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Manuel Delgadobaquerizo - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Aridity decouples c n p stoichiometry across multiple trophic levels in terrestrial ecosystems
    Ecosystems, 2018
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, David J Eldridge, Fernando T Maestre, Peter B Reich, Brajesh K Singh
    Abstract:

    Increases in Aridity forecasted by the end of this century will decouple the cycles of soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in drylands—the largest terrestrial biome on Earth. Little is known, however, about how changes in Aridity simultaneously affect the C:N:P stoichiometry of organisms across multiple trophic levels. It is imperative that we understand how Aridity affects ecological stoichiometry so that we can develop strategies to mitigate any effects of changing climates. We characterized the C, N, P concentration and stoichiometry of soils, autotrophs (trees, N-fixing shrubs, grasses and mosses) and heterotrophs (microbes and ants) across a wide Aridity gradient in Australia. Our results suggest that increases in Aridity by the end of this century may alter the C:N:P stoichiometry of heterotrophs (ants and microbes), non-woody plants and in soil, but will not affect that one from woody plants. In particular, increases in Aridity were positively related to C:P and N:P ratios in microbes and ants, negatively related to concentration of C, and the C:N and C:P ratios in mosses and/or short grasses, and not related to the C:N:P stoichiometry of either shrubs or trees. Because of the predominant role of C:N:P stoichiometry in driving nutrient cycling, our findings provide useful contextual information to determine ecological responses in a drier world.

  • increasing Aridity reduces soil microbial diversity and abundance in global drylands
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2015
    Co-Authors: Fernando T Maestre, Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, David J Eldridge, Miguel Garciagomez, Thomas C Jeffries, Werner Ulrich
    Abstract:

    Soil bacteria and fungi play key roles in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, yet our understanding of their responses to climate change lags significantly behind that of other organisms. This gap in our understanding is particularly true for drylands, which occupy ∼41% of Earth´s surface, because no global, systematic assessments of the joint diversity of soil bacteria and fungi have been conducted in these environments to date. Here we present results from a study conducted across 80 dryland sites from all continents, except Antarctica, to assess how changes in Aridity affect the composition, abundance, and diversity of soil bacteria and fungi. The diversity and abundance of soil bacteria and fungi was reduced as Aridity increased. These results were largely driven by the negative impacts of Aridity on soil organic carbon content, which positively affected the abundance and diversity of both bacteria and fungi. Aridity promoted shifts in the composition of soil bacteria, with increases in the relative abundance of Chloroflexi and α-Proteobacteria and decreases in Acidobacteria and Verrucomicrobia. Contrary to what has been reported by previous continental and global-scale studies, soil pH was not a major driver of bacterial diversity, and fungal communities were dominated by Ascomycota. Our results fill a critical gap in our understanding of soil microbial communities in terrestrial ecosystems. They suggest that changes in Aridity, such as those predicted by climate-change models, may reduce microbial abundance and diversity, a response that will likely impact the provision of key ecosystem services by global drylands.

  • decoupling of soil nutrient cycles as a function of Aridity in global drylands
    Nature, 2013
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Matthew A Bowker, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, Matthew D Wallenstein, Fernando T Maestre, Beatriz Gozalo
    Abstract:

    Soil samples collected from 224 dryland sites around the world show that Aridity affects the concentration of organic carbon and total nitrogen differently from the concentration of inorganic phosphorus, suggesting that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change could uncouple the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles in drylands and negatively affect the services provided by these ecosystems. It is thought likely that climatic change, such as the increased Aridity predicted for many drylands, could disrupt the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus during the twenty-first century. These elements are essential nutrients for biomass production in terrestrial ecosystems. This study finds that Aridity has a negative effect on the concentration of global dryland soil organic carbon and nitrogen, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic phosphorus. This suggests a decoupling of nutrient cycles in response to an increase in Aridity that could have a negative impact on biogeochemical reactions that control key ecosystem functions such as primary productivity. The biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are interlinked by primary production, respiration and decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems1. It has been suggested that the C, N and P cycles could become uncoupled under rapid climate change because of the different degrees of control exerted on the supply of these elements by biological and geochemical processes1,2,3,4,5. Climatic controls on biogeochemical cycles are particularly relevant in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid ecosystems (drylands) because their biological activity is mainly driven by water availability6,7,8. The increase in Aridity predicted for the twenty-first century in many drylands worldwide9,10,11 may therefore threaten the balance between these cycles, differentially affecting the availability of essential nutrients12,13,14. Here we evaluate how Aridity affects the balance between C, N and P in soils collected from 224 dryland sites from all continents except Antarctica. We find a negative effect of Aridity on the concentration of soil organic C and total N, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic P. Aridity is negatively related to plant cover, which may favour the dominance of physical processes such as rock weathering, a major source of P to ecosystems, over biological processes that provide more C and N, such as litter decomposition12,13,14. Our findings suggest that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change will probably reduce the concentrations of N and C in global drylands, but increase that of P. These changes would uncouple the C, N and P cycles in drylands and could negatively affect the provision of key services provided by these ecosystems.

  • decoupling of soil nutrient cycles as a function of Aridity in global drylands
    Nature, 2013
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, Matthew A Bowker, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, Matthew D Wallenstein, Fernando T Maestre, Miguel Garciagomez
    Abstract:

    The biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are interlinked by primary production, respiration and decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. It has been suggested that the C, N and P cycles could become uncoupled under rapid climate change because of the different degrees of control exerted on the supply of these elements by biological and geochemical processes. Climatic controls on biogeochemical cycles are particularly relevant in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid ecosystems (drylands) because their biological activity is mainly driven by water availability. The increase in Aridity predicted for the twenty-first century in many drylands worldwide may therefore threaten the balance between these cycles, differentially affecting the availability of essential nutrients. Here we evaluate how Aridity affects the balance between C, N and P in soils collected from 224 dryland sites from all continents except Antarctica. We find a negative effect of Aridity on the concentration of soil organic C and total N, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic P. Aridity is negatively related to plant cover, which may favour the dominance of physical processes such as rock weathering, a major source of P to ecosystems, over biological processes that provide more C and N, such as litter decomposition. Our findings suggest that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change will probably reduce the concentrations of N and C in global drylands, but increase that of P. These changes would uncouple the C, N and P cycles in drylands and could negatively affect the provision of key services provided by these ecosystems.

  • decoupling of soil nutrient cycles as a function of Aridity in global drylands
    Nature, 2013
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Matthew A Bowker, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, Matthew D Wallenstein, Beatriz Gozalo
    Abstract:

    Soil samples collected from 224 dryland sites around the world show that Aridity affects the concentration of organic carbon and total nitrogen differently from the concentration of inorganic phosphorus, suggesting that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change could uncouple the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles in drylands and negatively affect the services provided by these ecosystems.

José Luis Quero - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • increasing Aridity reduces soil microbial diversity and abundance in global drylands
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2015
    Co-Authors: Fernando T Maestre, Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, David J Eldridge, Miguel Garciagomez, Thomas C Jeffries, Werner Ulrich
    Abstract:

    Soil bacteria and fungi play key roles in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, yet our understanding of their responses to climate change lags significantly behind that of other organisms. This gap in our understanding is particularly true for drylands, which occupy ∼41% of Earth´s surface, because no global, systematic assessments of the joint diversity of soil bacteria and fungi have been conducted in these environments to date. Here we present results from a study conducted across 80 dryland sites from all continents, except Antarctica, to assess how changes in Aridity affect the composition, abundance, and diversity of soil bacteria and fungi. The diversity and abundance of soil bacteria and fungi was reduced as Aridity increased. These results were largely driven by the negative impacts of Aridity on soil organic carbon content, which positively affected the abundance and diversity of both bacteria and fungi. Aridity promoted shifts in the composition of soil bacteria, with increases in the relative abundance of Chloroflexi and α-Proteobacteria and decreases in Acidobacteria and Verrucomicrobia. Contrary to what has been reported by previous continental and global-scale studies, soil pH was not a major driver of bacterial diversity, and fungal communities were dominated by Ascomycota. Our results fill a critical gap in our understanding of soil microbial communities in terrestrial ecosystems. They suggest that changes in Aridity, such as those predicted by climate-change models, may reduce microbial abundance and diversity, a response that will likely impact the provision of key ecosystem services by global drylands.

  • decoupling of soil nutrient cycles as a function of Aridity in global drylands
    Nature, 2013
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, Matthew A Bowker, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, Matthew D Wallenstein, Fernando T Maestre, Miguel Garciagomez
    Abstract:

    The biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are interlinked by primary production, respiration and decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. It has been suggested that the C, N and P cycles could become uncoupled under rapid climate change because of the different degrees of control exerted on the supply of these elements by biological and geochemical processes. Climatic controls on biogeochemical cycles are particularly relevant in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid ecosystems (drylands) because their biological activity is mainly driven by water availability. The increase in Aridity predicted for the twenty-first century in many drylands worldwide may therefore threaten the balance between these cycles, differentially affecting the availability of essential nutrients. Here we evaluate how Aridity affects the balance between C, N and P in soils collected from 224 dryland sites from all continents except Antarctica. We find a negative effect of Aridity on the concentration of soil organic C and total N, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic P. Aridity is negatively related to plant cover, which may favour the dominance of physical processes such as rock weathering, a major source of P to ecosystems, over biological processes that provide more C and N, such as litter decomposition. Our findings suggest that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change will probably reduce the concentrations of N and C in global drylands, but increase that of P. These changes would uncouple the C, N and P cycles in drylands and could negatively affect the provision of key services provided by these ecosystems.

  • decoupling of soil nutrient cycles as a function of Aridity in global drylands
    Nature, 2013
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Matthew A Bowker, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, Matthew D Wallenstein, Fernando T Maestre, Beatriz Gozalo
    Abstract:

    Soil samples collected from 224 dryland sites around the world show that Aridity affects the concentration of organic carbon and total nitrogen differently from the concentration of inorganic phosphorus, suggesting that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change could uncouple the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles in drylands and negatively affect the services provided by these ecosystems. It is thought likely that climatic change, such as the increased Aridity predicted for many drylands, could disrupt the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus during the twenty-first century. These elements are essential nutrients for biomass production in terrestrial ecosystems. This study finds that Aridity has a negative effect on the concentration of global dryland soil organic carbon and nitrogen, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic phosphorus. This suggests a decoupling of nutrient cycles in response to an increase in Aridity that could have a negative impact on biogeochemical reactions that control key ecosystem functions such as primary productivity. The biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are interlinked by primary production, respiration and decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems1. It has been suggested that the C, N and P cycles could become uncoupled under rapid climate change because of the different degrees of control exerted on the supply of these elements by biological and geochemical processes1,2,3,4,5. Climatic controls on biogeochemical cycles are particularly relevant in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid ecosystems (drylands) because their biological activity is mainly driven by water availability6,7,8. The increase in Aridity predicted for the twenty-first century in many drylands worldwide9,10,11 may therefore threaten the balance between these cycles, differentially affecting the availability of essential nutrients12,13,14. Here we evaluate how Aridity affects the balance between C, N and P in soils collected from 224 dryland sites from all continents except Antarctica. We find a negative effect of Aridity on the concentration of soil organic C and total N, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic P. Aridity is negatively related to plant cover, which may favour the dominance of physical processes such as rock weathering, a major source of P to ecosystems, over biological processes that provide more C and N, such as litter decomposition12,13,14. Our findings suggest that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change will probably reduce the concentrations of N and C in global drylands, but increase that of P. These changes would uncouple the C, N and P cycles in drylands and could negatively affect the provision of key services provided by these ecosystems.

  • decoupling of soil nutrient cycles as a function of Aridity in global drylands
    Nature, 2013
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Matthew A Bowker, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, Matthew D Wallenstein, Beatriz Gozalo
    Abstract:

    Soil samples collected from 224 dryland sites around the world show that Aridity affects the concentration of organic carbon and total nitrogen differently from the concentration of inorganic phosphorus, suggesting that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change could uncouple the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles in drylands and negatively affect the services provided by these ecosystems.

Beatriz Gozalo - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Aridity decouples c n p stoichiometry across multiple trophic levels in terrestrial ecosystems
    Ecosystems, 2018
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, David J Eldridge, Fernando T Maestre, Peter B Reich, Brajesh K Singh
    Abstract:

    Increases in Aridity forecasted by the end of this century will decouple the cycles of soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in drylands—the largest terrestrial biome on Earth. Little is known, however, about how changes in Aridity simultaneously affect the C:N:P stoichiometry of organisms across multiple trophic levels. It is imperative that we understand how Aridity affects ecological stoichiometry so that we can develop strategies to mitigate any effects of changing climates. We characterized the C, N, P concentration and stoichiometry of soils, autotrophs (trees, N-fixing shrubs, grasses and mosses) and heterotrophs (microbes and ants) across a wide Aridity gradient in Australia. Our results suggest that increases in Aridity by the end of this century may alter the C:N:P stoichiometry of heterotrophs (ants and microbes), non-woody plants and in soil, but will not affect that one from woody plants. In particular, increases in Aridity were positively related to C:P and N:P ratios in microbes and ants, negatively related to concentration of C, and the C:N and C:P ratios in mosses and/or short grasses, and not related to the C:N:P stoichiometry of either shrubs or trees. Because of the predominant role of C:N:P stoichiometry in driving nutrient cycling, our findings provide useful contextual information to determine ecological responses in a drier world.

  • increasing Aridity reduces soil microbial diversity and abundance in global drylands
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2015
    Co-Authors: Fernando T Maestre, Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, David J Eldridge, Miguel Garciagomez, Thomas C Jeffries, Werner Ulrich
    Abstract:

    Soil bacteria and fungi play key roles in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, yet our understanding of their responses to climate change lags significantly behind that of other organisms. This gap in our understanding is particularly true for drylands, which occupy ∼41% of Earth´s surface, because no global, systematic assessments of the joint diversity of soil bacteria and fungi have been conducted in these environments to date. Here we present results from a study conducted across 80 dryland sites from all continents, except Antarctica, to assess how changes in Aridity affect the composition, abundance, and diversity of soil bacteria and fungi. The diversity and abundance of soil bacteria and fungi was reduced as Aridity increased. These results were largely driven by the negative impacts of Aridity on soil organic carbon content, which positively affected the abundance and diversity of both bacteria and fungi. Aridity promoted shifts in the composition of soil bacteria, with increases in the relative abundance of Chloroflexi and α-Proteobacteria and decreases in Acidobacteria and Verrucomicrobia. Contrary to what has been reported by previous continental and global-scale studies, soil pH was not a major driver of bacterial diversity, and fungal communities were dominated by Ascomycota. Our results fill a critical gap in our understanding of soil microbial communities in terrestrial ecosystems. They suggest that changes in Aridity, such as those predicted by climate-change models, may reduce microbial abundance and diversity, a response that will likely impact the provision of key ecosystem services by global drylands.

  • Biocrust-forming mosses mitigate the negative impacts of increasing Aridity on ecosystem multifunctionality in drylands.
    New Phytologist, 2015
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgado-baquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, Matthew A Bowker, Miguel Berdugo, David J Eldridge, Fernando T Maestre, Brajesh K Singh
    Abstract:

    The increase in Aridity predicted with climate change will have a negative impact on the multiple functions and services (multifunctionality) provided by dryland ecosystems worldwide. In these ecosystems, soil communities dominated by mosses, lichens and cyanobacteria (biocrusts) play a key role in supporting multifunctionality. However, whether biocrusts can buffer the negative impacts of Aridity on important biogeochemical processes controlling carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) pools and fluxes remains largely unknown. Here, we conducted an empirical study, using samples from three continents (North America, Europe and Australia), to evaluate how the increase in Aridity predicted by climate change will alter the capacity of biocrust-forming mosses to modulate multiple ecosystem processes related to C, N and P cycles. Compared with soil surfaces lacking biocrusts, biocrust-forming mosses enhanced multiple functions related to C, N and P cycling and storage in semiarid and arid, but not in humid and dry-subhumid, environments. Most importantly, we found that the relative positive effects of biocrust-forming mosses on multifunctionality compared with bare soil increased with increasing Aridity. These results were mediated by plant cover and the positive effects exerted by biocrust-forming mosses on the abundance of soil bacteria and fungi. Our findings provide strong evidence that the maintenance of biocrusts is crucial to buffer negative effects of climate change on multifunctionality in global drylands.

  • decoupling of soil nutrient cycles as a function of Aridity in global drylands
    Nature, 2013
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Matthew A Bowker, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, Matthew D Wallenstein, Fernando T Maestre, Beatriz Gozalo
    Abstract:

    Soil samples collected from 224 dryland sites around the world show that Aridity affects the concentration of organic carbon and total nitrogen differently from the concentration of inorganic phosphorus, suggesting that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change could uncouple the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles in drylands and negatively affect the services provided by these ecosystems. It is thought likely that climatic change, such as the increased Aridity predicted for many drylands, could disrupt the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus during the twenty-first century. These elements are essential nutrients for biomass production in terrestrial ecosystems. This study finds that Aridity has a negative effect on the concentration of global dryland soil organic carbon and nitrogen, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic phosphorus. This suggests a decoupling of nutrient cycles in response to an increase in Aridity that could have a negative impact on biogeochemical reactions that control key ecosystem functions such as primary productivity. The biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are interlinked by primary production, respiration and decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems1. It has been suggested that the C, N and P cycles could become uncoupled under rapid climate change because of the different degrees of control exerted on the supply of these elements by biological and geochemical processes1,2,3,4,5. Climatic controls on biogeochemical cycles are particularly relevant in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid ecosystems (drylands) because their biological activity is mainly driven by water availability6,7,8. The increase in Aridity predicted for the twenty-first century in many drylands worldwide9,10,11 may therefore threaten the balance between these cycles, differentially affecting the availability of essential nutrients12,13,14. Here we evaluate how Aridity affects the balance between C, N and P in soils collected from 224 dryland sites from all continents except Antarctica. We find a negative effect of Aridity on the concentration of soil organic C and total N, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic P. Aridity is negatively related to plant cover, which may favour the dominance of physical processes such as rock weathering, a major source of P to ecosystems, over biological processes that provide more C and N, such as litter decomposition12,13,14. Our findings suggest that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change will probably reduce the concentrations of N and C in global drylands, but increase that of P. These changes would uncouple the C, N and P cycles in drylands and could negatively affect the provision of key services provided by these ecosystems.

  • decoupling of soil nutrient cycles as a function of Aridity in global drylands
    Nature, 2013
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, Matthew A Bowker, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, Matthew D Wallenstein, Fernando T Maestre, Miguel Garciagomez
    Abstract:

    The biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are interlinked by primary production, respiration and decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. It has been suggested that the C, N and P cycles could become uncoupled under rapid climate change because of the different degrees of control exerted on the supply of these elements by biological and geochemical processes. Climatic controls on biogeochemical cycles are particularly relevant in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid ecosystems (drylands) because their biological activity is mainly driven by water availability. The increase in Aridity predicted for the twenty-first century in many drylands worldwide may therefore threaten the balance between these cycles, differentially affecting the availability of essential nutrients. Here we evaluate how Aridity affects the balance between C, N and P in soils collected from 224 dryland sites from all continents except Antarctica. We find a negative effect of Aridity on the concentration of soil organic C and total N, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic P. Aridity is negatively related to plant cover, which may favour the dominance of physical processes such as rock weathering, a major source of P to ecosystems, over biological processes that provide more C and N, such as litter decomposition. Our findings suggest that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change will probably reduce the concentrations of N and C in global drylands, but increase that of P. These changes would uncouple the C, N and P cycles in drylands and could negatively affect the provision of key services provided by these ecosystems.

Victoria Ochoa - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Aridity decouples c n p stoichiometry across multiple trophic levels in terrestrial ecosystems
    Ecosystems, 2018
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, David J Eldridge, Fernando T Maestre, Peter B Reich, Brajesh K Singh
    Abstract:

    Increases in Aridity forecasted by the end of this century will decouple the cycles of soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in drylands—the largest terrestrial biome on Earth. Little is known, however, about how changes in Aridity simultaneously affect the C:N:P stoichiometry of organisms across multiple trophic levels. It is imperative that we understand how Aridity affects ecological stoichiometry so that we can develop strategies to mitigate any effects of changing climates. We characterized the C, N, P concentration and stoichiometry of soils, autotrophs (trees, N-fixing shrubs, grasses and mosses) and heterotrophs (microbes and ants) across a wide Aridity gradient in Australia. Our results suggest that increases in Aridity by the end of this century may alter the C:N:P stoichiometry of heterotrophs (ants and microbes), non-woody plants and in soil, but will not affect that one from woody plants. In particular, increases in Aridity were positively related to C:P and N:P ratios in microbes and ants, negatively related to concentration of C, and the C:N and C:P ratios in mosses and/or short grasses, and not related to the C:N:P stoichiometry of either shrubs or trees. Because of the predominant role of C:N:P stoichiometry in driving nutrient cycling, our findings provide useful contextual information to determine ecological responses in a drier world.

  • increasing Aridity reduces soil microbial diversity and abundance in global drylands
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2015
    Co-Authors: Fernando T Maestre, Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, David J Eldridge, Miguel Garciagomez, Thomas C Jeffries, Werner Ulrich
    Abstract:

    Soil bacteria and fungi play key roles in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, yet our understanding of their responses to climate change lags significantly behind that of other organisms. This gap in our understanding is particularly true for drylands, which occupy ∼41% of Earth´s surface, because no global, systematic assessments of the joint diversity of soil bacteria and fungi have been conducted in these environments to date. Here we present results from a study conducted across 80 dryland sites from all continents, except Antarctica, to assess how changes in Aridity affect the composition, abundance, and diversity of soil bacteria and fungi. The diversity and abundance of soil bacteria and fungi was reduced as Aridity increased. These results were largely driven by the negative impacts of Aridity on soil organic carbon content, which positively affected the abundance and diversity of both bacteria and fungi. Aridity promoted shifts in the composition of soil bacteria, with increases in the relative abundance of Chloroflexi and α-Proteobacteria and decreases in Acidobacteria and Verrucomicrobia. Contrary to what has been reported by previous continental and global-scale studies, soil pH was not a major driver of bacterial diversity, and fungal communities were dominated by Ascomycota. Our results fill a critical gap in our understanding of soil microbial communities in terrestrial ecosystems. They suggest that changes in Aridity, such as those predicted by climate-change models, may reduce microbial abundance and diversity, a response that will likely impact the provision of key ecosystem services by global drylands.

  • Biocrust-forming mosses mitigate the negative impacts of increasing Aridity on ecosystem multifunctionality in drylands.
    New Phytologist, 2015
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgado-baquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, Matthew A Bowker, Miguel Berdugo, David J Eldridge, Fernando T Maestre, Brajesh K Singh
    Abstract:

    The increase in Aridity predicted with climate change will have a negative impact on the multiple functions and services (multifunctionality) provided by dryland ecosystems worldwide. In these ecosystems, soil communities dominated by mosses, lichens and cyanobacteria (biocrusts) play a key role in supporting multifunctionality. However, whether biocrusts can buffer the negative impacts of Aridity on important biogeochemical processes controlling carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) pools and fluxes remains largely unknown. Here, we conducted an empirical study, using samples from three continents (North America, Europe and Australia), to evaluate how the increase in Aridity predicted by climate change will alter the capacity of biocrust-forming mosses to modulate multiple ecosystem processes related to C, N and P cycles. Compared with soil surfaces lacking biocrusts, biocrust-forming mosses enhanced multiple functions related to C, N and P cycling and storage in semiarid and arid, but not in humid and dry-subhumid, environments. Most importantly, we found that the relative positive effects of biocrust-forming mosses on multifunctionality compared with bare soil increased with increasing Aridity. These results were mediated by plant cover and the positive effects exerted by biocrust-forming mosses on the abundance of soil bacteria and fungi. Our findings provide strong evidence that the maintenance of biocrusts is crucial to buffer negative effects of climate change on multifunctionality in global drylands.

  • decoupling of soil nutrient cycles as a function of Aridity in global drylands
    Nature, 2013
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Matthew A Bowker, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, Matthew D Wallenstein, Fernando T Maestre, Beatriz Gozalo
    Abstract:

    Soil samples collected from 224 dryland sites around the world show that Aridity affects the concentration of organic carbon and total nitrogen differently from the concentration of inorganic phosphorus, suggesting that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change could uncouple the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles in drylands and negatively affect the services provided by these ecosystems. It is thought likely that climatic change, such as the increased Aridity predicted for many drylands, could disrupt the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus during the twenty-first century. These elements are essential nutrients for biomass production in terrestrial ecosystems. This study finds that Aridity has a negative effect on the concentration of global dryland soil organic carbon and nitrogen, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic phosphorus. This suggests a decoupling of nutrient cycles in response to an increase in Aridity that could have a negative impact on biogeochemical reactions that control key ecosystem functions such as primary productivity. The biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are interlinked by primary production, respiration and decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems1. It has been suggested that the C, N and P cycles could become uncoupled under rapid climate change because of the different degrees of control exerted on the supply of these elements by biological and geochemical processes1,2,3,4,5. Climatic controls on biogeochemical cycles are particularly relevant in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid ecosystems (drylands) because their biological activity is mainly driven by water availability6,7,8. The increase in Aridity predicted for the twenty-first century in many drylands worldwide9,10,11 may therefore threaten the balance between these cycles, differentially affecting the availability of essential nutrients12,13,14. Here we evaluate how Aridity affects the balance between C, N and P in soils collected from 224 dryland sites from all continents except Antarctica. We find a negative effect of Aridity on the concentration of soil organic C and total N, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic P. Aridity is negatively related to plant cover, which may favour the dominance of physical processes such as rock weathering, a major source of P to ecosystems, over biological processes that provide more C and N, such as litter decomposition12,13,14. Our findings suggest that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change will probably reduce the concentrations of N and C in global drylands, but increase that of P. These changes would uncouple the C, N and P cycles in drylands and could negatively affect the provision of key services provided by these ecosystems.

  • decoupling of soil nutrient cycles as a function of Aridity in global drylands
    Nature, 2013
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, Matthew A Bowker, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, Matthew D Wallenstein, Fernando T Maestre, Miguel Garciagomez
    Abstract:

    The biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are interlinked by primary production, respiration and decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. It has been suggested that the C, N and P cycles could become uncoupled under rapid climate change because of the different degrees of control exerted on the supply of these elements by biological and geochemical processes. Climatic controls on biogeochemical cycles are particularly relevant in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid ecosystems (drylands) because their biological activity is mainly driven by water availability. The increase in Aridity predicted for the twenty-first century in many drylands worldwide may therefore threaten the balance between these cycles, differentially affecting the availability of essential nutrients. Here we evaluate how Aridity affects the balance between C, N and P in soils collected from 224 dryland sites from all continents except Antarctica. We find a negative effect of Aridity on the concentration of soil organic C and total N, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic P. Aridity is negatively related to plant cover, which may favour the dominance of physical processes such as rock weathering, a major source of P to ecosystems, over biological processes that provide more C and N, such as litter decomposition. Our findings suggest that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change will probably reduce the concentrations of N and C in global drylands, but increase that of P. These changes would uncouple the C, N and P cycles in drylands and could negatively affect the provision of key services provided by these ecosystems.

Fernando T Maestre - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Aridity decouples c n p stoichiometry across multiple trophic levels in terrestrial ecosystems
    Ecosystems, 2018
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, David J Eldridge, Fernando T Maestre, Peter B Reich, Brajesh K Singh
    Abstract:

    Increases in Aridity forecasted by the end of this century will decouple the cycles of soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in drylands—the largest terrestrial biome on Earth. Little is known, however, about how changes in Aridity simultaneously affect the C:N:P stoichiometry of organisms across multiple trophic levels. It is imperative that we understand how Aridity affects ecological stoichiometry so that we can develop strategies to mitigate any effects of changing climates. We characterized the C, N, P concentration and stoichiometry of soils, autotrophs (trees, N-fixing shrubs, grasses and mosses) and heterotrophs (microbes and ants) across a wide Aridity gradient in Australia. Our results suggest that increases in Aridity by the end of this century may alter the C:N:P stoichiometry of heterotrophs (ants and microbes), non-woody plants and in soil, but will not affect that one from woody plants. In particular, increases in Aridity were positively related to C:P and N:P ratios in microbes and ants, negatively related to concentration of C, and the C:N and C:P ratios in mosses and/or short grasses, and not related to the C:N:P stoichiometry of either shrubs or trees. Because of the predominant role of C:N:P stoichiometry in driving nutrient cycling, our findings provide useful contextual information to determine ecological responses in a drier world.

  • increasing Aridity reduces soil microbial diversity and abundance in global drylands
    Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2015
    Co-Authors: Fernando T Maestre, Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, David J Eldridge, Miguel Garciagomez, Thomas C Jeffries, Werner Ulrich
    Abstract:

    Soil bacteria and fungi play key roles in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, yet our understanding of their responses to climate change lags significantly behind that of other organisms. This gap in our understanding is particularly true for drylands, which occupy ∼41% of Earth´s surface, because no global, systematic assessments of the joint diversity of soil bacteria and fungi have been conducted in these environments to date. Here we present results from a study conducted across 80 dryland sites from all continents, except Antarctica, to assess how changes in Aridity affect the composition, abundance, and diversity of soil bacteria and fungi. The diversity and abundance of soil bacteria and fungi was reduced as Aridity increased. These results were largely driven by the negative impacts of Aridity on soil organic carbon content, which positively affected the abundance and diversity of both bacteria and fungi. Aridity promoted shifts in the composition of soil bacteria, with increases in the relative abundance of Chloroflexi and α-Proteobacteria and decreases in Acidobacteria and Verrucomicrobia. Contrary to what has been reported by previous continental and global-scale studies, soil pH was not a major driver of bacterial diversity, and fungal communities were dominated by Ascomycota. Our results fill a critical gap in our understanding of soil microbial communities in terrestrial ecosystems. They suggest that changes in Aridity, such as those predicted by climate-change models, may reduce microbial abundance and diversity, a response that will likely impact the provision of key ecosystem services by global drylands.

  • Biocrust-forming mosses mitigate the negative impacts of increasing Aridity on ecosystem multifunctionality in drylands.
    New Phytologist, 2015
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgado-baquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, Matthew A Bowker, Miguel Berdugo, David J Eldridge, Fernando T Maestre, Brajesh K Singh
    Abstract:

    The increase in Aridity predicted with climate change will have a negative impact on the multiple functions and services (multifunctionality) provided by dryland ecosystems worldwide. In these ecosystems, soil communities dominated by mosses, lichens and cyanobacteria (biocrusts) play a key role in supporting multifunctionality. However, whether biocrusts can buffer the negative impacts of Aridity on important biogeochemical processes controlling carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) pools and fluxes remains largely unknown. Here, we conducted an empirical study, using samples from three continents (North America, Europe and Australia), to evaluate how the increase in Aridity predicted by climate change will alter the capacity of biocrust-forming mosses to modulate multiple ecosystem processes related to C, N and P cycles. Compared with soil surfaces lacking biocrusts, biocrust-forming mosses enhanced multiple functions related to C, N and P cycling and storage in semiarid and arid, but not in humid and dry-subhumid, environments. Most importantly, we found that the relative positive effects of biocrust-forming mosses on multifunctionality compared with bare soil increased with increasing Aridity. These results were mediated by plant cover and the positive effects exerted by biocrust-forming mosses on the abundance of soil bacteria and fungi. Our findings provide strong evidence that the maintenance of biocrusts is crucial to buffer negative effects of climate change on multifunctionality in global drylands.

  • decoupling of soil nutrient cycles as a function of Aridity in global drylands
    Nature, 2013
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Matthew A Bowker, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, Matthew D Wallenstein, Fernando T Maestre, Beatriz Gozalo
    Abstract:

    Soil samples collected from 224 dryland sites around the world show that Aridity affects the concentration of organic carbon and total nitrogen differently from the concentration of inorganic phosphorus, suggesting that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change could uncouple the carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles in drylands and negatively affect the services provided by these ecosystems. It is thought likely that climatic change, such as the increased Aridity predicted for many drylands, could disrupt the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus during the twenty-first century. These elements are essential nutrients for biomass production in terrestrial ecosystems. This study finds that Aridity has a negative effect on the concentration of global dryland soil organic carbon and nitrogen, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic phosphorus. This suggests a decoupling of nutrient cycles in response to an increase in Aridity that could have a negative impact on biogeochemical reactions that control key ecosystem functions such as primary productivity. The biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are interlinked by primary production, respiration and decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems1. It has been suggested that the C, N and P cycles could become uncoupled under rapid climate change because of the different degrees of control exerted on the supply of these elements by biological and geochemical processes1,2,3,4,5. Climatic controls on biogeochemical cycles are particularly relevant in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid ecosystems (drylands) because their biological activity is mainly driven by water availability6,7,8. The increase in Aridity predicted for the twenty-first century in many drylands worldwide9,10,11 may therefore threaten the balance between these cycles, differentially affecting the availability of essential nutrients12,13,14. Here we evaluate how Aridity affects the balance between C, N and P in soils collected from 224 dryland sites from all continents except Antarctica. We find a negative effect of Aridity on the concentration of soil organic C and total N, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic P. Aridity is negatively related to plant cover, which may favour the dominance of physical processes such as rock weathering, a major source of P to ecosystems, over biological processes that provide more C and N, such as litter decomposition12,13,14. Our findings suggest that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change will probably reduce the concentrations of N and C in global drylands, but increase that of P. These changes would uncouple the C, N and P cycles in drylands and could negatively affect the provision of key services provided by these ecosystems.

  • decoupling of soil nutrient cycles as a function of Aridity in global drylands
    Nature, 2013
    Co-Authors: Manuel Delgadobaquerizo, Victoria Ochoa, Beatriz Gozalo, Matthew A Bowker, José Luis Quero, Antonio Gallardo, Matthew D Wallenstein, Fernando T Maestre, Miguel Garciagomez
    Abstract:

    The biogeochemical cycles of carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are interlinked by primary production, respiration and decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems. It has been suggested that the C, N and P cycles could become uncoupled under rapid climate change because of the different degrees of control exerted on the supply of these elements by biological and geochemical processes. Climatic controls on biogeochemical cycles are particularly relevant in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid ecosystems (drylands) because their biological activity is mainly driven by water availability. The increase in Aridity predicted for the twenty-first century in many drylands worldwide may therefore threaten the balance between these cycles, differentially affecting the availability of essential nutrients. Here we evaluate how Aridity affects the balance between C, N and P in soils collected from 224 dryland sites from all continents except Antarctica. We find a negative effect of Aridity on the concentration of soil organic C and total N, but a positive effect on the concentration of inorganic P. Aridity is negatively related to plant cover, which may favour the dominance of physical processes such as rock weathering, a major source of P to ecosystems, over biological processes that provide more C and N, such as litter decomposition. Our findings suggest that any predicted increase in Aridity with climate change will probably reduce the concentrations of N and C in global drylands, but increase that of P. These changes would uncouple the C, N and P cycles in drylands and could negatively affect the provision of key services provided by these ecosystems.