Featured
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New publication from van der Plas et al. in Nature Ecology & Evolution: Plant traits alone are poor predictors of ecosystem properties and long-term ecosystem functioning
Earth is home to over 350,000 vascular plant species that differ in their traits in innumerable ways. A key challenge is to predict how natural or anthropogenically driven changes in the…
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New publication from van Moorsel et al. in Ecology: Co‐occurrence history increases ecosystem stability and resilience in experimental plant communities
Understanding factors that maintain ecosystem stability is critical in the face of environmental change. Experiments simulating species loss from grassland have shown that losing biodiversity decreases ecosystem stability. However, as…
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Wir suchen ab November 2020 eine Studentische Hilfskraft (m/w/d)
Wir suchen ab November 2020 eine Studentische Hilfskraft (m/w/d) für die regelmäßige Probenahme von Bodenwasser und -gas im Biodiversitätsexperiment „Jena Experiment“ Aufgaben: Unterstützung bei der Probenahme von Bodenwasser und Bodengas…
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New publication from Jochum et al. in Nature Ecology & Evolution: The results of biodiversity–ecosystem functioning experiments are realistic
A large body of research shows that biodiversity loss can reduce ecosystem functioning. However, much of the evidence for this relationship is drawn from biodiversity–ecosystem functioning experiments in which biodiversity…
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New publication from Dietrich et al. in SOIL ORGANISMS: Effects of steam sterilization on soil abiotic and biotic properties
Abstract: Experiments under natural conditions are becoming increasingly important to investigate the impacts of global change on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, but field experiments are not always feasible. Climate or…
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New publication from Lama et al. in Oecologia: Plant diversity influenced gross nitrogen mineralization, microbial ammonium consumption and gross inorganic N immobilization in a grassland experiment
Gross rates of nitrogen (N) turnover inform about the total N release and consumption. We investigated how plant diversity affects gross N mineralization, microbial ammonium (NH4+) consumption and gross inorganic…
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New publication from Dietrich et al. in Journal of Plant Ecology: Diverse plant mixtures sustain a greater arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi spore viability than monocultures after 12 years
Abstract: Aims Intensive land management practices can compromise soil biodiversity, thus jeopardizing long-term soil productivity. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a pivotal role in promoting soil productivity through obligate symbiotic…
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New publication from Lama et al. in Biology and Fertility of Soils: The biodiversity – N cycle relationship: a 15N tracer experiment with soil from plant mixtures of varying diversity to model N pool sizes and transformation rates
Abstract We conducted a 15N tracer experiment in laboratory microcosms with field-fresh soil samples from a biodiversity experiment to evaluate the relationship between grassland biodiversity and N cycling. To embrace…
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New publication from Ebeling et al in Ecology: Contrasting effects of plant diversity on β‐ and γ‐diversity of grassland invertebrates
Abstract: The diversity of primary producers strongly affects the structure and diversity of species assemblages at other trophic levels. However, limited knowledge exists of how plant diversity effects at small…
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New publication from Buzhdygan et al in Nature Ecology & Evolution: Biodiversity increases multitrophic energy use efficiency, flow and storage in grasslands
Abstract: The continuing loss of global biodiversity has raised questions about the risk that species extinctions pose for the functioning of natural ecosystems and the services that they provide for…
