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ABOVE- AND BELOWGROUND INTERACTIONS ARE MEDIATED BY NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY.

Josephine Haase1, Roland Brandl1, Stefan Scheu2

  • 1University of Marburg, Faculty of Biology, Department of Animal Ecology, Karl-von-Frisch-Strasse 8, 35032 Marburg, Germany.

Ecology
|November 27, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Decomposers influence plant and herbivore performance, with nutrient availability mediating these interactions. Ecosystem nutrient enrichment can significantly alter these above- and belowground food web connections.

Keywords:
above-belowground linkagesdecomposersherbivoresmicrocosmsnutrient availabilityplant communitiestrophic interactions

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Soil Science
  • Plant-Insect Interactions

Background:

  • Decomposers impact nutrient cycling, affecting plant performance and herbivore dynamics.
  • Above-belowground ecological linkages are crucial for ecosystem functioning and can be influenced by nutrient availability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how soil nutrient availability affects plant performance under the influence of decomposers (Collembola) and herbivores (aphids).
  • To assess the interactive effects of decomposers and herbivores on plant biomass, nutrient content, and their own population dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Microcosm experiments were conducted using Poa annua as the host plant, with varying nutrient levels.
  • Collembola (Folsomia candida) and aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi) were introduced to assess their individual and combined impacts.
  • Plant biomass, root allocation, element content, and population sizes of invertebrates were measured.

Main Results:

  • Collembola enhanced plant biomass at low/moderate nutrient levels, while aphids negatively impacted biomass more at high nutrient levels.
  • Aphid herbivory effects were amplified by the presence of Collembola, and vice versa.
  • Decomposers boosted aphid populations at low/moderate nutrients, while herbivores increased decomposer numbers at high nutrients.

Conclusions:

  • The interplay between belowground (decomposers) and aboveground (herbivores) food webs is strongly dependent on nutrient availability.
  • Nutrient enrichment in ecosystems can significantly alter the strength and nature of above-belowground interactions, impacting community dynamics.