Linking biological drivers and water transport to understand biodiversity effects on C and N storage in soils

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The need for long term observations and experiments in biodiversity research has been emphasized to better understand biodiversity ecosystem functioning (BEF) relationships. This is particular true for slowly reacting systems, such as soil and even more when investigating processes driving element dynamics in sub soils. The proposed project will therefore investigate the effect of plant diversity and composition on organic matter changes in sub soils (deeper than 40 cm) ten years after establishing the experiment. We explore the coupling of C and N soil dynamics with the water cycle in order to reveal the underlying mechanisms governing plant diversity effects on nitrogen gains, losses and redistribution along a soil depth profile. Besides understanding deeper soil processes, this work will also contribute to understand why N accumulates in the topsoil of the non fertilized Jena Experiment. Finally, in close cooperation with the other newly formed subprojects, we will explore the positive BEF relationship for soil related processes to investigate not only the effect of plant diversity on element cycles but also the shift of the related drivers over time. The last point will be strongly supported by the insights derived from the Determinants of LongTerm Biodiversity Effects on Ecosystem Functioning (DeLT BEF) Experiment, where we determine soil carbon and nitrogen stocks and storage, and soil moisture patterns in soils having different soil history.