Drivers of soil microbial and detritivore activity across global grasslands.

ABSTRACT: Covering approximately 40% of land surfaces, grasslands provide critical ecosystem services that rely on soil organisms. However, the global determinants of soil biodiversity and functioning remain underexplored. In this study, we investigate the drivers of soil microbial and detritivore activity in grasslands across a wide range of climatic conditions on five continents. We apply standardized treatments of nutrient addition and herbivore reduction, allowing us to disentangle the regional and local drivers of soil organism activity. We use structural equation modeling to assess the direct and indirect effects of local and regional drivers on soil biological activities. Microbial and detritivore activities are positively correlated across global grasslands. These correlations are shaped mor

SUBMITTER: Siebert J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10692199 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature