Beyond microbes: Are fauna the next frontier in soil biogeochemical models?

Grandy, A. Stuart; Wieder, William R.; Wickings, Kyle; Kyker-Snowman, Emily

doi:10.1016/j.soilbio.2016.08.008

Cited by 120 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…Several studies indicated density-dependent relationship between soil mesofauna and microbial biomass (González et al 2001; Lenoir et al 2007;Crowther and A'Bear 2012). This fauna-microbe interactions are exhibited in the current soil biogeochemical models (Grandy et al 2016). Nonetheless, the soil mesofauna represent coarse groupings that do not take into account the fact that different soil organisms within the same size group could exhibit different life history strategies or physiological capabilities (Coleman et al 2004) and that their relative importance in performing a specific function could change across temporal and spatial scales.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 86%

Restoration of hydro-ecological conditions in Carpathian forested mountain fens

Nicia

Bejger

Sterzyńska

et al. 2017

Wetlands Ecol Manage

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The research was designed to assess benefits of passive restoration, consisting of blocking from drainage ditches and in effect raise the groundwater level, its influence on properties of soil, water, species of plants and mesofauna in the fen CalthoAlnetum community. The research was carried out in Outer Flysh Carpathians, the area of the Babiogórski National Park (Poland) in 2011-2014. It was established that the degraded communities showed positive reaction to an attempt to restore the original groundwater level. The increase in the groundwater level changed chemical properties of soil and water of the community such as: pH, sorption properties and the ionic composition of groundwater. Changes in habitat conditions resulted in different species composition of soil mesofauna and plants growing in the restorative community.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 86%

Restoration of hydro-ecological conditions in Carpathian forested mountain fens

Nicia

Bejger

Sterzyńska

et al. 2017

Wetlands Ecol Manage

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…However, accurately representing all the potential population processes in models would be a daunting and perhaps unnecessary exercise (Grandy et al . ). The important practical question to ask is which mechanisms are dominant determinants of microbial biomass, community composition, and/or physiological responses to environmental perturbations.…”

Section: Section 2: Ecological Assumptions Inherent In Current Biogeomentioning

confidence: 97%

“… as early examples; and Buchkowski ; Grandy et al . ; Soong & Nielsen for justification). Incorporating insights from developments in population ecology into biogeochemical models represents a new frontier for development of biogeochemical theory and prediction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applying population and community ecology theory to advance understanding of belowground biogeochemistry

et al. 2017

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Approaches to quantifying and predicting soil biogeochemical cycles mostly consider microbial biomass and community composition as products of the abiotic environment. Current numerical approaches then primarily emphasise the importance of microbe-environment interactions and physiology as controls on biogeochemical cycles. Decidedly less attention has been paid to understanding control exerted by community dynamics and biotic interactions. Yet a rich literature of theoretical and empirical contributions highlights the importance of considering how variation in microbial population ecology, especially biotic interactions, is related to variation in key biogeochemical processes like soil carbon formation. We demonstrate how a population and community ecology perspective can be used to (1) understand the impact of microbial communities on biogeochemical cycles and (2) reframe current theory and models to include more detailed microbial ecology. Through a series of simulations we illustrate how density dependence and key biotic interactions, such as competition and predation, can determine the degree to which microbes regulate soil biogeochemical cycles. The ecological perspective and model simulations we present lay the foundation for developing empirical research and complementary models that explore the diversity of ecological mechanisms that operate in microbial communities to regulate biogeochemical processes.

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“…though recently there has been growing interest in attempting to describe the patterns (Grandy et al, 2016). Certain links among groups of organisms are relatively well established, particularly between plants and microbes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using plant, microbe, and soil fauna traits to improve the predictive power of biogeochemical models

et al. 2018

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Process‐based models describing biogeochemical cycling are crucial tools to understanding long‐term nutrient dynamics, especially in the context of perturbations, such as climate and land‐use change. Such models must effectively synthesize ecological processes and properties. For example, in terrestrial ecosystems, plants are the primary source of bioavailable carbon, but turnover rates of essential nutrients are contingent on interactions between plants and soil biota. Yet, biogeochemical models have traditionally considered plant and soil communities in broad terms. The next generation of models must consider how shifts in their diversity and composition affect ecosystem processes. One promising approach to synthesize plant and soil biodiversity and their interactions into models is to consider their diversity from a functional trait perspective. Plant traits, which include heritable chemical, physical, morphological and phenological characteristics, are increasingly being used to predict ecosystem processes at a range of scales, and to interpret biodiversity–ecosystem functional relationships. There is also emerging evidence that the traits of soil microbial and faunal communities can be correlated with ecosystem functions such as decomposition, nutrient cycling, and greenhouse gas production. Here, we draw on recent advances in measuring and using traits of different biota to predict ecosystem processes, and provide a new perspective as to how biotic traits can be integrated into biogeochemical models. We first describe an explicit trait‐based model framework that operates at small scales and uses direct measurements of ecosystem properties; second, an integrated approach that operates at medium scales and includes interactions between biogeochemical cycling and soil food webs; and third, an implicit trait‐based model framework that associates soil microbial and faunal functional groups with plant functional groups, and operates at the Earth‐system level. In each of these models, we identify opportunities for inclusion of traits from all three groups to reduce model uncertainty and improve understanding of biogeochemical cycles. These model frameworks will generate improved predictive capacity of how changes in biodiversity regulate biogeochemical cycles in terrestrial ecosystems. Further, they will assist in developing a new generation of process‐based models that include plant, microbial, and faunal traits and facilitate dialogue between empirical researchers and modellers.

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Beyond microbes: Are fauna the next frontier in soil biogeochemical models?

Cited by 120 publications

References 63 publications

Restoration of hydro-ecological conditions in Carpathian forested mountain fens

Restoration of hydro-ecological conditions in Carpathian forested mountain fens

Applying population and community ecology theory to advance understanding of belowground biogeochemistry

Using plant, microbe, and soil fauna traits to improve the predictive power of biogeochemical models

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