations between grass dominance and the soil parameters using multivariate analysis<span> and linear mixed models. We found that grass dominance significantly impacted net N mineralisation and the root biomass. Our results showed very low net N mineralisation rates (0.09 ± 0.04 mg N (kg soil)</span></span></span>⁻¹ day⁻¹<span><span>) and relative nitrification rates (1.99 ± 0.62%). At high grass levels, acid phosphatase activity was significantly lower than at lower grass percentages. These results show that grass encroachment has a minimal impact on heathland soil </span>biochemistry at this point. Still, we consider that it may take many years to translate a change in litter quality and dynamics into a change in soil functioning.</span></p></div>","PeriodicalId":49711,"journal":{"name":"Pedobiologia","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 150874"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44593786","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}