Hotspots of biogeochemical activity linked to aridity and plant traits across global drylands

• Autores: Eldridge, David J.; Ding, Jingyi; Dorrough, Josh; Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel; Sala, Osvaldo E.; Gross, Nicolas; Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Yoann; Mallen-Cooper, Max; Saiz, Hugo; Oliva, Gabriel Esteban; Maestre, Fernando Tomás
• Año de publicación: 2024
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Fuente: Nature plants 10 (5) : 760-770 (May 2024)
• Materia: Plants; Perennials; Drylands; Grazing; Grazing Intensity; Degradation; Soil Fertility; Water Conservation; Plantas; Plantas Perennes; Tierra Seca; Pastoreo; Intensidad de Pastoreo; Descomposición; Fertilidad del Suelo; Conservación de Aguas; Biogeochemical Activity; Global Work; Actividad Biogeoquímica; Trabajo Global
• Institución: Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria

Perennial plants create productive and biodiverse hotspots, known as fertile islands, beneath their canopies. These hotspots largely determine the structure and functioning of drylands worldwide. Despite their ubiquity, the factors controlling fertile islands under conditions of contrasting grazing by livestock, the most prevalent land use in drylands, remain virtually unknown. Here we evaluated the relative importance of grazing pressure and herbivore type, climate and plant functional traits on 24 soil physical and chemical attributes that represent proxies of key ecosystem services related to decomposition, soil fertility, and soil and water conservation. To do this, we conducted a standardized global survey of 288 plots at 88 sites in 25 countries worldwide. We show that aridity and plant traits are the major factors associated with the magnitude of plant effects on fertile islands in grazed drylands worldwide. Grazing pressure had little influence on the capacity of plants to support fertile islands. Taller and wider shrubs and grasses supported stronger island effects. Stable and functional soils tended to be linked to species-rich sites with taller plants. Together, our findings dispel the notion that grazing pressure or herbivore type are linked to the formation or intensification of fertile islands in drylands. Rather, our study suggests that changes in aridity, and processes that alter island identity and therefore plant traits, will have marked effects on how perennial plants support and maintain the functioning of drylands in a more arid and grazed world.
EEA Santa Cruz
Fil: Eldridge, David J. University of New South Wales. School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences. Centre for Ecosystem Science; Australia.
Fil: Ding, Jingyi. Beijing Normal University. Faculty of Geographical Science. State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology; China.
Fil: Dorrough, Josh. Department of Planning and Environment; Australia.
Fil: Dorrough, Josh. Australian National University. Fenner School of Environment & Society; Australia.
Fil: Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel. CSIC. Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla (IRNAS). Laboratorio de Biodiversidad y Funcionamiento Ecosistémico; España.
Fil: Sala, Osvaldo E. Arizona State University. School of Life Sciences. Global Drylands Center; Estados Unidos.
Fil: Gross, Nicolas. Université Clermont Auvergne (INRAE). VetAgro Sup. Unité Mixte de Recherche Ecosystème Prairial; Francia.
Fil: Le Bagousse-Pinguet, Yoann. Avignon Université. Aix Marseille Univ. CNRS, IRD, IMBE. Aix-en-Provence; Francia.
Fil: Mallen-Cooper, Max. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Department of Forest Ecology and Management; Suecia
Fil: Saiz, Hugo. Universidad de Zaragoza. Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Ambientales de Aragón (IUCA). Departamento de Ciencias Agrarias y Medio Natural. Escuela Politécnica Superior; España
Fil: Oliva, Gabriel Esteban. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Santa Cruz; Argentina.
Fil: Oliva, Gabriel Esteban. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Unidad Académica Río Gallegos; Argentina.
Fil: Maestre, Fernando Tomás. King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division; Arabia Saudita.