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.
Citation
Soussana, Jean-François; Witzmann, S.; Loiseau, P.; Fontaine, S.; Carrère, Pascal; Picon-Cochard, Catherine; and Louault, F., "Linking Community and Ecosystem Ecology by Developing a Grassland Ecosystem Model (GEMINI) with Interactions Between Plant, Herbivore and Soil Microbial Populations" (2023). IGC Proceedings (1993-2023). 175.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/20/themeB/175
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.
