Root biomass and exudates link plant diversity with soil bacterial and fungal biomass.

ABSTRACT: Plant diversity has been shown to determine the composition and functioning of soil biota. Although root-derived organic inputs are discussed as the main drivers of soil communities, experimental evidence is scarce. While there is some evidence that higher root biomass at high plant diversity increases substrate availability for soil biota, several studies have speculated that the quantity and diversity of root inputs into the soil, i.e. though root exudates, drive plant diversity effects on soil biota. Here we used a microcosm experiment to study the role of plant species richness on the biomass of soil bacteria and fungi as well as fungal-to-bacterial ratio via root biomass and root exudates. Plant diversity significantly increased shoot biomass, root biomass, the amount of root exudates

SUBMITTER: Eisenhauer N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5379681 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature