Microbial network structure, not plant and microbial community diversity, regulates multifunctionality under increased precipitation in a cold steppe.

ABSTRACT: It is known that the dynamics of multiple ecosystem functions (i. e., multifunctionality) are positively associated with microbial diversity and/or biodiversity. However, how the relationship between microbial species affects ecosystem multifunctionality remains unclear, especially in the case of changes in precipitation patterns. To explore the contribution of biodiversity and microbial co-occurrence networks to multifunctionality, we used rainfall shelters to simulate precipitation enhancement in a cold steppe in Northeast China over two consecutive growing seasons. We showed that an increased 50% precipitation profoundly reduced bacterial diversity and multidiversity, while inter-annual differences in precipitation did not shift microbial diversity, plant diversity, or multidiversity. O

SUBMITTER: Yang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10814129 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature