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143 results on '"Maestre, Fernando T."'

1. Hotspots of biogeochemical activity linked to aridity and plant traits across global drylands

Author: European Commission, Generalitat Valenciana, Hermon Slade Foundation, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (China), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España), National Science Foundation (US), National Research, Development and Innovation Office (Hungary), Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany), Asia Foundation, Northern Arizona University, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Ministerio de Universidades (España), Eldridge, David J. [0000-0002-2191-486X], Ding, Jingyi [0000-0002-4120-6318], Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Gross, Nicolas [0000-0001-9730-3240], Mallen-Cooper, Max [0000-0002-8799-8728], Ochoa, Victoria [0000-0002-2055-2094], Gozalo, Beatriz [0000-0003-3082-4695], Guirado, Emilio [0000-0001-5348-7391], García-Gómez, Miguel [0000-0003-3148-1495], Valencia, Enrique [0000-0003-3359-0759], Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime [0000-0001-5859-5674], Plaza de Carlos, César [0000-0001-8616-7001], Abedi, Mehdi [0000-0002-1499-0119], Ahmadian , Negar [0000-0003-1191-3019], Ahumada, Rodrigo J. [0000-0002-7246-4459], Alcántara, Julio M. [0000-0002-8003-7844], Amghar, Fateh [0000-0003-0379-7273], Berdugo, Miguel [0000-0003-1053-8907], Blaum, Niels [0000-0001-6807-5162], Boldgiv, Bazartseren [0000-0003-0015-8142], Browker, Matthew A. [0000-0002-5891-0264], Bran, Donaldo [0000-0001-7749-2726], Bu, Chongfeng [0000-0002-5839-7229], Canessa, Rafaella [0000-0002-6979-9880], Castro, Ignacio [0000-0002-7594-6824], Castro-Quezada, Patricio [0000-0002-2366-2256], Cesarz, Simone [0000-0003-2334-5119], Conceição, Abel A. [0000-0001-7461-0133], Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony [0000-0002-2825-7962], Davila, Yvonne C. [0000-0002-5144-5742], Deák, Balázs [0000-0001-6938-1997], Donoso, David [0000-0002-3408-1457], Dougill, Andrew [0000-0002-3422-8228], Eisenhauer, Nico [0000-0002-0371-6720], Espinosa, Carlos Iván [0000-0002-5330-4505], Fajardo, Alex [0000-0002-2202-6207], Farzam, Mohammad [0000-0003-1947-0187], Fraser, L. H. [0000-0003-3998-5540], Gaitán, Juan J. [0000-0003-2889-1418], Hernández, Rosa M. [0000-0003-0689-8862], Jadán, Oswaldo. [0000-0002-7865-2418], Jentsch, Anke [0000-0002-2345-8300], Kaseke, Kudzai Farai [0000-0002-3856-0711], Köbel, Melanie [0000-0001-8272-7999], Lehmann, Anika [0000-0002-9101-9297], Liancourt, Pierre [0000-0002-3109-8755], Linstädter, Anja [0000-0003-0038-9557], Low, Michelle A. [0000-0002-2148-9752], Maggs Kölling, Gillian [0000-0003-3296-8553], Makhalanyane, Thulani P. [0000-0002-8173-1678], Malam Issa, Oumarou [0000-0001-8357-914X], Marais, Eugene [0000-0001-7155-9942], Mendoza, Betty [0000-0003-1149-7801], Mora, Juan P. [0000-0002-6335-0150], Moreno, Gerardo [0000-0001-8053-2696], Munson, Seth M. [0000-0002-2736-6374], Nunes, Alice [0000-0002-6900-3838], Oliva, Gabriel [0000-0002-7839-8851], Oñatibia, Gastón [0000-0003-2329-6601], Peter, Guadalupe [0000-0002-7792-7045], Pueyo, Yolanda [0000-0001-6970-7790], Quiroga, R Emiliano [0000-0001-9785-451X], Reed, Sasha C. [0000-0002-8597-8619], Rey, Ana [0000-0003-0394-101X], Rey, P.J. [0000-0001-5550-0393], Rolo, Víctor [0000-0001-5854-9512], Rillig, Matthias C. [0000-0003-3541-7853], Le Roux, Peter C. [0000-0002-7941-7444], Salah, Ayman [0000-0003-0596-1292], Stavi, Ilan [0000-0001-9725-0003], Stephens, Colton R. A. [0000-0002-8744-6405], Teixido, Alberto L. [0000-0001-8009-1237], Thomas, Andrew [0000-0002-1360-1687], Travers, Samantha [0000-0002-6252-1667], Valkó, Orsolya [0000-0001-7919-6293], van den Brink, Liesbeth [0000-0003-0313-8147], Velbert, Frederike [0000-0003-0499-3807], von Heßberg, Andreas [0009-0007-0303-3624], Wamiti, Wanyoike [0000-0001-7300-2101], Wang, Deli [0000-0001-6576-9193], Wang, Lixin [0000-0003-0968-1247], Wardle, Glenda M. [0000-0003-0189-1899], Yahdjian, Laura [0000-0002-9635-1221], Zaady, Eli [0000-0002-3304-534X], Yuanming, Zhang [0000-0003-1370-4181], Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Eldridge, David J., Ding, Jingyi, Dorrough, Josh, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Sala, O., Gross, Nicolas, Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Yoann, Mallen-Cooper, Max, Sáiz, Hugo, Asensio, Sergio, Ochoa, Victoria, Teixido, Alberto L., Thomas, Andrew, Tielbörger, Katja, Torres Robles, Silvia, Travers, Samantha, Valkó, Orsolya, van den Brink, Liesbeth, Velbert, Frederike, von Heßberg, Andreas, Wamiti, Wanyoike, Gozalo, Beatriz, Wang, Deli, Wang, Lixin, Wardle, Glenda M., Yahdjian, Laura, Zaady, Eli, Yuanming, Zhang, Zhou, Xiaobing, Maestre, Fernando T., Guirado, Emilio, García-Gómez, Miguel, Valencia, Enrique, Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Plaza de Carlos, César, Abedi, Mehdi, Ahmadian , Negar, Ahumada, Rodrigo J., Alcántara, Julio M., Amghar, Fateh, Azevedo, Luísa, Ben Salem, Farah, Berdugo, Miguel, Blaum, Niels, Boldgiv, Bazartseren, Browker, Matthew A., Bran, Donaldo, Bu, Chongfeng, Canessa, Rafaella, Castillo-Monroy, Andrea P., Castro, Ignacio, Castro-Quezada, Patricio, Cesarz, Simone, Chibani, Roukaya, Conceição, Abel A., Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony, Davila, Yvonne C., Deák, Balázs, Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Donoso, David, Dougill, Andrew, Durán, Jorge, Eisenhauer, Nico, Ejtehadi, Hamid, Espinosa, Carlos Iván, Fajardo, Alex, Farzam, Mohammad, Foronda, Ana, Franzese, Jorgelina, Fraser, L. H., Gaitán, Juan J., Geissler, Katja, Gonzalez, Sofía Laura, Gusman-Montalvan, Elizabeth, Hölzel, Norbert, Mendes Hughes, Frederic, Jadán, Oswaldo, Jentsch, Anke, Ju, Mengchen, Kaseke, Kudzai Farai, Köbel, Melanie, Lehmann, Anika, Liancourt, Pierre, Linstädter, Anja, Low, Michelle A., Ma, Quanhui, Mabaso, Mancha, Maggs Kölling, Gillian, Makhalanyane, Thulani P., Malam Issa, Oumarou, Marais, Eugene, McClaran, Mitchel, Mendoza, Betty, Mokoka, Vincent, Mora, Juan P., Moreno, Gerardo, Munson, Seth M., Nunes, Alice, Oliva, Gabriel, Oñatibia, Gastón, Osborne, Brooke, Peter, Guadalupe, Pierre, Margerie, Pueyo, Yolanda, Quiroga, R Emiliano, Reed, Sasha C., Rey, Ana, Rey, P.J., Reyes Gómez, Víctor Manuel, Rolo, Víctor, Rillig, Matthias C., Le Roux, Peter C., Ruppert, Jan C., Salah, Ayman, Sebei, Phokgedi Julius, Sharkhuu, Anarmaa, Stavi, Ilan, Stephens, Colton R. A., European Commission, Generalitat Valenciana, Hermon Slade Foundation, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (China), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España), National Science Foundation (US), National Research, Development and Innovation Office (Hungary), Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany), Asia Foundation, Northern Arizona University, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Ministerio de Universidades (España), Eldridge, David J. [0000-0002-2191-486X], Ding, Jingyi [0000-0002-4120-6318], Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Gross, Nicolas [0000-0001-9730-3240], Mallen-Cooper, Max [0000-0002-8799-8728], Ochoa, Victoria [0000-0002-2055-2094], Gozalo, Beatriz [0000-0003-3082-4695], Guirado, Emilio [0000-0001-5348-7391], García-Gómez, Miguel [0000-0003-3148-1495], Valencia, Enrique [0000-0003-3359-0759], Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime [0000-0001-5859-5674], Plaza de Carlos, César [0000-0001-8616-7001], Abedi, Mehdi [0000-0002-1499-0119], Ahmadian , Negar [0000-0003-1191-3019], Ahumada, Rodrigo J. [0000-0002-7246-4459], Alcántara, Julio M. [0000-0002-8003-7844], Amghar, Fateh [0000-0003-0379-7273], Berdugo, Miguel [0000-0003-1053-8907], Blaum, Niels [0000-0001-6807-5162], Boldgiv, Bazartseren [0000-0003-0015-8142], Browker, Matthew A. [0000-0002-5891-0264], Bran, Donaldo [0000-0001-7749-2726], Bu, Chongfeng [0000-0002-5839-7229], Canessa, Rafaella [0000-0002-6979-9880], Castro, Ignacio [0000-0002-7594-6824], Castro-Quezada, Patricio [0000-0002-2366-2256], Cesarz, Simone [0000-0003-2334-5119], Conceição, Abel A. [0000-0001-7461-0133], Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony [0000-0002-2825-7962], Davila, Yvonne C. [0000-0002-5144-5742], Deák, Balázs [0000-0001-6938-1997], Donoso, David [0000-0002-3408-1457], Dougill, Andrew [0000-0002-3422-8228], Eisenhauer, Nico [0000-0002-0371-6720], Espinosa, Carlos Iván [0000-0002-5330-4505], Fajardo, Alex [0000-0002-2202-6207], Farzam, Mohammad [0000-0003-1947-0187], Fraser, L. H. [0000-0003-3998-5540], Gaitán, Juan J. [0000-0003-2889-1418], Hernández, Rosa M. [0000-0003-0689-8862], Jadán, Oswaldo. [0000-0002-7865-2418], Jentsch, Anke [0000-0002-2345-8300], Kaseke, Kudzai Farai [0000-0002-3856-0711], Köbel, Melanie [0000-0001-8272-7999], Lehmann, Anika [0000-0002-9101-9297], Liancourt, Pierre [0000-0002-3109-8755], Linstädter, Anja [0000-0003-0038-9557], Low, Michelle A. [0000-0002-2148-9752], Maggs Kölling, Gillian [0000-0003-3296-8553], Makhalanyane, Thulani P. [0000-0002-8173-1678], Malam Issa, Oumarou [0000-0001-8357-914X], Marais, Eugene [0000-0001-7155-9942], Mendoza, Betty [0000-0003-1149-7801], Mora, Juan P. [0000-0002-6335-0150], Moreno, Gerardo [0000-0001-8053-2696], Munson, Seth M. [0000-0002-2736-6374], Nunes, Alice [0000-0002-6900-3838], Oliva, Gabriel [0000-0002-7839-8851], Oñatibia, Gastón [0000-0003-2329-6601], Peter, Guadalupe [0000-0002-7792-7045], Pueyo, Yolanda [0000-0001-6970-7790], Quiroga, R Emiliano [0000-0001-9785-451X], Reed, Sasha C. [0000-0002-8597-8619], Rey, Ana [0000-0003-0394-101X], Rey, P.J. [0000-0001-5550-0393], Rolo, Víctor [0000-0001-5854-9512], Rillig, Matthias C. [0000-0003-3541-7853], Le Roux, Peter C. [0000-0002-7941-7444], Salah, Ayman [0000-0003-0596-1292], Stavi, Ilan [0000-0001-9725-0003], Stephens, Colton R. A. [0000-0002-8744-6405], Teixido, Alberto L. [0000-0001-8009-1237], Thomas, Andrew [0000-0002-1360-1687], Travers, Samantha [0000-0002-6252-1667], Valkó, Orsolya [0000-0001-7919-6293], van den Brink, Liesbeth [0000-0003-0313-8147], Velbert, Frederike [0000-0003-0499-3807], von Heßberg, Andreas [0009-0007-0303-3624], Wamiti, Wanyoike [0000-0001-7300-2101], Wang, Deli [0000-0001-6576-9193], Wang, Lixin [0000-0003-0968-1247], Wardle, Glenda M. [0000-0003-0189-1899], Yahdjian, Laura [0000-0002-9635-1221], Zaady, Eli [0000-0002-3304-534X], Yuanming, Zhang [0000-0003-1370-4181], Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Eldridge, David J., Ding, Jingyi, Dorrough, Josh, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Sala, O., Gross, Nicolas, Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Yoann, Mallen-Cooper, Max, Sáiz, Hugo, Asensio, Sergio, Ochoa, Victoria, Teixido, Alberto L., Thomas, Andrew, Tielbörger, Katja, Torres Robles, Silvia, Travers, Samantha, Valkó, Orsolya, van den Brink, Liesbeth, Velbert, Frederike, von Heßberg, Andreas, Wamiti, Wanyoike, Gozalo, Beatriz, Wang, Deli, Wang, Lixin, Wardle, Glenda M., Yahdjian, Laura, Zaady, Eli, Yuanming, Zhang, Zhou, Xiaobing, Maestre, Fernando T., Guirado, Emilio, García-Gómez, Miguel, Valencia, Enrique, Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Plaza de Carlos, César, Abedi, Mehdi, Ahmadian , Negar, Ahumada, Rodrigo J., Alcántara, Julio M., Amghar, Fateh, Azevedo, Luísa, Ben Salem, Farah, Berdugo, Miguel, Blaum, Niels, Boldgiv, Bazartseren, Browker, Matthew A., Bran, Donaldo, Bu, Chongfeng, Canessa, Rafaella, Castillo-Monroy, Andrea P., Castro, Ignacio, Castro-Quezada, Patricio, Cesarz, Simone, Chibani, Roukaya, Conceição, Abel A., Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony, Davila, Yvonne C., Deák, Balázs, Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Donoso, David, Dougill, Andrew, Durán, Jorge, Eisenhauer, Nico, Ejtehadi, Hamid, Espinosa, Carlos Iván, Fajardo, Alex, Farzam, Mohammad, Foronda, Ana, Franzese, Jorgelina, Fraser, L. H., Gaitán, Juan J., Geissler, Katja, Gonzalez, Sofía Laura, Gusman-Montalvan, Elizabeth, Hölzel, Norbert, Mendes Hughes, Frederic, Jadán, Oswaldo, Jentsch, Anke, Ju, Mengchen, Kaseke, Kudzai Farai, Köbel, Melanie, Lehmann, Anika, Liancourt, Pierre, Linstädter, Anja, Low, Michelle A., Ma, Quanhui, Mabaso, Mancha, Maggs Kölling, Gillian, Makhalanyane, Thulani P., Malam Issa, Oumarou, Marais, Eugene, McClaran, Mitchel, Mendoza, Betty, Mokoka, Vincent, Mora, Juan P., Moreno, Gerardo, Munson, Seth M., Nunes, Alice, Oliva, Gabriel, Oñatibia, Gastón, Osborne, Brooke, Peter, Guadalupe, Pierre, Margerie, Pueyo, Yolanda, Quiroga, R Emiliano, Reed, Sasha C., Rey, Ana, Rey, P.J., Reyes Gómez, Víctor Manuel, Rolo, Víctor, Rillig, Matthias C., Le Roux, Peter C., Ruppert, Jan C., Salah, Ayman, Sebei, Phokgedi Julius, Sharkhuu, Anarmaa, Stavi, Ilan, and Stephens, Colton R. A.
Abstract: Perennial plants create productive and biodiverse hotspots, known as fertile islands, beneath their canopies. These hotspots largely determine the structure and functioning of drylands worldwide. Despite their ubiquity, the factors controlling fertile islands under conditions of contrasting grazing by livestock, the most prevalent land use in drylands, remain virtually unknown. Here we evaluated the relative importance of grazing pressure and herbivore type, climate and plant functional traits on 24 soil physical and chemical attributes that represent proxies of key ecosystem services related to decomposition, soil fertility, and soil and water conservation. To do this, we conducted a standardized global survey of 288 plots at 88 sites in 25 countries worldwide. We show that aridity and plant traits are the major factors associated with the magnitude of plant effects on fertile islands in grazed drylands worldwide. Grazing pressure had little influence on the capacity of plants to support fertile islands. Taller and wider shrubs and grasses supported stronger island effects. Stable and functional soils tended to be linked to species-rich sites with taller plants. Together, our findings dispel the notion that grazing pressure or herbivore type are linked to the formation or intensification of fertile islands in drylands. Rather, our study suggests that changes in aridity, and processes that alter island identity and therefore plant traits, will have marked effects on how perennial plants support and maintain the functioning of drylands in a more arid and grazed world.
Published: 2024

2. Fertile island effects across soil depths in drylands of the Tibetan Plateau.

Author: Ma, Tao, Maestre, Fernando T., Eldridge, David J., Ke, Wenbin, Hu, Tenglong, and Ye, Jian-Sheng
Subjects: *CARBON in soils, *GLOBAL warming, *ARID regions, *SOIL texture, *SOIL depth
Abstract: Background and aims: In dryland regions, patches of vegetation play a crucial role in sequestering carbon and vital nutrients, creating what have been described as 'fertile islands' within the surface soil beneath their canopies. Nevertheless, a persistent question remains regarding the variability of fertile island effect in relation to soil depth. Methods: To investigate this, we sampled soils at two different depths (0–30 cm and 30–50 cm) within perennial vegetation patches and open areas across 54 drylands scattered across the Tibetan Plateau. Our study focused on six key soil variables related to carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stocks, allowing us to assess the differences in fertile island effects at varying depths. Results: Among the soil fertility parameters evaluated, organic carbon exhibited the most pronounced fertile island effect at both soil depths. The fertile island effect responded differently to environmental factors at the two depths assessed. In the surface soil layer, the impact of vegetation on soil carbon content intensified with increasing precipitation seasonality and precipitation in the wettest quarter but declined with increasing temperature during the driest quarter. Conversely, in the deeper soil layer, the fertile island effect for nitrogen and phosphorus intensified with greater soil sand content and vegetation greenness. Conclusions: The fertile island effect can extend beyond the surface soil, while different environmental factors regulate the size of this effect with depth. These findings offer fresh and valuable insights into the relationships between biotic and abiotic factors and fertile island effects, a key feature of dryland ecosystems worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Published: 2024
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3. Biotic homogenization, lower soil fungal diversity and fewer rare taxa in arable soils across Europe

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Banerjee, Samiran, Zhao, Cheng, Garland, Gina, Edlinger, Anna, García-Palacios, Pablo, Romdhane, Sana, Degrune, Florine, Pescador, David S., Herzog, Chantal, Camuy-Velez, Lennel A., Bascompte Sacrest, Jordi, Hallin, Sara, Philippot, Laurent, Maestre, Fernando T., Rillig, Matthias C., van der Heijden, Marcel G.A., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Banerjee, Samiran, Zhao, Cheng, Garland, Gina, Edlinger, Anna, García-Palacios, Pablo, Romdhane, Sana, Degrune, Florine, Pescador, David S., Herzog, Chantal, Camuy-Velez, Lennel A., Bascompte Sacrest, Jordi, Hallin, Sara, Philippot, Laurent, Maestre, Fernando T., Rillig, Matthias C., and van der Heijden, Marcel G.A.
Abstract: Soil fungi are a key constituent of global biodiversity and play a pivotal role in agroecosystems. How arable farming affects soil fungal biogeography and whether it has a disproportional impact on rare taxa is poorly understood. Here, we used the high-resolution PacBio Sequel targeting the entire ITS region to investigate the distribution of soil fungi in 217 sites across a 3000 km gradient in Europe. We found a consistently lower diversity of fungi in arable lands than grasslands, with geographic locations significantly impacting fungal community structures. Prevalent fungal groups became even more abundant, whereas rare groups became fewer or absent in arable lands, suggesting a biotic homogenization due to arable farming. The rare fungal groups were narrowly distributed and more common in grasslands. Our findings suggest that rare soil fungi are disproportionally affected by arable farming, and sustainable farming practices should protect rare taxa and the ecosystem services they support.
Published: 2024

4. Vulnerability of mineral-associated soil organic carbon to climate across global drylands

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Maestre, Fernando T., Moreno Jiménez, Eduardo, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Eldridge, David J., Saiz, Hugo, Gross, Nicolas, Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Yoann, Gozalo, Beatriz, Ochoa, Victoria, Guirado, Emilio, García-Gómez, Miguel, Valencia, Enrique, Asensio, Sergio, Berdugo, Miguel, Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Mendoza, Betty J., García-Gil, Juan C., Zaccone, Claudio, Panettieri, Marco, García-Palacios, Pablo, Fan, Wei, Benavente-Ferraces, Iria, Rey, Ana, Eisenhauer, Nico, Cesarz, Simone, Abedi, Mehdi, Ahumada, Rodrigo J., Alcántara, Julio M., Amghar, Fateh, Aramayo, Valeria, Arroyo, Antonio I., Bahalkeh, Khadijeh, Ben Salem, Farah, Blaum, Niels, Boldgiv, Bazartseren, Bowker, Matthew A., Bran, Donaldo E., Branquinho, Cristina, Bu, Chongfeng, Cáceres, Yonatan, Canessa, Rafaella, Castillo-Monroy, Andrea P., Castro, Ignacio, Castro-Quezada, Patricio, Chibani, Roukaya, Conceição, Abel A., Currier, Courtney M., Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony, Deák, Balázs, Dickman, Christopher R., Donoso, David A., Dougill, Andrew J., Durán, Jorge, Ejtehadi, Hamid, Espinosa, Carlos Iván, Fajardo, Alex, Farzam, Mohammad, Ferrante, Daniela, Fraser, Lauchlan H., Gaitán, Juan J., Gusman Montalván, Elizabeth, Hernández-Hernández, Rosa M., von Hessberg, Andreas, Hölzel, Norbert, Huber-Sannwald, Elisabeth, Hughes, Frederic M., Jadán-Maza, Oswaldo, Geissler, Katja, Jentsch, Anke, Ju, Mengchen, Kaseke, Kudzai F., Kindermann, Liana, Koopman, Jessica E., Le Roux, Peter C., Liancourt, Pierre, Linstädter, Anja, Liu, Jushan, Louw, Michelle A., Maggs-Kölling, Gillian, Makhalanyane, Thulani P., Malam Issa, Oumarou, Marais, Eugene, Margerie, Pierre, Mazaneda, Antonio J., McClaran, Mitchel, Messeder, João Vitor S., Mora, Juan P., Moreno, Gerardo, Munson, Seth M., Nunes, Alice, Oliva, Gabriel, Oñatibia, Gastón R., Osborne, Brooke, Peter, Guadalupe, Pueyo, Yolanda, Quiroga, R. Emiliano, Reed, Sasha C., Reyes, Victor M., Rodríguez, Alexandra, Ruppert, Jan C., Sala, Osvaldo, Salah, Ayman, Sebei, Phokgedi Julius, Sloan, Michael, Solongo, Shijirbaatar, Stavi, Ilan, Stephens, Colton R.A., Teixido, Alberto L., Thomas, Andrew D., Throop, Heather L., Tielbörger, Katja, Travers, Samantha K., Val, James, Valko, Orsolya, van den Brink, Liesbeth, Velbert, Frederike, Wamiti, Wanyoike, Wang, Deli, Wang, Lixin, Wardle, Glenda M., Yahdjian, Laura, Zaady, Eli, Zeberio, Juan M., Zhang, Yuanming, Zhou, Xiaobing, Plaza, César, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Maestre, Fernando T., Moreno Jiménez, Eduardo, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Eldridge, David J., Saiz, Hugo, Gross, Nicolas, Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Yoann, Gozalo, Beatriz, Ochoa, Victoria, Guirado, Emilio, García-Gómez, Miguel, Valencia, Enrique, Asensio, Sergio, Berdugo, Miguel, Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Mendoza, Betty J., García-Gil, Juan C., Zaccone, Claudio, Panettieri, Marco, García-Palacios, Pablo, Fan, Wei, Benavente-Ferraces, Iria, Rey, Ana, Eisenhauer, Nico, Cesarz, Simone, Abedi, Mehdi, Ahumada, Rodrigo J., Alcántara, Julio M., Amghar, Fateh, Aramayo, Valeria, Arroyo, Antonio I., Bahalkeh, Khadijeh, Ben Salem, Farah, Blaum, Niels, Boldgiv, Bazartseren, Bowker, Matthew A., Bran, Donaldo E., Branquinho, Cristina, Bu, Chongfeng, Cáceres, Yonatan, Canessa, Rafaella, Castillo-Monroy, Andrea P., Castro, Ignacio, Castro-Quezada, Patricio, Chibani, Roukaya, Conceição, Abel A., Currier, Courtney M., Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony, Deák, Balázs, Dickman, Christopher R., Donoso, David A., Dougill, Andrew J., Durán, Jorge, Ejtehadi, Hamid, Espinosa, Carlos Iván, Fajardo, Alex, Farzam, Mohammad, Ferrante, Daniela, Fraser, Lauchlan H., Gaitán, Juan J., Gusman Montalván, Elizabeth, Hernández-Hernández, Rosa M., von Hessberg, Andreas, Hölzel, Norbert, Huber-Sannwald, Elisabeth, Hughes, Frederic M., Jadán-Maza, Oswaldo, Geissler, Katja, Jentsch, Anke, Ju, Mengchen, Kaseke, Kudzai F., Kindermann, Liana, Koopman, Jessica E., Le Roux, Peter C., Liancourt, Pierre, Linstädter, Anja, Liu, Jushan, Louw, Michelle A., Maggs-Kölling, Gillian, Makhalanyane, Thulani P., Malam Issa, Oumarou, Marais, Eugene, Margerie, Pierre, Mazaneda, Antonio J., McClaran, Mitchel, Messeder, João Vitor S., Mora, Juan P., Moreno, Gerardo, Munson, Seth M., Nunes, Alice, Oliva, Gabriel, Oñatibia, Gastón R., Osborne, Brooke, Peter, Guadalupe, Pueyo, Yolanda, Quiroga, R. Emiliano, Reed, Sasha C., Reyes, Victor M., Rodríguez, Alexandra, Ruppert, Jan C., Sala, Osvaldo, Salah, Ayman, Sebei, Phokgedi Julius, Sloan, Michael, Solongo, Shijirbaatar, Stavi, Ilan, Stephens, Colton R.A., Teixido, Alberto L., Thomas, Andrew D., Throop, Heather L., Tielbörger, Katja, Travers, Samantha K., Val, James, Valko, Orsolya, van den Brink, Liesbeth, Velbert, Frederike, Wamiti, Wanyoike, Wang, Deli, Wang, Lixin, Wardle, Glenda M., Yahdjian, Laura, Zaady, Eli, Zeberio, Juan M., Zhang, Yuanming, Zhou, Xiaobing, and Plaza, César
Abstract: Mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) constitutes a major fraction of global soil carbon and is assumed less sensitive to climate than particulate organic carbon (POC) due to protection by minerals. Despite its importance for long-term carbon storage, the response of MAOC to changing climates in drylands, which cover more than 40% of the global land area, remains unexplored. Here we assess topsoil organic carbon fractions across global drylands using a standardized field survey in 326 plots from 25 countries and 6 continents. We find that soil biogeochemistry explained the majority of variation in both MAOC and POC. Both carbon fractions decreased with increases in mean annual temperature and reductions in precipitation, with MAOC responding similarly to POC. Therefore, our results suggest that ongoing climate warming and aridification may result in unforeseen carbon losses across global drylands, and that the protective role of minerals may not dampen these effects.
Published: 2024

5. Research needs on the biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationship in drylands

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Maestre, Fernando T., Biancari, Lucio, Chen, Ning, Corrochano-Monsalve, Mario, Jenerette, G. Darrel, Nelson, Corey, Shilula, Kaarina N., Shpilkina, Yelyzaveta, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Maestre, Fernando T., Biancari, Lucio, Chen, Ning, Corrochano-Monsalve, Mario, Jenerette, G. Darrel, Nelson, Corey, Shilula, Kaarina N., and Shpilkina, Yelyzaveta
Abstract: Research carried out in drylands over the last decade has provided major insights on the biodiversity–ecosystem functioning relationship (BEFr) and about how biodiversity interacts with other important factors, such as climate and soil properties, to determine ecosystem functioning and services. Despite this, there are important gaps in our understanding of the BEFr in drylands that should be addressed by future research. In this perspective we highlight some of these gaps, which include: 1) the need to study the BEFr in bare soils devoid of perennial vascular vegetation and biocrusts, a major feature of dryland ecosystems, 2) evaluating how intra-specific trait variability, a key but understudied facet of functional diversity, modulate the BEFr, 3) addressing the influence of biotic interactions on the BEFr, including plant–animal interactions and those between microorganisms associated to biocrusts, 4) studying how differences in species–area relationships and beta diversity are associated with ecosystem functioning, and 5) considering the role of temporal variability and human activities, both present and past, particularly those linked to land use (e.g., grazing) and urbanization. Tackling these gaps will not only advance our comprehension of the BEFr but will also bolster the effectiveness of management and ecological restoration strategies, crucial for safeguarding dryland ecosystems and the livelihoods of their inhabitants.
Published: 2024

6. Increasing numbers of global change stressors reduce soil carbon worldwide

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo, Maestre, Fernando T., Berdugo, Miguel, Gallardo Correa, Antonio, Plaza, César, García-Palacios, Pablo, Guirado, Emilio, Zhou, Guiyao, Mueller, Carsten W., Tedersoo, Leho, Crowther, Thomas W., Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo, Maestre, Fernando T., Berdugo, Miguel, Gallardo Correa, Antonio, Plaza, César, García-Palacios, Pablo, Guirado, Emilio, Zhou, Guiyao, Mueller, Carsten W., Tedersoo, Leho, Crowther, Thomas W., and Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel
Abstract: Soils support a vast amount of carbon (C) that is vulnerable to climatic and anthropogenic global change stressors (for example, drought and human-induced nitrogen deposition). However, the simultaneous effects of an increasing number of global change stressors on soil C storage and persistence across ecosystems are virtually unknown. Here, using 1,880 surface soil samples from 68 countries across all continents, we show that increases in the number of global change stressors simultaneously exceeding medium–high levels of stress (that is, relative to their maximum levels observed in nature) are negatively and significantly correlated with soil C stocks and mineral association across global biomes. Soil C is particularly vulnerable in low-productivity ecosystems (for example, deserts), which are subjected to a greater number of global change stressors exceeding medium–high levels of stress simultaneously. Taken together, our work indicates that the number of global change stressors is a crucial factor for soil C storage and persistence worldwide.
Published: 2024

7. Hotspots of biogeochemical activity linked to aridity and plant traits across global drylands

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Eldridge, David J., Ding, Jingyi, Dorrough, Josh, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Sala, Osvaldo, Gross, Nicolas, Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Yoann, Mallen-Cooper, Max, Saiz, Hugo, Asensio, Sergio, Ochoa, Victoria, Stephens, Colton R.A., Teixido, Alberto L., Thomas, Andrew D., Tielbörger, Katja, Torres Robles, Silvia, Travers, Samantha K., Valkó, Orsolya, van den Brink, Liesbeth, Velbert, Frederike, von Heßberg, Andreas, Gozalo, Beatriz, Wamiti, Wanyoike, Wang, Deli, Wang, Lixin, Wardle, Glenda M., Yahdjian, Laura, Zaady, Eli, Zhang, Yuanming, Zhou, Xiaobing, Maestre, Fernando T., Guirado, Emilio, García-Gómez, Miguel, Valencia, Enrique, Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Plaza, César, Abedi, Mehdi, Ahmadian, Negar, Ahumada, Rodrigo J., Alcántara, Julio M., Amghar, Fateh, Azevedo, Luísa, Ben Salem, Farah, Berdugo, Miguel, Blaum, Niels, Boldgiv, Bazartseren, Bowker, Matthew A., Bran, Donaldo E., Bu, Chongfeng, Canessa, Rafaella, Castillo-Monroy, Andrea P., Castro, Ignacio, Castro-Quezada, Patricio, Cesarz, Simone, Chibani, Roukaya, Conceição, Abel A., Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony, Davila, Yvonne C., Deák, Balázs, Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Donoso, David A., Dougill, Andrew David, Durán, Jorge, Eisenhauer, Nico, Ejtehadi, Hamid, Espinosa, Carlos Iván, Fajardo, Alex, Farzam, Mohammad, Foronda, Ana, Franzese, Jorgelina, Fraser, Lauchlan H., Gaitán, Juan J., Geissler, Katja, Gonzalez, Sofía Laura, Gusmán-Montalván, Elizabeth, Hernández, Rosa M., Hölzel, Norbert, Hughes, Frederic M., Jadán-Maza, Oswaldo, Jentsch, Anke, Ju, Mengchen, Kaseke, Kudzai F., Köbel, Melanie, Lehmann, Anika, Liancourt, Pierre, Linstädter, Anja, Louw, Michelle A., Ma, Quanhui, Mabaso, Mancha, Maggs-Kölling, Gillian, Makhalanyane, Thulani P., Malam Issa, Oumarou, Marais, Eugene, McClaran, Mitchel, Mendoza, Betty J., Mokoka, Vincent, Mora, Juan P., Moreno, Gerardo, Munson, Seth M., Nunes, Alice, Oliva, Gabriel, Oñatibia, Gastón R., Osborne, Brooke, Peter, Guadalupe, Pierre, Margerie, Pueyo, Yolanda, Quiroga, R. Emiliano, Reed, Sasha C., Rey, Ana, Rey, Pedro J., Reyes Gómez, Víctor Manuel, Rolo, Víctor, Rillig, Matthias C., le Roux, Peter C., Ruppert, Jan C., Salah, Ayman, Sebei, Phokgedi Julius, Sharkhuu, Anarmaa, Stavi, Ilan, Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Eldridge, David J., Ding, Jingyi, Dorrough, Josh, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Sala, Osvaldo, Gross, Nicolas, Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Yoann, Mallen-Cooper, Max, Saiz, Hugo, Asensio, Sergio, Ochoa, Victoria, Stephens, Colton R.A., Teixido, Alberto L., Thomas, Andrew D., Tielbörger, Katja, Torres Robles, Silvia, Travers, Samantha K., Valkó, Orsolya, van den Brink, Liesbeth, Velbert, Frederike, von Heßberg, Andreas, Gozalo, Beatriz, Wamiti, Wanyoike, Wang, Deli, Wang, Lixin, Wardle, Glenda M., Yahdjian, Laura, Zaady, Eli, Zhang, Yuanming, Zhou, Xiaobing, Maestre, Fernando T., Guirado, Emilio, García-Gómez, Miguel, Valencia, Enrique, Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Plaza, César, Abedi, Mehdi, Ahmadian, Negar, Ahumada, Rodrigo J., Alcántara, Julio M., Amghar, Fateh, Azevedo, Luísa, Ben Salem, Farah, Berdugo, Miguel, Blaum, Niels, Boldgiv, Bazartseren, Bowker, Matthew A., Bran, Donaldo E., Bu, Chongfeng, Canessa, Rafaella, Castillo-Monroy, Andrea P., Castro, Ignacio, Castro-Quezada, Patricio, Cesarz, Simone, Chibani, Roukaya, Conceição, Abel A., Darrouzet-Nardi, Anthony, Davila, Yvonne C., Deák, Balázs, Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Donoso, David A., Dougill, Andrew David, Durán, Jorge, Eisenhauer, Nico, Ejtehadi, Hamid, Espinosa, Carlos Iván, Fajardo, Alex, Farzam, Mohammad, Foronda, Ana, Franzese, Jorgelina, Fraser, Lauchlan H., Gaitán, Juan J., Geissler, Katja, Gonzalez, Sofía Laura, Gusmán-Montalván, Elizabeth, Hernández, Rosa M., Hölzel, Norbert, Hughes, Frederic M., Jadán-Maza, Oswaldo, Jentsch, Anke, Ju, Mengchen, Kaseke, Kudzai F., Köbel, Melanie, Lehmann, Anika, Liancourt, Pierre, Linstädter, Anja, Louw, Michelle A., Ma, Quanhui, Mabaso, Mancha, Maggs-Kölling, Gillian, Makhalanyane, Thulani P., Malam Issa, Oumarou, Marais, Eugene, McClaran, Mitchel, Mendoza, Betty J., Mokoka, Vincent, Mora, Juan P., Moreno, Gerardo, Munson, Seth M., Nunes, Alice, Oliva, Gabriel, Oñatibia, Gastón R., Osborne, Brooke, Peter, Guadalupe, Pierre, Margerie, Pueyo, Yolanda, Quiroga, R. Emiliano, Reed, Sasha C., Rey, Ana, Rey, Pedro J., Reyes Gómez, Víctor Manuel, Rolo, Víctor, Rillig, Matthias C., le Roux, Peter C., Ruppert, Jan C., Salah, Ayman, Sebei, Phokgedi Julius, Sharkhuu, Anarmaa, and Stavi, Ilan
Abstract: Perennial plants create productive and biodiverse hotspots, known as fertile islands, beneath their canopies. These hotspots largely determine the structure and functioning of drylands worldwide. Despite their ubiquity, the factors controlling fertile islands under conditions of contrasting grazing by livestock, the most prevalent land use in drylands, remain virtually unknown. Here we evaluated the relative importance of grazing pressure and herbivore type, climate and plant functional traits on 24 soil physical and chemical attributes that represent proxies of key ecosystem services related to decomposition, soil fertility, and soil and water conservation. To do this, we conducted a standardized global survey of 288 plots at 88 sites in 25 countries worldwide. We show that aridity and plant traits are the major factors associated with the magnitude of plant effects on fertile islands in grazed drylands worldwide. Grazing pressure had little influence on the capacity of plants to support fertile islands. Taller and wider shrubs and grasses supported stronger island effects. Stable and functional soils tended to be linked to species-rich sites with taller plants. Together, our findings dispel the notion that grazing pressure or herbivore type are linked to the formation or intensification of fertile islands in drylands. Rather, our study suggests that changes in aridity, and processes that alter island identity and therefore plant traits, will have marked effects on how perennial plants support and maintain the functioning of drylands in a more arid and grazed world.
Published: 2024

8. Unforeseen plant phenotypic diversity in a dry and grazed world.

Author: Gross, Nicolas, Maestre, Fernando T., Liancourt, Pierre, Berdugo, Miguel, Martin, Raphaël, Gozalo, Beatriz, Ochoa, Victoria, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Maire, Vincent, Saiz, Hugo, Soliveres, Santiago, Valencia, Enrique, Eldridge, David J., Guirado, Emilio, Jabot, Franck, Asensio, Sergio, Gaitán, Juan J., García-Gómez, Miguel, Martínez, Paloma, and Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime
Abstract: Earth harbours an extraordinary plant phenotypic diversity1 that is at risk from ongoing global changes2,3. However, it remains unknown how increasing aridity and livestock grazing pressure—two major drivers of global change4–6—shape the trait covariation that underlies plant phenotypic diversity1,7. Here we assessed how covariation among 20 chemical and morphological traits responds to aridity and grazing pressure within global drylands. Our analysis involved 133,769 trait measurements spanning 1,347 observations of 301 perennial plant species surveyed across 326 plots from 6 continents. Crossing an aridity threshold of approximately 0.7 (close to the transition between semi-arid and arid zones) led to an unexpected 88% increase in trait diversity. This threshold appeared in the presence of grazers, and moved toward lower aridity levels with increasing grazing pressure. Moreover, 57% of observed trait diversity occurred only in the most arid and grazed drylands, highlighting the phenotypic uniqueness of these extreme environments. Our work indicates that drylands act as a global reservoir of plant phenotypic diversity and challenge the pervasive view that harsh environmental conditions reduce plant trait diversity8–10. They also highlight that many alternative strategies may enable plants to cope with increases in environmental stress induced by climate change and land-use intensification.Analysis of 20 chemical and morphological plant traits at diverse sites across 6 continents shows that the transition from semi-arid to arid zones is associated with an unexpected 88% increase in trait diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Published: 2024
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9. The soil microbiome governs the response of microbial respiration to warming across the globe

Author: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España), European Commission, Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Junta de Andalucía, Generalitat Valenciana, Universidad de Alicante, Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, German Research Foundation, Centre for Sustainable Agrifood Systems (Denmark), Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portugal), Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo [0000-0001-9539-4716], García-Palacios, Pablo [0000-0002-6367-4761], Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Plaza de Carlos, César [0000-0001-8616-7001], Guirado, Emilio [0000-0001-5348-7391], Singh, Brajesh K. [0000-0003-4413-4185], Wang, Jun-Tao [0000-0002-1822-2176], Cano-Díaz, Concha [0000-0001-6948-6553], Eisenhauer, Nico [0000-0002-0371-6720], Gallardo, Antonio [0000-0002-2674-4265], Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo, García-Palacios, Pablo, Maestre, Fernando T., Plaza de Carlos, César, Guirado, Emilio, Singh, Brajesh K., Wang, Jun-Tao, Cano-Díaz, Concha, Eisenhauer, Nico, Gallardo, Antonio, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España), European Commission, Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Junta de Andalucía, Generalitat Valenciana, Universidad de Alicante, Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, German Research Foundation, Centre for Sustainable Agrifood Systems (Denmark), Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portugal), Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo [0000-0001-9539-4716], García-Palacios, Pablo [0000-0002-6367-4761], Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Plaza de Carlos, César [0000-0001-8616-7001], Guirado, Emilio [0000-0001-5348-7391], Singh, Brajesh K. [0000-0003-4413-4185], Wang, Jun-Tao [0000-0002-1822-2176], Cano-Díaz, Concha [0000-0001-6948-6553], Eisenhauer, Nico [0000-0002-0371-6720], Gallardo, Antonio [0000-0002-2674-4265], Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo, García-Palacios, Pablo, Maestre, Fernando T., Plaza de Carlos, César, Guirado, Emilio, Singh, Brajesh K., Wang, Jun-Tao, Cano-Díaz, Concha, Eisenhauer, Nico, Gallardo, Antonio, and Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel
Abstract: The sensitivity of soil microbial respiration to warming (Q10) remains a major source of uncertainty surrounding the projections of soil carbon emissions to the atmosphere as the factors driving Q10 patterns across ecosystems have been assessed in isolation from each other. Here we report the results of a warming experiment using soils from 332 sites across all continents and major biomes to simultaneously evaluate the main drivers of global Q10 patterns. Compared with biochemical recalcitrance, mineral protection, substrate quantity and environmental factors, the soil microbiome (that is, microbial biomass and bacterial taxa) explained the largest portion of variation in Q10 values. Our work provides solid evidence that soil microbiomes largely govern the responses of soil heterotrophic respiration to warming and thus need to be explicitly accounted for when assessing land carbon–climate feedbacks.
Published: 2023

10. Water availability creates global thresholds in multidimensional soil biodiversity and functions

Author: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España), European Commission, Junta de Andalucía, Generalitat Valenciana, Feng, Youzhi [0000-0002-8519-841X], Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Berdugo, Miguel [0000-0003-1053-8907], Wang, Jun-Tao [0000-0002-1822-2176], Coleine, Claudia [0000-0002-9289-6179], Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo [0000-0001-9539-4716], García-Velázquez, Laura [0000-0003-3290-7531], Singh, Brajesh K. [0000-0003-4413-4185], Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Zhang, Jianwei, Feng, Youzhi, Maestre, Fernando T., Berdugo, Miguel, Wang, Jun-Tao, Coleine, Claudia, Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo, García-Velázquez, Laura, Singh, Brajesh K., Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España), European Commission, Junta de Andalucía, Generalitat Valenciana, Feng, Youzhi [0000-0002-8519-841X], Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Berdugo, Miguel [0000-0003-1053-8907], Wang, Jun-Tao [0000-0002-1822-2176], Coleine, Claudia [0000-0002-9289-6179], Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo [0000-0001-9539-4716], García-Velázquez, Laura [0000-0003-3290-7531], Singh, Brajesh K. [0000-0003-4413-4185], Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Zhang, Jianwei, Feng, Youzhi, Maestre, Fernando T., Berdugo, Miguel, Wang, Jun-Tao, Coleine, Claudia, Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo, García-Velázquez, Laura, Singh, Brajesh K., and Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel
Abstract: Soils support an immense portion of Earth’s biodiversity and maintain multiple ecosystem functions which are essential for human well-being. Environmental thresholds are known to govern global vegetation patterns, but it is still unknown whether they can be used to predict the distribution of soil organisms and functions across global biomes. Using a global field survey of 383 sites across contrasting climatic and vegetation conditions, here we showed that soil biodiversity and functions exhibited pervasive nonlinear patterns worldwide and are mainly governed by water availability (precipitation and potential evapotranspiration). Changes in water availability resulted in drastic shifts in soil biodiversity (bacteria, fungi, protists and invertebrates) and soil functions including plant–microbe interactions, plant productivity, soil biogeochemical cycles and soil carbon sequestration. Our findings highlight that crossing specific water availability thresholds can have critical consequences for the provision of essential ecosystem services needed to sustain our planet.
Published: 2023

11. Biotic homogenization, lower soil fungal diversity and fewer rare taxa in arable soils across Europe.

Author: Banerjee, Samiran, Zhao, Cheng, Garland, Gina, Edlinger, Anna, García-Palacios, Pablo, Romdhane, Sana, Degrune, Florine, Pescador, David S., Herzog, Chantal, Camuy-Velez, Lennel A., Bascompte, Jordi, Hallin, Sara, Philippot, Laurent, Maestre, Fernando T., Rillig, Matthias C., and van der Heijden, Marcel G. A.
Subjects: SUSTAINABLE agriculture, ARABLE land, AGRICULTURE, SUSTAINABILITY, SOIL fungi
Abstract: Soil fungi are a key constituent of global biodiversity and play a pivotal role in agroecosystems. How arable farming affects soil fungal biogeography and whether it has a disproportional impact on rare taxa is poorly understood. Here, we used the high-resolution PacBio Sequel targeting the entire ITS region to investigate the distribution of soil fungi in 217 sites across a 3000 km gradient in Europe. We found a consistently lower diversity of fungi in arable lands than grasslands, with geographic locations significantly impacting fungal community structures. Prevalent fungal groups became even more abundant, whereas rare groups became fewer or absent in arable lands, suggesting a biotic homogenization due to arable farming. The rare fungal groups were narrowly distributed and more common in grasslands. Our findings suggest that rare soil fungi are disproportionally affected by arable farming, and sustainable farming practices should protect rare taxa and the ecosystem services they support. How arable farming affects soil fungal biogeography is poorly understood. Here, the authors find that prevalent fungal groups become more abundant, whereas rare groups become fewer or absent in arable lands across Europe, suggesting a biotic homogenization due to arable farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Published: 2024
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12. Uberizing Agriculture in Drylands: A Few Enriched, Everyone Endangered.

Author: Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Gartzia, Rolando, Olcina, Jorge, Guirado, Emilio, Ibáñez, Javier, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Subjects: ARID regions, WATER pollution, AGRICULTURE, WEALTH distribution, WATER supply, DRY farming, PETROLEUM reserves
Abstract: The future of water resources relies heavily on food production. Large-scale agriculture, driven by irrigation technology and cost reduction, has transformed traditional dryland croplands into a very profitable but environmentally and socially impactful agribusiness. The study of groundwater-dependent food systems is fragmented. Hydrology, on one hand, concentrates on water resources while overlooking surface agricultural processes. Meanwhile, the agro-economic sector is fixated on optimizing resource utilization for short-term profit maximization. Consequently, numerous adverse environmental and social consequences are overlooked by these conventional approaches. To steer resource usage and our food systems in a new direction, prioritizing the integration of this collective knowledge is imperative. Here, we analyze the impacts of greenhouse agriculture in SE Spain, one of the global hotspots of fruit and vegetable production. Through the lens of the treadmill of production theory we uncover the model's significant profitability and its environmental and social effects, which include unequal wealth distribution, precarious working conditions, and the depletion and pollution of belowground water reserves. Reducing water use and limiting the development of new irrigated areas, using crop species adapted to available water resources, and empowering farmers against large distributors are key measures to avoid the social and economic collapse of this region, and of other dryland areas that have followed a similar unsustainable development model. The need for these changes becomes more pressing as the impacts of climate change continue to escalate. Within this context, groundwater reserves represent vital strategic resources that must not be wasted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Published: 2024
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13. Reconsidering functional redundancy in biodiversity research

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Eisenhauer, Nico, Hines, Jes, Maestre, Fernando T., Rillig, Matthias C., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Eisenhauer, Nico, Hines, Jes, Maestre, Fernando T., and Rillig, Matthias C.
Abstract: A key question in ecological research is whether biodiversity is important for ecosystem functioning. After approximately three decades of empirical studies on this topic, it is clear that biodiversity promotes the magnitude and stability of ecosystem functioning. However, the majority of early biodiversity-ecosystem functioning (BEF) experiments concluded that there is a saturating relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, seemingly supporting the ‘redundancy hypothesis’ of biodiversity. This hypothesis may suggest that many species can be lost from an ecosystem before any changes in functioning can be detected under the current environmental conditions. Here, we argue that the term functional redundancy (1) may have been overused from an ecological perspective and (2) can be dangerous and misleading in scientific communication. Rather, we propose to use the term ‘functional similarity’, which better highlights the unique contributions of all coexisting species to ecosystem functioning, gradients in niche overlap and has a less negative connotation. In a world where increasing anthropogenic stressors are accelerating biodiversity change and loss and thus threatening ecosystem integrity, important political and societal decisions must be taken to combat the joint climate and biodiversity crisis. We should therefore reconsider and carefully choose terminology in biodiversity science for value-neutral communication.
Published: 2023

14. The soil microbiome governs the response of microbial respiration to warming across the globe

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo, García-Palacios, Pablo, Maestre, Fernando T., Plaza, César, Guirado, Emilio, Singh, Brajesh K., Wang, Jun‐Tao, Cano-Díaz, Concha, Eisenhauer, Nico, Gallardo Correa, Antonio, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo, García-Palacios, Pablo, Maestre, Fernando T., Plaza, César, Guirado, Emilio, Singh, Brajesh K., Wang, Jun‐Tao, Cano-Díaz, Concha, Eisenhauer, Nico, Gallardo Correa, Antonio, and Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel
Abstract: The sensitivity of soil microbial respiration to warming (Q10) remains a major source of uncertainty surrounding the projections of soil carbon emissions to the atmosphere as the factors driving Q10 patterns across ecosystems have been assessed in isolation from each other. Here we report the results of a warming experiment using soils from 332 sites across all continents and major biomes to simultaneously evaluate the main drivers of global Q10 patterns. Compared with biochemical recalcitrance, mineral protection, substrate quantity and environmental factors, the soil microbiome (that is, microbial biomass and bacterial taxa) explained the largest portion of variation in Q10 values. Our work provides solid evidence that soil microbiomes largely govern the responses of soil heterotrophic respiration to warming and thus need to be explicitly accounted for when assessing land carbon–climate feedbacks.
Published: 2023

15. Uberizing Agriculture in Drylands: A Few Enriched, Everyone Endangered

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Análisis Geográfico Regional y Geografía Física, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Gartzia, Rolando, Olcina, Jorge, Guirado, Emilio, Ibáñez, Javier, Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Análisis Geográfico Regional y Geografía Física, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Gartzia, Rolando, Olcina, Jorge, Guirado, Emilio, Ibáñez, Javier, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: The future of water resources relies heavily on food production. Large-scale agriculture, driven by irrigation technology and cost reduction, has transformed traditional dryland croplands into a very profitable but environmentally and socially impactful agribusiness. The study of groundwater-dependent food systems is fragmented. Hydrology, on one hand, concentrates on water resources while overlooking surface agricultural processes. Meanwhile, the agro-economic sector is fixated on optimizing resource utilization for short-term profit maximization. Consequently, numerous adverse environmental and social consequences are overlooked by these conventional approaches. To steer resource usage and our food systems in a new direction, prioritizing the integration of this collective knowledge is imperative. Here, we analyze the impacts of greenhouse agriculture in SE Spain, one of the global hotspots of fruit and vegetable production. Through the lens of the treadmill of production theory we uncover the model’s significant profitability and its environmental and social effects, which include unequal wealth distribution, precarious working conditions, and the depletion and pollution of belowground water reserves. Reducing water use and limiting the development of new irrigated areas, using crop species adapted to available water resources, and empowering farmers against large distributors are key measures to avoid the social and economic collapse of this region, and of other dryland areas that have followed a similar unsustainable development model. The need for these changes becomes more pressing as the impacts of climate change continue to escalate. Within this context, groundwater reserves represent vital strategic resources that must not be wasted.
Published: 2023

16. Water availability creates global thresholds in multidimensional soil biodiversity and functions

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Zhang, Jianwei, Feng, Youzhi, Maestre, Fernando T., Berdugo, Miguel, Wang, Jun‐Tao, Coleine, Claudia, Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo, García-Velázquez, Laura, Singh, Brajesh K., Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Zhang, Jianwei, Feng, Youzhi, Maestre, Fernando T., Berdugo, Miguel, Wang, Jun‐Tao, Coleine, Claudia, Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo, García-Velázquez, Laura, Singh, Brajesh K., and Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel
Abstract: Soils support an immense portion of Earth’s biodiversity and maintain multiple ecosystem functions which are essential for human well-being. Environmental thresholds are known to govern global vegetation patterns, but it is still unknown whether they can be used to predict the distribution of soil organisms and functions across global biomes. Using a global field survey of 383 sites across contrasting climatic and vegetation conditions, here we showed that soil biodiversity and functions exhibited pervasive nonlinear patterns worldwide and are mainly governed by water availability (precipitation and potential evapotranspiration). Changes in water availability resulted in drastic shifts in soil biodiversity (bacteria, fungi, protists and invertebrates) and soil functions including plant–microbe interactions, plant productivity, soil biogeochemical cycles and soil carbon sequestration. Our findings highlight that crossing specific water availability thresholds can have critical consequences for the provision of essential ecosystem services needed to sustain our planet.
Published: 2023

17. Climate-driven ecological thresholds in China’s drylands modulated by grazing

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Li, Changjia, Fu, Bojie, Wang, Shuai, Stringer, Lindsay C., Zhou, Wenxin, Ren, Zhuobing, Hu, Mengqi, Zhang, Yujia, Rodríguez-Caballero, Emilio, Weber, Bettina, Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Li, Changjia, Fu, Bojie, Wang, Shuai, Stringer, Lindsay C., Zhou, Wenxin, Ren, Zhuobing, Hu, Mengqi, Zhang, Yujia, Rodríguez-Caballero, Emilio, Weber, Bettina, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: Degradation of ecosystems can occur when certain ecological thresholds are passed below which ecosystem responses remain within ‘safe ecological limits’. Ecosystems such as drylands are sensitive to both aridification and grazing, but the combined effects of such factors on the emergence of ecological thresholds beyond which ecosystem degradation occurs has yet to be quantitatively evaluated. This limits our understanding on ‘safe operating spaces’ for grazing, the main land use in drylands worldwide. Here we assessed how 20 structural and functional ecosystem attributes respond to joint changes in aridity and grazing pressure across China´s drylands. Gradual increases in aridity resulted in abrupt decreases in productivity, soil fertility and plant richness. Rising grazing pressures lowered such aridity thresholds for most ecosystem variables, thus showing how ecological thresholds can be amplified by the joint effects of these two factors. We found that 44.4% of China’s drylands are unsuitable for grazing due to climate change-induced aridification, a percentage that may increase to 50.8% by 2100. Of current dryland grazing areas, 8.9% exceeded their maximum allowable grazing pressure. Our findings provide important insights into the relationship between aridity and optimal grazing pressure and identify safe operating spaces for grazing across China’s drylands.
Published: 2023

18. Complex Policy Mixes are Needed to Cope with Agricultural Water Demands Under Climate Change

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Análisis Geográfico Regional y Geografía Física, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Olcina, Jorge, Delacámara, Gonzalo, Guirado, Emilio, Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Análisis Geográfico Regional y Geografía Física, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Olcina, Jorge, Delacámara, Gonzalo, Guirado, Emilio, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: The divergence between agricultural water use and the annual supply of water resources (water gap) has been increasing for decades. The forecast is that this water gap will continue to widen, compromising the water security of a large share of the global population. On the one hand, the increase in demand is attributed to an ever-growing population that, in addition, is adopting a high-water consumption per capita lifestyle (e.g., meat-rich diet, increased use of biofuels and of irrigated agriculture). On the other hand, climate change is increasing aridification and the spatio-temporal heterogeneity of precipitation worldwide. The water gap is particularly acute in drylands, where development and food security has been based on the massive exploitation of water resources, particularly groundwater. Here we analyze the mechanisms underlying this water gap, which is mainly driven by water use in agriculture, and suggest suitable solutions that can help to close it. Using causal diagrams, we show how population generates different demands that create a water gap that prevailing supply-side solutions cannot close. Indeed, it has been widening over the years because water consumption has grown exponentially. This behaviour is explained by a series of mechanisms that it is necessary to understand to realize the complexity of water scarcity problems. For solving the water gap, we propose and exemplify eight lines of action that can be combined and tailored to each territory. Our analyses corroborate the urgent need to plan an integral management of water resources to avoid widespread scenarios of water scarcity under future climatic conditions.
Published: 2023

19. Supplementary material for Díaz-Martínez et al. “Biocrusts buffer against climate change effects on soil organic carbon pools: Insights from a 9-year experiment”

Author: Panettieri, Marco [0000-0003-4769-8955], Plaza de Carlos, César [0000-0001-8616-7001], Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Panettieri, Marco, García-Palacios, Pablo, Moreno, Eduardo, Plaza de Carlos, César, Maestre, Fernando T., Panettieri, Marco [0000-0003-4769-8955], Plaza de Carlos, César [0000-0001-8616-7001], Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Panettieri, Marco, García-Palacios, Pablo, Moreno, Eduardo, Plaza de Carlos, César, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Published: 2023

20. Biocrusts Modulate Climate Change Effects on Soil Organic Carbon Pools: Insights From a 9-Year Experiment

Author: European Research Council, European Commission, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España), Generalitat Valenciana, Comunidad de Madrid, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (España), Conferencia de Rectores de las Universidades Españolas, Panettieri, Marco [0000-0003-4769-8955], Plaza de Carlos, César [0000-0001-8616-7001], Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Panettieri, Marco, García-Palacios, Pablo, Moreno, Eduardo, Plaza de Carlos, César, Maestre, Fernando T., European Research Council, European Commission, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España), Agencia Estatal de Investigación (España), Generalitat Valenciana, Comunidad de Madrid, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (España), Conferencia de Rectores de las Universidades Españolas, Panettieri, Marco [0000-0003-4769-8955], Plaza de Carlos, César [0000-0001-8616-7001], Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Panettieri, Marco, García-Palacios, Pablo, Moreno, Eduardo, Plaza de Carlos, César, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests that warming associated with climate change is decreasing the total amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) in drylands, although scientific research has not given enough emphasis to particulate (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) pools. Biocrusts are a major biotic feature of drylands and have large impacts on the C cycle, yet it is largely unknown whether they modulate the responses of POC and MAOC to climate change. Here, we assessed the effects of simulated climate change (control, reduced rainfall (RE), warming (WA), and RE + WA) and initial biocrust cover (low (< 20%) versus high (> 50%)) on the mineral protection of soil C and soil organic matter quality in a dryland ecosystem in central Spain for 9 years. At low initial biocrust cover levels, both WA and RE + WA increased SOC, especially POC but also MAOC, and promoted a higher contribution of carbohydrates, relative to aromatic compounds, to the POC fraction. These results suggest that the accumulation of soil C under warming treatments may be transitory in soils with low initial biocrust cover. In soils with high initial biocrust cover, climate change treatments did not affect SOC, neither POC nor MAOC fraction. Overall, our results indicate that biocrust communities modulate the negative effect of climate change on SOC, because no losses of soil C were observed with the climate manipulations under biocrusts. Future work should focus on determining the long-term persistence of the observed buffering effect by biocrust-forming lichens, as they are known to be negatively affected by warming.
Published: 2023

21. Climate-driven ecological thresholds in China's drylands modulated by grazing.

Author: Li, Changjia, Fu, Bojie, Wang, Shuai, Stringer, Lindsay C., Zhou, Wenxin, Ren, Zhuobing, Hu, Mengqi, Zhang, Yujia, Rodriguez-Caballero, Emilio, Weber, Bettina, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Published: 2023
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22. Water availability creates global thresholds in multidimensional soil biodiversity and functions.

Author: Zhang, Jianwei, Feng, Youzhi, Maestre, Fernando T., Berdugo, Miguel, Wang, Juntao, Coleine, Claudia, Sáez-Sandino, Tadeo, García-Velázquez, Laura, Singh, Brajesh K., and Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel
Published: 2023
Full Text: View/download PDF

23. Agricultural management and pesticide use reduce the functioning of beneficial plant symbionts

Author: Edlinger, Anna, Garland, Gina, Hartman, Kyle, Banerjee, Samiran, Degrune, Florine, García-Palacios, Pablo, Hallin, Sara, Valzano-Held, Alain, Herzog, Chantal, Jansa, Jan, Kost, Elena, Maestre, Fernando T, Pescador, David Sánchez, Philippot, Laurent, Rillig, Matthias C, Romdhane, Sana, Saghaï, Aurélien, Spor, Ayme, Frossard, Emmanuel, van der Heijden, Marcel G A, Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio 'Ramón Margalef', Laboratorio de Ecología de Zonas Áridas y Cambio Global (DRYLAB), University of Zurich, and van der Heijden, Marcel G A
Subjects: Ecology, Evolution, Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Agriculture, 580 Plants (Botany), Plants, Agricultural management, Soil, 1105 Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, 10126 Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, Behavior and Systematics, Mycorrhizae, Life Science, Pesticide use, 10211 Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, Pesticides, Agroecosystems, 2303 Ecology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Soil Microbiology, Fungicides
Abstract: Phosphorus (P) acquisition is key for plant growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) help plants acquire P from soil. Understanding which factors drive AMF-supported nutrient uptake is essential to develop more sustainable agroecosystems. Here we collected soils from 150 cereal fields and 60 non-cropped grassland sites across a 3,000 km trans-European gradient. In a greenhouse experiment, we tested the ability of AMF in these soils to forage for the radioisotope 33P from a hyphal compartment. AMF communities in grassland soils were much more efficient in acquiring 33P and transferred 64% more 33P to plants compared with AMF in cropland soils. Fungicide application best explained hyphal 33P transfer in cropland soils. The use of fungicides and subsequent decline in AMF richness in croplands reduced 33P uptake by 43%. Our results suggest that land-use intensity and fungicide use are major deterrents to the functioning and natural nutrient uptake capacity of AMF in agroecosystems. The Digging Deeper project was funded through the 2015-2016 BiodivERsA COFUND call for research proposals, with the national funders Swiss National Science Foundation (grant 31BD30-172466), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (317895346), Swedish Research Council Formas (contract 2016-0194), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Digging_Deeper, Ref. PCIN-2016-028) and Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR, France; grant ANR-16-EBI3-0004-01).
Published: 2022

24. The proportion of soil-borne pathogens increases with warming at the global scale

Author: Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Guerra, Carlos A. [0000-0003-4917-2105], Cano-Díaz, Concha [0000-0001-6948-6553], Egidi, E. [0000-0002-1211-2355], Wang, Jun-Tao [0000-0002-1822-2176], Eisenhauer, Nico [0000-0002-0371-6720], Singh, Brajesh K. [0000-0003-4413-4185], Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Guerra, Carlos A., Cano-Díaz, Concha, Egidi, E., Wang, Jun-Tao, Eisenhauer, Nico, Singh, Brajesh K., Maestre, Fernando T., Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Guerra, Carlos A. [0000-0003-4917-2105], Cano-Díaz, Concha [0000-0001-6948-6553], Egidi, E. [0000-0002-1211-2355], Wang, Jun-Tao [0000-0002-1822-2176], Eisenhauer, Nico [0000-0002-0371-6720], Singh, Brajesh K. [0000-0003-4413-4185], Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Guerra, Carlos A., Cano-Díaz, Concha, Egidi, E., Wang, Jun-Tao, Eisenhauer, Nico, Singh, Brajesh K., and Maestre, Fernando T.
Published: 2020

25. Blind spots in global soil biodiversity and ecosystem function research

Author: German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, German Research Foundation, European Commission, Projekt DEAL, Guerra, Carlos A. [0000-0003-4917-2105], Heintz-Buschart, Anna [0000-0002-9780-1933], Chatzinotas, Antonis [0000-0002-0387-9802], Guerrero-Ramírez, Nathaly R. [0000-0001-7311-9852], Cesarz, Simone [0000-0003-2334-5119], Beaumelle, L. [0000-0002-7836-8767], Rillig, Matthias C. [0000-0003-3541-7853], Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Buscot, François [0000-0002-2364-0006], Overmann, Jörg [0000-0003-3909-7201], Phillips, Helen, R. P. [0000-0002-7435-5934], Guerra, Carlos A., Heintz-Buschart, Anna, Sikorski, Johannes, Chatzinotas, Antonis, Guerrero-Ramírez, Nathaly R., Cesarz, Simone, Beaumelle, L., Rillig, Matthias C., Maestre, Fernando T., Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Buscot, François, Overmann, Jörg, Patoine, Guillaume, Phillips, Helen, R. P., German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, German Research Foundation, European Commission, Projekt DEAL, Guerra, Carlos A. [0000-0003-4917-2105], Heintz-Buschart, Anna [0000-0002-9780-1933], Chatzinotas, Antonis [0000-0002-0387-9802], Guerrero-Ramírez, Nathaly R. [0000-0001-7311-9852], Cesarz, Simone [0000-0003-2334-5119], Beaumelle, L. [0000-0002-7836-8767], Rillig, Matthias C. [0000-0003-3541-7853], Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Buscot, François [0000-0002-2364-0006], Overmann, Jörg [0000-0003-3909-7201], Phillips, Helen, R. P. [0000-0002-7435-5934], Guerra, Carlos A., Heintz-Buschart, Anna, Sikorski, Johannes, Chatzinotas, Antonis, Guerrero-Ramírez, Nathaly R., Cesarz, Simone, Beaumelle, L., Rillig, Matthias C., Maestre, Fernando T., Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Buscot, François, Overmann, Jörg, Patoine, Guillaume, and Phillips, Helen, R. P.
Abstract: Soils harbor a substantial fraction of the world’s biodiversity, contributing to many crucial ecosystem functions. It is thus essential to identify general macroecological patterns related to the distribution and functioning of soil organisms to support their conservation and consideration by governance. These macroecological analyses need to represent the diversity of environmental conditions that can be found worldwide. Here we identify and characterize existing environmental gaps in soil taxa and ecosystem functioning data across soil macroecological studies and 17,186 sampling sites across the globe. These data gaps include important spatial, environmental, taxonomic, and functional gaps, and an almost complete absence of temporally explicit data. We also identify the limitations of soil macroecological studies to explore general patterns in soil biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships, with only 0.3% of all sampling sites having both information about biodiversity and function, although with different taxonomic groups and functions at each site. Based on this information, we provide clear priorities to support and expand soil macroecological research.
Published: 2020

26. Decomposition of dryland biocrust-forming lichens and mosses contributes to soil nutrient cycling

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Concostrina-Zubiri, Laura, Berdugo, Miguel, Valencia, Enrique, Mendoza, Betty J., Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Concostrina-Zubiri, Laura, Berdugo, Miguel, Valencia, Enrique, Mendoza, Betty J., and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: Background and aims Biocrusts are major contributors to dryland nutrient cycling by regulating C, N and P inputs and fluxes. However, our understanding about how the decomposition of biocrust constituents contributes to soil nutrient cycling in drylands is virtually unknown. Methods We conducted a microcosm experiment to: i) evaluate the litter decomposition dynamics of two common biocrust-forming species with contrasting tissue chemistry and growth form (the lichen Cladonia foliacea and the moss Syntrichia caninervis), and ii) their effects on several soil variables related to soil functioning. Results Cladonia litter decomposed gradually with time (92% total mass loss after 342 days), while Syntrichia litter decomposed much faster (92% total mass loss after 62 days, with no further losses until the end of the experiment at 342 days). We observed species-specific effects of their litter on dissolved organic N (DON) and NH4+ depending on collection time, which changed the effects of litter decomposition on DON and pH regardless of the biocrust species considered. Overall, biocrust litter had a positive effect on SOC, DON, NH+4 and acid phosphatase activity. Conclusions Our experimental results show that decomposition of biocrust tissues plays an important role in soil nutrient cycling, indicating that this process impacts the fertility and functioning of dryland soils.
Published: 2022

27. Fourteen years of continuous soil moisture records from plant and biocrust-dominated microsites

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Moreno, Joaquín, Asensio, Sergio, Berdugo, Miguel, Gozalo, Beatriz, Ochoa, Victoria, Pescador, David S., Benito, Blas M., Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Moreno, Joaquín, Asensio, Sergio, Berdugo, Miguel, Gozalo, Beatriz, Ochoa, Victoria, Pescador, David S., Benito, Blas M., and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: Drylands cover ~41% of the terrestrial surface. In these water-limited ecosystems, soil moisture contributes to multiple hydrological processes and is a crucial determinant of the activity and performance of above- and belowground organisms and of the ecosystem processes that rely on them. Thus, an accurate characterisation of the temporal dynamics of soil moisture is critical to improve our understanding of how dryland ecosystems function and are responding to ongoing climate change. Furthermore, it may help improve climatic forecasts and drought monitoring. Here we present the MOISCRUST dataset, a long-term (2006–2020) soil moisture dataset at a sub-daily resolution from five different microsites (vascular plants and biocrusts) in a Mediterranean semiarid dryland located in Central Spain. MOISCRUST is a unique dataset for improving our understanding on how both vascular plants and biocrusts determine soil water dynamics in drylands, and thus to better assess their hydrological impacts and responses to ongoing climate change.
Published: 2022

28. The global distribution and environmental drivers of the soil antibiotic resistome

Author: Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, European Research Council (ERC)-H2020, British Ecological Society, Junta de Andalucía, Generalitat Valenciana, Australian Research Council, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft / German Research Foundation (DFG), Eslovenian Research Agency, Delgado Baquerizo, Manuel, Hu, Hang Wei, Maestre, Fernando T., Guerra, Carlos A., Eisenhauer, Nico, Eldridge, David J., Blanco-Pastor, José Luis, He, Ji Zheng, Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, European Research Council (ERC)-H2020, British Ecological Society, Junta de Andalucía, Generalitat Valenciana, Australian Research Council, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft / German Research Foundation (DFG), Eslovenian Research Agency, Delgado Baquerizo, Manuel, Hu, Hang Wei, Maestre, Fernando T., Guerra, Carlos A., Eisenhauer, Nico, Eldridge, David J., Blanco-Pastor, José Luis, and He, Ji Zheng
Abstract: Background: Little is known about the global distribution and environmental drivers of key microbial functional traits such as antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Soils are one of Earth’s largest reservoirs of ARGs, which are integral for soil microbial competition, and have potential implications for plant and human health. Yet, their diversity and global patterns remain poorly described. Here, we analyzed 285 ARGs in soils from 1012 sites across all continents and created the first global atlas with the distributions of topsoil ARGs. Results: We show that ARGs peaked in high latitude cold and boreal forests. Climatic seasonality and mobile genetic elements, associated with the transmission of antibiotic resistance, were also key drivers of their global distribution. Dominant ARGs were mainly related to multidrug resistance genes and efflux pump machineries. We further pinpointed the global hotspots of the diversity and proportions of soil ARGs. Conclusions: Together, our work provides the foundation for a better understanding of the ecology and global distribution of the environmental soil antibiotic resistome.
Published: 2022

29. Biocrusts Modulate Climate Change Effects on Soil Organic Carbon Pools: Insights From a 9-Year Experiment

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Panettieri, Marco, García-Palacios, Pablo, Moreno, Eduardo, Plaza, César, Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Panettieri, Marco, García-Palacios, Pablo, Moreno, Eduardo, Plaza, César, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests that warming associated with climate change is decreasing the total amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) in drylands, although scientific research has not given enough emphasis to particulate (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) pools. Biocrusts are a major biotic feature of drylands and have large impacts on the C cycle, yet it is largely unknown whether they modulate the responses of POC and MAOC to climate change. Here, we assessed the effects of simulated climate change (control, reduced rainfall (RE), warming (WA), and RE + WA) and initial biocrust cover (low (< 20%) versus high (> 50%)) on the mineral protection of soil C and soil organic matter quality in a dryland ecosystem in central Spain for 9 years. At low initial biocrust cover levels, both WA and RE + WA increased SOC, especially POC but also MAOC, and promoted a higher contribution of carbohydrates, relative to aromatic compounds, to the POC fraction. These results suggest that the accumulation of soil C under warming treatments may be transitory in soils with low initial biocrust cover. In soils with high initial biocrust cover, climate change treatments did not affect SOC, neither POC nor MAOC fraction. Overall, our results indicate that biocrust communities modulate the negative effect of climate change on SOC, because no losses of soil C were observed with the climate manipulations under biocrusts. Future work should focus on determining the long-term persistence of the observed buffering effect by biocrust-forming lichens, as they are known to be negatively affected by warming.
Published: 2022

30. Climate legacies drive the distribution and future restoration potential of dryland forests

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Guirado, Emilio, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Tabik, Siham, Alcaraz-Segura, Domingo, Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Guirado, Emilio, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Tabik, Siham, Alcaraz-Segura, Domingo, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: Knowing the extent and environmental drivers of forests is key to successfully restore degraded ecosystems, and to mitigate climate change and desertification impacts using tree planting. Water availability is the main limiting factor for the development of forests in drylands, yet the importance of groundwater resources and palaeoclimate as drivers of their current distribution has been neglected. Here we report that mid-Holocene climates and aquifer trends are key predictors of the distribution of dryland forests worldwide. We also updated the global extent of dryland forests to 1,283 million hectares and showed that failing to consider past climates and aquifers has resulted in ignoring or misplacing up to 130 million hectares of forests in drylands. Our findings highlight the importance of a wetter past and well-preserved aquifers to explain the current distribution of dryland forests, and can guide restoration actions by avoiding unsuitable areas for tree establishment in a drier world.
Published: 2022

31. Continuous monitoring of chlorophyll a fluorescence and microclimatic conditions reveals warming-induced physiological damage in biocrust-forming lichens

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Raggio, José, Pescador, David S., Gozalo, Beatriz, Ochoa, Victoria, Valencia, Enrique, Sancho, Leopoldo G., Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Raggio, José, Pescador, David S., Gozalo, Beatriz, Ochoa, Victoria, Valencia, Enrique, Sancho, Leopoldo G., and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: Purpose Biocrust communities, which are important regulators of multiple ecosystem functions in drylands, are highly sensitive to climate change. There is growing evidence of the negative impacts of warming on the performance of biocrust constituents like lichens in the field. Here, we aim to understand the physiological basis behind this pattern. Methods Using a unique manipulative climate change experiment, we monitored every 30 minutes and for 9 months the chlorophyll a fluorescence and microclimatic conditions (lichen surface temperature, relative moisture and photosynthetically active radiation) of Psora decipiens, a key biocrust constituent in drylands worldwide. This long-term monitoring resulted in 11,847 records at the thallus-level, which allowed us to evaluate the impacts of ~2.3 °C simulated warming treatment on the physiology of Psora at an unprecedented level of detail. Results Simulated warming and the associated decrease in relative moisture promoted by this treatment negatively impacted the physiology of Psora, especially during the diurnal period of the spring, when conditions are warmer and drier. These impacts were driven by a mechanism based on the reduction of the length of the periods allowing net photosynthesis, and by declines in Yield and Fv/Fm under simulated warming. Conclusion Our study reveals the physiological basis explaining observed negative impacts of ongoing global warming on biocrust-forming lichens in the field. The functional response observed could limit the growth and cover of biocrust-forming lichens in drylands in the long-term, negatively impacting in key soil attributes such as biogeochemical cycles, water balance, biological activity and ability of controlling erosion.
Published: 2022

32. Agricultural management and pesticide use reduce the functioning of beneficial plant symbionts

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Edlinger, Anna, Garland, Gina, Hartman, Kyle, Banerjee, Samiran, Degrune, Florine, García-Palacios, Pablo, Hallin, Sara, Valzano-Held, Alain, Herzog, Chantal, Jansa, Jan, Kost, Elena, Maestre, Fernando T., Sánchez Pescador, David, Philippot, Laurent, Rillig, Matthias C., Romdhane, Sana, Saghaï, Aurélien, Spor, Ayme, Frossard, Emmanuel, van der Heijden, Marcel G.A., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Edlinger, Anna, Garland, Gina, Hartman, Kyle, Banerjee, Samiran, Degrune, Florine, García-Palacios, Pablo, Hallin, Sara, Valzano-Held, Alain, Herzog, Chantal, Jansa, Jan, Kost, Elena, Maestre, Fernando T., Sánchez Pescador, David, Philippot, Laurent, Rillig, Matthias C., Romdhane, Sana, Saghaï, Aurélien, Spor, Ayme, Frossard, Emmanuel, and van der Heijden, Marcel G.A.
Abstract: Phosphorus (P) acquisition is key for plant growth. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) help plants acquire P from soil. Understanding which factors drive AMF-supported nutrient uptake is essential to develop more sustainable agroecosystems. Here we collected soils from 150 cereal fields and 60 non-cropped grassland sites across a 3,000 km trans-European gradient. In a greenhouse experiment, we tested the ability of AMF in these soils to forage for the radioisotope 33P from a hyphal compartment. AMF communities in grassland soils were much more efficient in acquiring 33P and transferred 64% more 33P to plants compared with AMF in cropland soils. Fungicide application best explained hyphal 33P transfer in cropland soils. The use of fungicides and subsequent decline in AMF richness in croplands reduced 33P uptake by 43%. Our results suggest that land-use intensity and fungicide use are major deterrents to the functioning and natural nutrient uptake capacity of AMF in agroecosystems.
Published: 2022

33. Complex Policy Mixes are Needed to Cope with Agricultural Water Demands Under Climate Change.

Author: Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Olcina, Jorge, Delacámara, Gonzalo, Guirado, Emilio, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Subjects: WATER management, AGRICULTURE, CLIMATE change, WATER supply, WATER shortages, AGRICULTURAL water supply, WATER consumption
Abstract: The divergence between agricultural water use and the annual supply of water resources (water gap) has been increasing for decades. The forecast is that this water gap will continue to widen, compromising the water security of a large share of the global population. On the one hand, the increase in demand is attributed to an ever-growing population that, in addition, is adopting a high-water consumption per capita lifestyle (e.g., meat-rich diet, increased use of biofuels and of irrigated agriculture). On the other hand, climate change is increasing aridification and the spatio-temporal heterogeneity of precipitation worldwide. The water gap is particularly acute in drylands, where development and food security has been based on the massive exploitation of water resources, particularly groundwater. Here we analyze the mechanisms underlying this water gap, which is mainly driven by water use in agriculture, and suggest suitable solutions that can help to close it. Using causal diagrams, we show how population generates different demands that create a water gap that prevailing supply-side solutions cannot close. Indeed, it has been widening over the years because water consumption has grown exponentially. This behaviour is explained by a series of mechanisms that it is necessary to understand to realize the complexity of water scarcity problems. For solving the water gap, we propose and exemplify eight lines of action that can be combined and tailored to each territory. Our analyses corroborate the urgent need to plan an integral management of water resources to avoid widespread scenarios of water scarcity under future climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Published: 2023
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34. Biocrusts Modulate Climate Change Effects on Soil Organic Carbon Pools: Insights From a 9-Year Experiment.

Author: Díaz-Martínez, Paloma, Panettieri, Marco, García-Palacios, Pablo, Moreno, Eduardo, Plaza, César, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Subjects: CLIMATE change, CRUST vegetation, SOIL heating, CARBON in soils, GLOBAL warming, SOIL protection
Abstract: Accumulating evidence suggests that warming associated with climate change is decreasing the total amount of soil organic carbon (SOC) in drylands, although scientific research has not given enough emphasis to particulate (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) pools. Biocrusts are a major biotic feature of drylands and have large impacts on the C cycle, yet it is largely unknown whether they modulate the responses of POC and MAOC to climate change. Here, we assessed the effects of simulated climate change (control, reduced rainfall (RE), warming (WA), and RE + WA) and initial biocrust cover (low (< 20%) versus high (> 50%)) on the mineral protection of soil C and soil organic matter quality in a dryland ecosystem in central Spain for 9 years. At low initial biocrust cover levels, both WA and RE + WA increased SOC, especially POC but also MAOC, and promoted a higher contribution of carbohydrates, relative to aromatic compounds, to the POC fraction. These results suggest that the accumulation of soil C under warming treatments may be transitory in soils with low initial biocrust cover. In soils with high initial biocrust cover, climate change treatments did not affect SOC, neither POC nor MAOC fraction. Overall, our results indicate that biocrust communities modulate the negative effect of climate change on SOC, because no losses of soil C were observed with the climate manipulations under biocrusts. Future work should focus on determining the long-term persistence of the observed buffering effect by biocrust-forming lichens, as they are known to be negatively affected by warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Published: 2023
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35. The global distribution and environmental drivers of the soil antibiotic resistome

Author: Delgado Baquerizo, Manuel, Hu, Hang Wei, Maestre, Fernando T., Guerra, Carlos A., Eisenhauer, Nico, Eldridge, David J., Blanco-Pastor, José Luis, He, Ji Zheng, Universidad de Sevilla. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, European Research Council (ERC)-H2020, British Ecological Society, Junta de Andalucía, Generalitat Valenciana, Australian Research Council, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft / German Research Foundation (DFG), and Eslovenian Research Agency
Subjects: Antibiotic resistance, Mobile genetic elements, Human health, Global scale, Global change
Abstract: Background: Little is known about the global distribution and environmental drivers of key microbial functional traits such as antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Soils are one of Earth’s largest reservoirs of ARGs, which are integral for soil microbial competition, and have potential implications for plant and human health. Yet, their diversity and global patterns remain poorly described. Here, we analyzed 285 ARGs in soils from 1012 sites across all continents and created the first global atlas with the distributions of topsoil ARGs. Results: We show that ARGs peaked in high latitude cold and boreal forests. Climatic seasonality and mobile genetic elements, associated with the transmission of antibiotic resistance, were also key drivers of their global distribution. Dominant ARGs were mainly related to multidrug resistance genes and efflux pump machineries. We further pinpointed the global hotspots of the diversity and proportions of soil ARGs. Conclusions: Together, our work provides the foundation for a better understanding of the ecology and global distribution of the environmental soil antibiotic resistome. European Research Council-H2020 702057, 47038, British Ecological Society LRA17\1193 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación RYC2018‑025483‑I, PID2020‑115813RA‑I00, CTM2015‑64728‑C2‑2‑R Junta de Andalucía P20_00879 Generalitat Valenciana CIDEGENT/2018/041 Australian Research Council DP210100332 German Research Foundation FZT 118 Slovenian Research Agency P4‑0107, J4‑3098, J4‑4547
Published: 2022

36. Continuous monitoring of chlorophyll a fluorescence and microclimatic conditions reveals warming-induced physiological damage in biocrust-forming lichens.

Author: Raggio, José, Pescador, David S., Gozalo, Beatriz, Ochoa, Victoria, Valencia, Enrique, Sancho, Leopoldo G., and Maestre, Fernando T.
Subjects: CHLOROPHYLL spectra, LICHENS, BIOGEOCHEMICAL cycles, SOIL conservation, ARID regions, FLOCCULANTS, EROSION
Abstract: Purpose: Biocrust communities, which are important regulators of multiple ecosystem functions in drylands, are highly sensitive to climate change. There is growing evidence of the negative impacts of warming on the performance of biocrust constituents like lichens in the field. Here, we aim to understand the physiological basis behind this pattern. Methods: Using a unique manipulative climate change experiment, we monitored every 30 minutes and for 9 months the chlorophyll a fluorescence and microclimatic conditions (lichen surface temperature, relative moisture and photosynthetically active radiation) of Psora decipiens, a key biocrust constituent in drylands worldwide. This long-term monitoring resulted in 11,847 records at the thallus-level, which allowed us to evaluate the impacts of ~2.3 °C simulated warming treatment on the physiology of Psora at an unprecedented level of detail. Results: Simulated warming and the associated decrease in relative moisture promoted by this treatment negatively impacted the physiology of Psora, especially during the diurnal period of the spring, when conditions are warmer and drier. These impacts were driven by a mechanism based on the reduction of the length of the periods allowing net photosynthesis, and by declines in Yield and Fv/Fm under simulated warming. Conclusion: Our study reveals the physiological basis explaining observed negative impacts of ongoing global warming on biocrust-forming lichens in the field. The functional response observed could limit the growth and cover of biocrust-forming lichens in drylands in the long-term, negatively impacting in key soil attributes such as biogeochemical cycles, water balance, biological activity and ability of controlling erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Published: 2023
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37. Decomposition of dryland biocrust-forming lichens and mosses contributes to soil nutrient cycling.

Author: Concostrina-Zubiri, Laura, Berdugo, Miguel, Valencia, Enrique, Mendoza, Betty J., and Maestre, Fernando T.
Subjects: NUTRIENT cycles, ACID phosphatase, LICHENS, SOILS, MOSSES, FOREST litter
Abstract: Background and aims: Biocrusts are major contributors to dryland nutrient cycling by regulating C, N and P inputs and fluxes. However, our understanding about how the decomposition of biocrust constituents contributes to soil nutrient cycling in drylands is virtually unknown. Methods: We conducted a microcosm experiment to: i) evaluate the litter decomposition dynamics of two common biocrust-forming species with contrasting tissue chemistry and growth form (the lichen Cladonia foliacea and the moss Syntrichia caninervis), and ii) their effects on several soil variables related to soil functioning. Results: Cladonia litter decomposed gradually with time (92% total mass loss after 342 days), while Syntrichia litter decomposed much faster (92% total mass loss after 62 days, with no further losses until the end of the experiment at 342 days). We observed species-specific effects of their litter on dissolved organic N (DON) and NH4+ depending on collection time, which changed the effects of litter decomposition on DON and pH regardless of the biocrust species considered. Overall, biocrust litter had a positive effect on SOC, DON, NH 4 + and acid phosphatase activity. Conclusions: Our experimental results show that decomposition of biocrust tissues plays an important role in soil nutrient cycling, indicating that this process impacts the fertility and functioning of dryland soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Published: 2022
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38. Plant-driven niche differentiation of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea in global drylands

Author: Australian Research Council, European Commission, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Hu, Hang-Wei [0000-0002-3294-102X], Singh, Brajesh K. [0000-0003-4413-4185], Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Trivedi, Chanda, Reich, Peter B., Maestre, Fernando T., Hu, Hang-Wei, Singh, Brajesh K., Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Australian Research Council, European Commission, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Hu, Hang-Wei [0000-0002-3294-102X], Singh, Brajesh K. [0000-0003-4413-4185], Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Trivedi, Chanda, Reich, Peter B., Maestre, Fernando T., Hu, Hang-Wei, Singh, Brajesh K., and Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel
Abstract: Under controlled laboratory conditions, high and low ammonium availability are known to favor soil ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) communities, respectively. However, whether this niche segregation is maintained under field conditions in terrestrial ecosystems remains unresolved, particularly at the global scale. We hypothesized that perennial vegetation might favor AOB vs. AOA communities compared with adjacent open areas devoid of perennial vegetation (i.e., bare soil) via several mechanisms, including increasing the amount of ammonium in soil. To test this niche-differentiation hypothesis, we conducted a global field survey including 80 drylands from 6 continents. Data supported our hypothesis, as soils collected under plant canopies had higher levels of ammonium, as well as higher richness (number of terminal restriction fragments; T-RFs) and abundance (qPCR amoA genes) of AOB, and lower richness and abundance of AOA, than those collected in open areas located between plant canopies. Some of the reported associations between plant canopies and AOA and AOB communities can be a consequence of the higher organic matter and available N contents found under plant canopies. Other aspects of soils associated with vegetation including shading and microclimatic conditions might also help explain our results. Our findings provide strong evidence for niche differentiation between AOA and AOB communities in drylands worldwide, advancing our understanding of their ecology and biogeography at the global scale.
Published: 2019

39. Litter Decomposition Rates of Biocrust-Forming Lichens Are Similar to Those of Vascular Plants and Are Affected by Warming

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Berdugo, Miguel, Mendoza-Aguilar, Dinorah O., Rey, Ana, Ochoa, Victoria, Gozalo, Beatriz, García-Huss, Laura, Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Berdugo, Miguel, Mendoza-Aguilar, Dinorah O., Rey, Ana, Ochoa, Victoria, Gozalo, Beatriz, García-Huss, Laura, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: Despite the high relevance of communities dominated by lichens, mosses and cyanobacteria living on the soil surface (biocrusts) for ecosystem functioning in drylands, no study to date has investigated the decomposition of biocrust-forming lichen litter in situ. Thus, we do not know whether the drivers of its decomposition are similar to those for plant litter (for example, importance of abiotic degradation through UV radiation), the magnitude of lichen decomposition rates and whether they will be affected by ongoing climate change. Here we report the results from a litter decomposition experiment carried out with two biocrust-forming lichens (Diploschistes diacapsis and Cladonia convoluta) that differ in litter chemical quality (C:N ratio) in central Spain. We evaluated how lichen decomposition was affected by warming, rainfall exclusion and their combination. We also manipulated the incidence of UV radiation using mesh material that blocked 10% or 90% of incoming UV radiation. Our results indicate that lichens decompose as fast as some plants typical of the study area (k ~ 0.3 y−1). We observed differences among the species studied in line with what is expected according to their chemical composition. Warming increased decomposition rates of both lichen species by 28% and mediated the effects of photodegradation. Although UV exposure accelerated the decomposition of D. diacapsis, it slowed that of C. convoluta. Our results indicate that biocrust-forming lichens can decompose in the field at a rate similar to that of vascular plants and that this process will be affected by warming. The findings presented emphasize the need of considering biocrusts and the decomposition of their tissues when honing ecosystem models aiming to forecast carbon cycling responses to climate change in drylands.
Published: 2021

40. Temperature Increases Soil Respiration Across Ecosystem Types and Soil Development, But Soil Properties Determine the Magnitude of This Effect

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Dacal, Marina, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Barquero, Jesús, Berhe, Asmeret Asefaw, Gallardo Correa, Antonio, Maestre, Fernando T., García-Palacios, Pablo, Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Dacal, Marina, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Barquero, Jesús, Berhe, Asmeret Asefaw, Gallardo Correa, Antonio, Maestre, Fernando T., and García-Palacios, Pablo
Abstract: Soil carbon losses to the atmosphere, via soil heterotrophic respiration, are expected to increase in response to global warming, resulting in a positive carbon-climate feedback. Despite the well-known suite of abiotic and biotic factors controlling soil respiration, much less is known about how the magnitude of soil respiration responses to temperature changes over soil development and across contrasting soil properties. Here we investigated the role of soil development stage and soil properties in driving the responses of soil heterotrophic respiration to temperature. We incubated soils from eight chronosequences ranging in soil age from hundreds to million years, and encompassing a wide range of vegetation types, climatic conditions and chronosequences origins, at three assay temperatures (5 °C, 15 °C and 25 °C). We found a consistent positive effect of assay temperature on soil respiration rates across the eight chronosequences evaluated. However, chronosequences parent materials (sedimentary/sand dunes or volcanic) and soil properties (pH, phosphorus content and microbial biomass) determined the magnitude of this temperature effect. Finally, we observed a positive effect of soil development stage on soil respiration across chronosequences that did not alter the magnitude of assay temperature effects. Our work reveals that key soil properties alter the magnitude of the positive effect of temperature on soil respiration found across ecosystem types and soil development stages. This information is essential to better understand the magnitude of the carbon-climate feedback and thus to establish accurate greenhouse gas emission targets.
Published: 2021

41. Crop cover is more important than rotational diversity for soil multifunctionality and cereal yields in European cropping systems

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Garland, Gina, Edlinger, Anna, Banerjee, Samiran, Degrune, Florine, García-Palacios, Pablo, Pescador, David S., Herzog, Chantal, Romdhane, Sana, Saghai, Aurélien, Spor, Ayme, Wagg, Cameron, Hallin, Sara, Maestre, Fernando T., Philippot, Laurent, Rillig, Matthias C., van der Heijden, Marcel G.A., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Garland, Gina, Edlinger, Anna, Banerjee, Samiran, Degrune, Florine, García-Palacios, Pablo, Pescador, David S., Herzog, Chantal, Romdhane, Sana, Saghai, Aurélien, Spor, Ayme, Wagg, Cameron, Hallin, Sara, Maestre, Fernando T., Philippot, Laurent, Rillig, Matthias C., and van der Heijden, Marcel G.A.
Abstract: In natural ecosystems, positive effects of plant diversity on ecosystem functioning have been widely observed, yet whether this is true in cropping systems remains unclear. Here we assessed the impact of crop diversification on soil microbial diversity, soil multifunctionality (SMF) and crop yields in 155 cereal fields across a 3,000 km north–south European gradient. Overall, crop diversity showed a relatively minor effect on soil microbial diversity, SMF and yields. In contrast, the proportion of time with crop cover (including cash crops, cover crops or forage leys) during the past ten-year crop rotation had a much stronger impact. This suggests that increasing crop cover can enhance both yields and soil functioning, while also providing habitat for soil microorganisms. We found that SMF did not positively contribute to crop yields, highlighting that care must be taken to balance the provision of food with environmentally beneficial functions and services, since they do not always go hand in hand.
Published: 2021

42. Litter Decomposition Rates of Biocrust-Forming Lichens Are Similar to Those of Vascular Plantsand Are Affected by Warming

Author: European Research Council, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Generalitat Valenciana, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Berdugo, Miguel, Mendoza-Aguilar, Dinorah O., Rey, Ana, Ochoa, Victoria, Gozalo, Beatriz, García-Huss, Laura, Maestre, Fernando T., European Research Council, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (España), Generalitat Valenciana, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Berdugo, Miguel, Mendoza-Aguilar, Dinorah O., Rey, Ana, Ochoa, Victoria, Gozalo, Beatriz, García-Huss, Laura, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: Despite the high relevance of communities dominated by lichens, mosses and cyanobacteria living on the soil surface (biocrusts) for ecosystem functioning in drylands, no study to date has investigated the decomposition of biocrust-forming lichen litter in situ. Thus, we do not know whether the drivers of its decomposition are similar to those for plant litter (for example, importance of abiotic degradation through UV radiation), the magnitude of lichen decomposition rates and whether they will be affected by ongoing climate change. Here we report the results from a litter decomposition experiment carried out with two biocrust-forming lichens (Diploschistes diacapsis and Cladonia convoluta) that differ in litter chemical quality (C:N ratio) in central Spain. We evaluated how lichen decomposition was affected by warming, rainfall exclusion and their combination. We also manipulated the incidence of UV radiation using mesh material that blocked 10% or 90% of incoming UV radiation. Our results indicate that lichens decompose as fast as some plants typical of the study area (k ~ 0.3 y−1). We observed differences among the species studied in line with what is expected according to their chemical composition. Warming increased decomposition rates of both lichen species by 28% and mediated the effects of photodegradation. Although UV exposure accelerated the decomposition of D. diacapsis, it slowed that of C. convoluta. Our results indicate that biocrust-forming lichens can decompose in the field at a rate similar to that of vascular plants and that this process will be affected by warming. The findings presented emphasize the need of considering biocrusts and the decomposition of their tissues when honing ecosystem models aiming to forecast carbon cycling responses to climate change in drylands.
Published: 2021

43. Climate legacies drive the distribution and future restoration potential of dryland forests.

Author: Guirado, Emilio, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Tabik, Siham, Alcaraz-Segura, Domingo, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Published: 2022
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44. Detecting macroecological patterns in bacterial communities across independent studies of global soils

Author: British Ecological Society, European Commission, Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Northumbria University, Wallenberg Academy, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Griffiths, Robert [0000-0002-3341-4547], Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Singh, Brajesh K. [0000-0003-4413-4185], Vries, Franciska T. de [0000-0002-6822-8883], Ramirez, Kelly S., Knight, Christopher G., Hollander, Mattias de, Brearley, Francis Q., Constantinides, Bede, Cotton, Anne, Creer, Si, Crowther, Thomas W., Davinson, John, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Dorrepaal, Ellen, Elliott, David R., Fox, Graeme, Griffiths, Robert, Hale, Chris, Hartman, Kyle, Houlden, Ashley, Jones, David L., Krab, Eveline J., Maestre, Fernando T., McGuire, Krista L., Monteux, Sylvain, Orr, Caroline H., Putten, Wim H. van der, Roberts. Ian S., Robinson, David A., Rocca, Jennifer, Rowntree, Jennifer, Schlaeppi, Klaus, Shepherd, Matthew, Singh, Brajesh K., Straathof, Angela L., Bhatnagar, Jennifer M., Thion, Cécile, Heijden, Marcel G. A. van der, Vries, Franciska T. de, British Ecological Society, European Commission, Yorkshire Agricultural Society, Northumbria University, Wallenberg Academy, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel [0000-0002-6499-576X], Griffiths, Robert [0000-0002-3341-4547], Maestre, Fernando T. [0000-0002-7434-4856], Singh, Brajesh K. [0000-0003-4413-4185], Vries, Franciska T. de [0000-0002-6822-8883], Ramirez, Kelly S., Knight, Christopher G., Hollander, Mattias de, Brearley, Francis Q., Constantinides, Bede, Cotton, Anne, Creer, Si, Crowther, Thomas W., Davinson, John, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Dorrepaal, Ellen, Elliott, David R., Fox, Graeme, Griffiths, Robert, Hale, Chris, Hartman, Kyle, Houlden, Ashley, Jones, David L., Krab, Eveline J., Maestre, Fernando T., McGuire, Krista L., Monteux, Sylvain, Orr, Caroline H., Putten, Wim H. van der, Roberts. Ian S., Robinson, David A., Rocca, Jennifer, Rowntree, Jennifer, Schlaeppi, Klaus, Shepherd, Matthew, Singh, Brajesh K., Straathof, Angela L., Bhatnagar, Jennifer M., Thion, Cécile, Heijden, Marcel G. A. van der, and Vries, Franciska T. de
Abstract: The emergence of high-throughput DNA sequencing methods provides unprecedented opportunities to further unravel bacterial biodiversity and its worldwide role from human health to ecosystem functioning. However, despite the abundance of sequencing studies, combining data from multiple individual studies to address macroecological questions of bacterial diversity remains methodically challenging and plagued with biases. Here, using a machine-learning approach that accounts for differences among studies and complex interactions among taxa, we merge 30 independent bacterial data sets comprising 1,998 soil samples from 21 countries. Whereas previous meta-analysis efforts have focused on bacterial diversity measures or abundances of major taxa, we show that disparate amplicon sequence data can be combined at the taxonomy-based level to assess bacterial community structure. We find that rarer taxa are more important for structuring soil communities than abundant taxa, and that these rarer taxa are better predictors of community structure than environmental factors, which are often confounded across studies. We conclude that combining data from independent studies can be used to explore bacterial community dynamics, identify potential ‘indicator’ taxa with an important role in structuring communities, and propose hypotheses on the factors that shape bacterial biogeography that have been overlooked in the past.
Published: 2018

45. Discarded food and resource depletion

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Guirado, Emilio, Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Guirado, Emilio, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: Food systems are driven by incentives that often lead to food being discarded before entering the market and to the degradation of natural resources. Vegetable production in the water-scarce province of Almería, Spain, illustrates this and highlights the need for policies ensuring ethical and environmental sustainability standards.
Published: 2020

46. Blind spots in global soil biodiversity and ecosystem function research

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Guerra, Carlos A., Heintz-Buschart, Anna, Sikorski, Johannes, Chatzinotas, Antonis, Guerrero-Ramírez, Nathaly, Cesarz, Simone, Beaumelle, Léa, Rillig, Matthias C., Maestre, Fernando T., Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Buscot, François, Overmann, Jörg, Patoine, Guillaume, Phillips, Helen R. P., Winter, Marten, Wubet, Tesfaye, Küsel, Kirsten, Bardgett, Richard D., Cameron, Erin K., Cowan, Don, Grebenc, Tine, Marín, César, Orgiazzi, Alberto, Singh, Brajesh K., Wall, Diana H., Eisenhauer, Nico, Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Guerra, Carlos A., Heintz-Buschart, Anna, Sikorski, Johannes, Chatzinotas, Antonis, Guerrero-Ramírez, Nathaly, Cesarz, Simone, Beaumelle, Léa, Rillig, Matthias C., Maestre, Fernando T., Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Buscot, François, Overmann, Jörg, Patoine, Guillaume, Phillips, Helen R. P., Winter, Marten, Wubet, Tesfaye, Küsel, Kirsten, Bardgett, Richard D., Cameron, Erin K., Cowan, Don, Grebenc, Tine, Marín, César, Orgiazzi, Alberto, Singh, Brajesh K., Wall, Diana H., and Eisenhauer, Nico
Abstract: Soils harbor a substantial fraction of the world’s biodiversity, contributing to many crucial ecosystem functions. It is thus essential to identify general macroecological patterns related to the distribution and functioning of soil organisms to support their conservation and consideration by governance. These macroecological analyses need to represent the diversity of environmental conditions that can be found worldwide. Here we identify and characterize existing environmental gaps in soil taxa and ecosystem functioning data across soil macroecological studies and 17,186 sampling sites across the globe. These data gaps include important spatial, environmental, taxonomic, and functional gaps, and an almost complete absence of temporally explicit data. We also identify the limitations of soil macroecological studies to explore general patterns in soil biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships, with only 0.3% of all sampling sites having both information about biodiversity and function, although with different taxonomic groups and functions at each site. Based on this information, we provide clear priorities to support and expand soil macroecological research.
Published: 2020

47. Desertifying deserts

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Guirado, Emilio, Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Martínez-Valderrama, Jaime, Guirado, Emilio, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: The current definition of desertification excludes hyper-arid zones given their lack of economic activity. However, the 101 million people living there, ongoing land degradation associated with the use of groundwater for intensive agriculture and climate-change-induced aridity call for a revision of this definition.
Published: 2020

48. Biocrusts Modulate Responses of Nitrous Oxide and Methane Soil Fluxes to Simulated Climate Change in a Mediterranean Dryland

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Lafuente, Angela, Durán, Jorge, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Recio, Jaime, Gallardo Correa, Antonio, Singh, Brajesh K., Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Lafuente, Angela, Durán, Jorge, Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Recio, Jaime, Gallardo Correa, Antonio, Singh, Brajesh K., and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: Little is known about the role of biocrusts in regulating the responses of N2O and CH4 fluxes to climate change in drylands. Here, we aim to help filling this knowledge gap by using an 8-year field experiment in central Spain where temperature and rainfall are being manipulated (~ 1.9°C warming, 33% rainfall reduction and their combination) in areas with and without well-developed biocrust communities. Areas with initial high cover of well-developed biocrusts showed lower N2O emissions, enhanced CH4 uptake and higher abundances of functional genes linked to N2O and CH4 fluxes compared with areas with poorly developed biocrusts. Moreover, biocrusts modulated the responses of gases emissions and related functional genes to warming and rainfall reductions. Specifically, we found under rainfall exclusion and its combination with warming a sharp reduction in N2O fluxes (~ 96% and ~ 197%, respectively) only under well-developed biocrust cover. Warming and its combination with rainfall exclusion reduced CH4 consumption in areas with initial low cover of well-developed biocrust, whereas rainfall exclusion enhanced CH4 uptake only in areas with high initial cover of well-developed biocrusts. Similarly, the combination of warming and rainfall exclusion increased the abundance of the nosZ gene compared to the rainfall exclusion treatment and increased the abundance of the pmoA gene compared to the control, but only in areas with low biocrust cover. Taken together, our results indicate that well-developed biocrust communities could counteract the impact of warming and altered rainfall patterns on soil N2O and CH4 fluxes, highlighting their importance and the need to preserve them to minimize climate change impacts on drylands.
Published: 2020

49. The MARAS dataset, vegetation and soil characteristics of dryland rangelands across Patagonia

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Oliva, Gabriel, dos Santos, Eder, Sofía, Osiris, Umaña, Fernando, Massara, Virginia, García Martínez, Guillermo, Caruso, Cecilia, Cariac, German, Echevarría, Daniela, Fantozzi, Anabella, Butti, Lucas, Bran, Donaldo E., Gaitán, Juan J., Ferrante, Daniela, Paredes, Paula, Domínguez, Erwin, Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Oliva, Gabriel, dos Santos, Eder, Sofía, Osiris, Umaña, Fernando, Massara, Virginia, García Martínez, Guillermo, Caruso, Cecilia, Cariac, German, Echevarría, Daniela, Fantozzi, Anabella, Butti, Lucas, Bran, Donaldo E., Gaitán, Juan J., Ferrante, Daniela, Paredes, Paula, Domínguez, Erwin, and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: We present the MARAS (Environmental Monitoring of Arid and Semiarid Regions) dataset, which stores vegetation and soil data of 426 rangeland monitoring plots installed throughout Patagonia, a 624.500 km2 area of southern Argentina and Chile. Data for each monitoring plot includes basic climatic and landscape features, photographs, 500 point intercepts for vegetation cover, plant species list and biodiversity indexes, 50-m line-intercept transect for vegetation spatial pattern analysis, land function indexes drawn from 11 measures of soil surface characteristics and laboratory soil analysis (pH, conductivity, organic matter, N and texture). Monitoring plots were installed between 2007 and 2019, and are being reassessed at 5-year intervals (247 have been surveyed twice). The MARAS dataset provides a baseline from which to evaluate the impacts of climate change and changes in land use intensity in Patagonian ecosystems, which collectively constitute one of the world´s largest rangeland areas. This dataset will be of interest to scientists exploring key ecological questions such as biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relationships, plant-soil interactions and climatic controls on ecosystem structure and functioning.
Published: 2020

50. The proportion of soil-borne pathogens increases with warming at the global scale

Author: Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Guerra, Carlos A., Cano-Díaz, Concha, Egidi, Eleonora, Wang, Jun‐Tao, Eisenhauer, Nico, Singh, Brajesh K., Maestre, Fernando T., Universidad de Alicante. Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio "Ramón Margalef", Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel, Guerra, Carlos A., Cano-Díaz, Concha, Egidi, Eleonora, Wang, Jun‐Tao, Eisenhauer, Nico, Singh, Brajesh K., and Maestre, Fernando T.
Abstract: Understanding the present and future distribution of soil-borne plant pathogens is critical to supporting food and fibre production in a warmer world. Using data from a global field survey and a nine-year field experiment, we show that warmer temperatures increase the relative abundance of soil-borne potential fungal plant pathogens. Moreover, we provide a global atlas of these organisms along with future distribution projections under different climate change and land-use scenarios. These projections show an overall increase in the relative abundance of potential plant pathogens worldwide. This work advances our understanding of the global distribution of potential fungal plant pathogens and their sensitivity to ongoing climate and land-use changes, which is fundamental to reduce their incidence and impacts on terrestrial ecosystems globally.
Published: 2020

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