Abstract
We discuss biodiversity in relation to ecosystem processes, particularly litter decomposition. Three hypotheses concerning the relations between organism groups, diversity and decomposition rates are proposed and tested against data from a two-year straw decomposition experiment. Barley straw mass loss and chemical composition, soil temperature and moisture, and the abundance of bacteria, fungi (total and FDA-active), protozoa, nematodes, microarthropods and enchytraeids were monitored.
A four-compartment decomposition model using soil temperature and moisture as driving variables was fit to observed values for total mass, water-solubles and nitrogen. This model showed good fit, without explicitly including organism biomass dynamics and interactions.
When comparing mass loss rates during different periods with organism biomass and diversity we found little or no indications that these factors control decomposition rate. The findings were attributed to a high level of redundancy and are discussed in relation to current food web theory.
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Andrén, O., Bengtsson, J., Clarholm, M. (1995). Biodiversity and species redundancy among litter decomposers. In: Collins, H.P., Robertson, G.P., Klug, M.J. (eds) The Significance and Regulation of Soil Biodiversity. Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences, vol 63. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0479-1_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0479-1_12
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