Carbon storage as a function of plant biodiversity

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With respect to climate change sequestration of atmospheric carbon in soils is a major global task. So far the influence of plant diversity on carbon storage and consequently on humus chemistry in managed grasslands is not well understood. However, known effects of plant diversity on litter quality and quantity and on the diversity of soil organisms, as the main decomposers, indicate that plant diversity may influence carbon storage. Therefore we will investigate the amount and isotopic content of soil organic matter in depth profiles of soil and dissolved organic matter transported to the groundwater in dependence of biodiversity. Additionally on selected plots we will use 14C measurements to determine mean residence times of soil organic matter. Finally in a new approach combining thermal degradation of organic matter and compound specific isotope measurements, we will determine the source, plant versus microbial, of carbon stored in soil and exported to the groundwater.