Ground-lying deadwood volume promotes soil beta diversity but not alpha diversity in European temperate forests.

ABSTRACT:

Background and aims

Deadwood plays a vital role in forest ecosystems, influencing soil biodiversity through nutrient enrichment and niche partitioning. While the effects of specific attributes of deadwood logs on soil biodiversity are well studied, it remains unclear whether and how the volume of deadwood affects soil biodiversity at the scale of forest stands. Additionally, the effects on soil biodiversity may differ between gradually accumulated deadwood and large volumes resulting from sudden stand-level disturbance events. In this study, we aim to assess such effects on alpha and beta diversity of soil microbes and microfauna.

Methods

Soil samples were gathered from forest plots following a gradient of deadwood volumes in European temperate forests in Germany and The Net

SUBMITTER: Rousseau M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12660469 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature