Carbon storage as a function of plant biodiversity

关于气候变化，土壤中大气碳的固存是一项重大的全球任务。到目前为止，植物多样性对碳储存的影响，从而对管理草原腐殖质化学的影响还不是很清楚。然而，已知的植物多样性对凋落物的质量和数量以及作为主要分解者的土壤生物多样性的影响表明，植物多样性可能会影响碳储量。因此，我们将研究土壤深度剖面中土壤有机质和溶解有机质运移到地下水中的数量和同位素含量与生物多样性的关系。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，在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中，我们将确定储存在土壤中并输出到地下水的碳的来源，即植物与微生物。

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.