Carbon storage as a function of plant biodiversity

在气候变化方面，土壤中大气碳的封存是一项重大的全球性任务。到目前为止，植物多样性对管理草原碳储量及腐殖质化学的影响尚不清楚。然而，已知植物多样性对凋落物质量和数量的影响以及对土壤生物多样性的影响表明，植物多样性可能影响碳储量。因此，我们将研究土壤深度剖面中土壤有机质的数量和同位素含量以及土壤溶解有机质对地下水生物多样性的依赖性。此外，在选定的地块上，我们将使用14C测量来确定土壤有机质的平均停留时间。最后，通过一种结合有机物热降解和化合物特定同位素测量的新方法，我们将确定储存在土壤中并出口到地下水的碳的来源，植物与微生物。

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.