Offered Papers Theme B: Grassland and the Environment
Description
Simulation models may help to understand the functional role of plant and soil biodiversity for C and N cycles and for intake by herbivores in semi-natural grassland ecosystems. Detailed models of grassland ecosystems calculate C, N, water and energy fluxes without accounting for the species dynamics in the plant and soil communities. Schwinning & Parsons (1996) proposed a simple pasture growth model that includes mixed grass and clover components. This model was, however, restricted to 2 plant functional groups and it excluded the dynamics of the soil organic matter. The role of competitive interactions between at least 2 functionally distinct soil microbial communities that would mediate a priming effect and account for the limitation by energy of soil organic matter decomposition has generated renewed interest recently (Fontaine et al., 2004). Moreover, recent studies (Personeni & Loiseau, 2004) show that root traits partly control decomposition. To make further progress, we have developed a modelling approach of the interactions between plant populations and microbial groups within a grassland patch. This model aims to link the dynamics of plant and microbial groups with biogeochemical cycles. It allows the testing within a single framework of some of the main hypotheses proposed to account for the functional role of biodiversity in grasslands.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Linking Community and Ecosystem Ecology by Developing a Grassland Ecosystem Model (GEMINI) with Interactions Between Plant, Herbivore and Soil Microbial Populations
Simulation models may help to understand the functional role of plant and soil biodiversity for C and N cycles and for intake by herbivores in semi-natural grassland ecosystems. Detailed models of grassland ecosystems calculate C, N, water and energy fluxes without accounting for the species dynamics in the plant and soil communities. Schwinning & Parsons (1996) proposed a simple pasture growth model that includes mixed grass and clover components. This model was, however, restricted to 2 plant functional groups and it excluded the dynamics of the soil organic matter. The role of competitive interactions between at least 2 functionally distinct soil microbial communities that would mediate a priming effect and account for the limitation by energy of soil organic matter decomposition has generated renewed interest recently (Fontaine et al., 2004). Moreover, recent studies (Personeni & Loiseau, 2004) show that root traits partly control decomposition. To make further progress, we have developed a modelling approach of the interactions between plant populations and microbial groups within a grassland patch. This model aims to link the dynamics of plant and microbial groups with biogeochemical cycles. It allows the testing within a single framework of some of the main hypotheses proposed to account for the functional role of biodiversity in grasslands.
