Plant and Soil Microbial Diversity Co-Regulate Ecosystem Multifunctionality during Desertification in a Temperate...

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Soil Science

Background:

• Temperate grasslands rely on biodiversity for ecosystem functions.
• The impact of desertification on ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) is not fully understood.
• Biodiversity's role in mediating desertification's effects on EMF needs investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how plant and soil microbial diversity influence EMF under varying grassland desertification intensities.
• To assess the direct and indirect impacts of biodiversity and soil properties on EMF.
• To identify key drivers of EMF in desertifying grasslands.

Main Methods:

• Assessed plant and soil microbial diversity (fungal, bacterial, archaeal, AMF) across six desertification gradients.
• Measured soil properties and multiple ecosystem functions.
• Utilized random forest and structural equation models (SEM) to determine predictor importance and relationships.

Main Results:

• Plant, bacterial, fungal, and archaeal diversity declined with increased desertification.
• Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) diversity showed resilience to desertification.
• EMF significantly decreased with desertification, but was positively associated with plant and microbial diversity.

Conclusions:

• Both plant and soil microbial diversity are direct and significant predictors of EMF during desertification.
• Above- and below-ground biodiversity co-regulates EMF responses to grassland desertification.
• Findings support biodiversity conservation for ecosystem restoration and sustainable grassland management.