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Article Dans Une Revue Nature Ecology & Evolution Année : 2018

Soil fungal abundance and plant functional traits drive fertile island formation in global drylands

1 UAM - Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
2 BEES - School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences [Sydney]
3 CIRES - Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
4 URJC - Universidad Rey Juan Carlos [Madrid]
5 Institute of Plant Sciences
6 Northern Arizona University [Flagstaff]
7 CEBC - Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372
8 Universidad de Córdoba = University of Córdoba [Córdoba]
9 UASLP - Universidad Autonoma de San Luis Potosi [México]
10 UNLPam - Universidad Nacional de lLa Pampa
11 Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Estación Experimental San Carlos de Bariloche, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
12 Departamento de Biología [Casilla]
13 IRECA - Instituto Regional de Ciencias Ambientales
14 SEE - School of Earth and Environment [Leeds]
15 Departamento de Ciencias Naturales [Loja]
16 Instituto de Suelos
17 Botanical Institute
18 UTPL - Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja
19 CEAZA - Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Aridas
20 IEB - Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad
21 Laboratorio de Biogeoquímica [Caracas]
22 HIE - Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment [Richmond]
23 Département des Sciences Biologiques [Montréal]
24 Facultad de Agronomía [La Pampa]
25 UNSJ - Universidad Nacional de San Juan [Argentine]
26 DSASC - Dead Sea-Arava Science Center
27 DGES - Department of Geography and Earth Sciences
28 Gilat Research Center
29 Global Centre for Land-Based Innovation
30 Departamento de Biología y Geología [Mostoles]
Raúl Ochoa-Hueso
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Juan Gaitán
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Eli Zaady
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Résumé

1.Dryland vegetation is characterised by discrete plant patches that accumulate and capture soil resources under their canopies. These “fertile islands” are major drivers of dryland ecosystem structure and functioning, yet we lack an integrated understanding of the factors controlling their magnitude and variability at the global scale. 2.We conducted a standardized field survey across two hundred and thirty-six drylands from five continents. At each site, we measured the composition, diversity and cover of perennial plants. Fertile island effects were estimated at each site by comparing composite soil samples obtained under the canopy of the dominant plants and in open areas devoid of perennial vegetation. For each sample, we measured fifteen soil variables (functions) associated with carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling and used the Relative Interaction Index to quantify the magnitude of the fertile island effect for each function. In eighty sites, we also measured fungal and bacterial abundance (quantitative PCR) and diversity (Illumina MiSeq). 3.The most fertile islands, i.e. those where a higher number of functions were simultaneously enhanced, were found at lower-elevation sites with greater soil pH values and sand content under semiarid climates, particularly at locations where the presence of tall woody species with a low specific leaf area increased fungal abundance beneath plant canopies, the main direct biotic controller of the fertile island effect in the drylands studied. Positive effects of fungal abundance were particularly associated with greater nutrient contents and microbial activity (soil extracellular enzymes) under plant canopies. 4.Synthesis. Our results show that the formation of fertile islands in global drylands largely depends on: (i) local climatic, topographic and edaphic characteristics, (ii) the structure and traits of local plant communities and (iii) soil microbial communities. Our study also has broad implications for the management and restoration of dryland ecosystems worldwide, where woody plants are commonly used as nurse plants to enhance the establishment and survival of beneficiary species. Finally, our results suggest that forecasted increases in aridity may enhance the formation of fertile islands in drylands worldwide.

Dates et versions

hal-01598033 , version 1 (29-09-2017)

Identifiants

Citer

Raúl Ochoa-Hueso, David J. Eldridge, Manuel Delgado-Baquerizo, Santiago Soliveres, Matthew A. Bowker, et al.. Soil fungal abundance and plant functional traits drive fertile island formation in global drylands. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 2018, 106 (1), pp.242-253. ⟨10.1111/1365-2745.12871⟩. ⟨hal-01598033⟩
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