Biodiversity and land-use effects on root biomass and arbuscular mycorrhizal communities in roots

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As most land use practices in grasslands (grazing, mowing) remove aboveground plant biomass, an important carbon sink in grasslands is plant roots. Thus, knowledge on the impact of land use on root growth and biomass is important for studies on belowground biota and for models of carbon sink strength. Arbuscular mycorrhizyal fungi (AMF) are among the most common microbes associated with roots, providing a direct link from above to belowground biota, as AMF in roots are directly influenced by their host plant. We predict that host plant identity and specific plant traits (e.g. root structure) will lead to phylogenetic clustering in AMF communities, which should lead to closely related plant species being colonized by similar AMF. With increasing land use intensity AMF species richness declines, which will dissolve phylogenetic clusters, leading to more uniform communities between plants. We will also collaborate on a fine-scale (temporal and spatial) study where we expect variation in plant communities to lead to unique assemblages of AMF which are directly linked to diversity in other soil microorganism groups. Our project will yield data on AMF communities in roots at an unprecedented level of comprehensiveness, enabling us to test critical hypotheses about phylogenetic controls on communities. Through full integration in the Exploratory design the project will engender maximal synergies with other projects.