Auswirkungen von anthropogen bedingten Umweltveränderungen (Biodiversitätsverlust, erhöhrte CO2-Konzentration in der Luft, erhöhte Stickstoffdeposition und Klimaerwärmung) auf die Funktionsweise und Rückkopplungseffekte von Bodennahrungsnetzen und Mikroor

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Mankind is confronted with a number of human-induced global change phenomena with unknown consequences for essential ecosystem functions and services. Important changes are the unprecedented loss of biodiversity, increases in atmospheric CO2 concentrations and in mean temperatures, and elevated N deposition. Recent studies indicate that above- and belowground diversity loss are closely linked. Since soil biota drives major ecosystem functions, possible belowground feedback mechanisms due to interacting impacts of the named global change phenomena need to be explored. Thus, the proposed project investigates the impacts of global change processes on soil biota and functioning. Four main topics are investigated: (1) Interacting impacts of plant diversity, elevated CO2 concentrations and N deposition on soil animal food webs and functions, and soil microbial functioning (BioCON experiment). (2) Impacts of above- and belowground diversity loss on ecosystem functions (DoubleDiv experiment). (3) Impacts of plant diversity on root exudate composition (DoubleDiv experiment). (4) Impacts of global warming on soil animal food webs and functions, and soil microbial functioning (B4Warmed experiment). Overall, the project integrates the structure of soil biota as response variable and driving force of plant communities of different diversity and aims at a more comprehensive understanding of aboveground - belowground interrelationships in consideration of important global change phenomena.