Effects of plant diversity on plant biomass production and soil macrofauna in Amazonian pastures - Bioemco
Journal Articles Pedobiologia Year : 2008

Effects of plant diversity on plant biomass production and soil macrofauna in Amazonian pastures

Sébastien Barot
  • Function : Author
D. Carvalho
  • Function : Author
Thierry Desjardins
  • Function : Author
  • PersonId : 761337
  • IdRef : 026827514
Patrick Lavelle
  • Function : Author
M. Martins
  • Function : Author
Danielle Mitja
A. C. Rendeiro
  • Function : Author
G. Rousseau
  • Function : Author
Max Sarrazin
  • Function : Author
Elena Velasquez
  • Function : Author
  • PersonId : 861089
Michel Grimaldi
  • Function : Author
  • PersonId : 756241
  • IdRef : 029837685

Abstract

We examined the effect of plant diversity on plant production and soil macrofauna density and diversity. Four plants species (Arachis pintoi, an herbaceous legume; Brachiaria brizantha, a perennial grass; Leucaena leucocephala, a legume shrub; Solanum rugosum, a non-legume shrub) were used in a field experiment and communities of all combinations of one, two, three or four species were established. Plant diversity neither significantly affected density and diversity of soil macrofauna nor total plant biomass, however, the biomass of specific plants was negatively affected by plant diversity. Earthworm and ant densities were significantly higher in the presence of A. pintoi although this plant influenced neither the density of the other group nor fauna diversity. Earthworm and diplopod densities increased significantly with shoot biomass of A. pintoi. Fauna diversity increased significantly with shoot biomass (specific and total). Root biomass did not affect fauna density and diversity. Our results suggest that fauna density is affected by titter quality and that it is more affected by resource quantity than quality. Our results also confirm the importance of nitrogen fixers to ecosystem function.

Dates and versions

bioemco-00455586 , version 1 (10-02-2010)

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Cite

Kam-Rigne Laossi, Sébastien Barot, D. Carvalho, Thierry Desjardins, Patrick Lavelle, et al.. Effects of plant diversity on plant biomass production and soil macrofauna in Amazonian pastures. Pedobiologia, 2008, 51 (5-6), pp.397-407. ⟨10.1016/j.pedobi.2007.11.001⟩. ⟨bioemco-00455586⟩
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