The influence of soil age on ecosystem structure and function across biomes
Journal
Nature Communications
Journal Volume
11
Journal Issue
1
Date Issued
2020
Author(s)
Delgado-Baquerizo, M.
Reich, P.B.
Bardgett, R.D.
Eldridge, D.J.
Lambers, H.
Wardle, D.A.
Reed, S.C.
Plaza, C.
Png, G.K.
Neuhauser, S.
Berhe, A.A.
Hart, S.C.
Hu, H.-W.
He, J.-Z.
Bastida, F.
Abades, S.
Alfaro, F.D.
Cutler, N.A.
Gallardo, A.
Garc?a-Vel?zquez, L.
Hayes, P.E.
P?rez, C.A.
Santos, F.
Siebe, C.
Trivedi, P.
Sullivan, B.W.
Weber-Grullon, L.
Williams, M.A.
Fierer, N.
Abstract
The importance of soil age as an ecosystem driver across biomes remains largely unresolved. By combining a cross-biome global field survey, including data for 32 soil, plant, and microbial properties in 16 soil chronosequences, with a global meta-analysis, we show that soil age is a significant ecosystem driver, but only accounts for a relatively small proportion of the cross-biome variation in multiple ecosystem properties. Parent material, climate, vegetation and topography predict, collectively, 24 times more variation in ecosystem properties than soil age alone. Soil age is an important local-scale ecosystem driver; however, environmental context, rather than soil age, determines the rates and trajectories of ecosystem development in structure and function across biomes. Our work provides insights into the natural history of terrestrial ecosystems. We propose that, regardless of soil age, changes in the environmental context, such as those associated with global climatic and land-use changes, will have important long-term impacts on the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems across biomes. © 2020, The Author(s).
Other Subjects
biome; climate change; ecosystem function; ecosystem structure; field survey; land use change; meta-analysis; soil analysis; soil ecosystem; article; biome; chronosequence; climate; history; human; land use; meta analysis; soil; structure activity relation; topography; vegetation; bacterium; biodiversity; biomass; biota; chemistry; classification; ecosystem; fungus; microflora; plant; soil; time factor; Bacteria; Biodiversity; Biomass; Biota; Climate; Ecosystem; Fungi; Microbiota; Plants; Soil; Time Factors
Type
journal article