Functional diversity of leaf nitrogen concentrations drives grassland carbon 
fluxes

Milcu, A.; Roscher, C.; Bachmann, D.; Gockele, A.; Guderle, Marcus; Landais, D.; Piel, C.; Escpape, C.; Devidal, S.; Ravel, O.; Buchmann, N.; Gessler, A.; Gleixner, Gerd; Hildebrandt, Antje; Roy, J.

doi:10.1111/ele.12243

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Functional diversity of leaf nitrogen concentrations drives grassland carbon fluxes

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Guderle, Marcus
IMPRS International Max Planck Research School for Global Biogeochemical Cycles, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Max Planck Society;

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Gleixner, Gerd
Molecular Biogeochemistry Group, Dr. G. Gleixner, Department Biogeochemical Processes, Prof. S. E. Trumbore, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Max Planck Society;

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Hildebrandt, Antje
FSU Jena Research Group Ecohydrology, Dr. A. Hildebrandt, Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry , Max Planck Society;

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Citation

Milcu, A., Roscher, C., Bachmann, D., Gockele, A., Guderle, M., Landais, D., et al. (2014). Functional diversity of leaf nitrogen concentrations drives grassland carbon fluxes. Ecology Letters, 17(4), 435-444. doi:10.1111/ele.12243.

Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-0018-0C66-F

Abstract

Little is known about the role of plant functional diversity for ecosystem-level carbon (C) fluxes. To fill this knowledge gap, we translocated monoliths hosting communities with four and 16 sown species from a long-term grassland biodiversity experiment (‘The Jena Experiment’) into a controlled environment facility for ecosystem research (Ecotron). This allowed quantifying the effects of plant diversity on ecosystem C fluxes as well as three parameters of C uptake efficiency (water and nitrogen use efficiencies and apparent quantum yield). By combining data on ecosystem C fluxes with vegetation structure and functional trait-based predictors, we found that increasing plant species and functional diversity led to higher gross and net ecosystem C uptake rates. Path analyses and light response curves unravelled the diversity of leaf nitrogen concentration in the canopy as a key functional predictor of C fluxes, either directly or indirectly via LAI and aboveground biomass.