02653nas a2200277 4500008004100000245010000041210007100141300001400212490000700226520171400233653000901947653002501956653001401981653002801995653002902023653002002052653002202072100002402094700002602118700002402144700001502168700002002183700002302203700001502226856013402241 2017 eng d00aBelow‐ground biological responses to pyrogenic organic matter and litter inputs in grasslands0 aBelow‐ground biological responses to pyrogenic organic matter an a260 - 2690 v313 a

1. Terrestrial ecosystems are often burned by both managed and wildfires. During a fire, the above-ground biomass that would typically accumulate and be decomposed as litter on the soil surface is combusted. Pyrogenic organic matter (PyOM) remaining after a fire is a considerably more recalcitrant organic input to the soil than fresh litter. The activity and community composition of soil organisms responsible for decomposition of organic matter and nutrient recycling in the soil could thus be affected by altered resource availability caused by frequent fires.

2. We examined the effect of PyOM vs. fresh litter inputs to soil biota at both an annually burned and an infrequently burned tallgrass prairie site by tracing (13) C-and N-15-labelled litter and PyOM into growing plant roots, microbial phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) and soil nematodes for 1 year.

3. Litter-derived C or N was incorporated into microbes, nematodes and roots, while PyOM contributed minimally to soil microbes and plant roots and was not detectable in nematodes. Soil microbial and nematode abundances in the PyOM amended plots did not significantly differ from the bare soil plots, but nematodes were more abundant and microbial PLFAs less abundant in litter-amended plots. The annually burned site had less predator and omnivore nematodes, with increased abundance of microbial feeders and greater microbial uptake of litter C.

4. An alteration of the soil food web structure caused by burning and the removal of the litter layer, along with the accumulation of non-microbially decomposed PyOM in the soil, contributes to the limitation of N cycling in frequently burned ecosystems.

10afire10alitter decomposition10aNematodes10aphospholipid fatty acid10apyrogenic organic matter10aStable isotopes10atallgrass prairie1 aNicolson, Susan, W.1 aWright, Geraldine, A.1 aSoong, Jennifer, L.1 aDam, Marie1 aWall, Diana, H.1 aCotrufo, Francesca1 aSala, Anna uhttp://lter.konza.ksu.edu/content/below%E2%80%90ground-biological-responses-pyrogenic-organic-matter-and-litter-inputs-grasslands02101nas a2200265 4500008004100000245010300041210006900144300001400213490000700227520132500234653001501559653001701574653001101591653002301602653001301625653002801638653001201666653000901678653000901687100002001696700001501716700001501731700001501746856007401761 2017 eng d00aRestoration and management for plant diversity enhances the rate of belowground ecosystem recovery0 aRestoration and management for plant diversity enhances the rate a355 - 3620 v273 a

The positive relationship between plant diversity and ecosystem functioning has been criticized for its applicability at large scales and in less controlled environments that are relevant to land management. To inform this gap between ecological theory and application, we compared recovery rates of belowground properties using two chronosequences consisting of continuously cultivated and independently restored fields with contrasting diversity management strategies: grasslands restored with high plant richness and managed for diversity with frequent burning (n = 20) and grasslands restored with fewer species that were infrequently burned (n = 15). Restoration and management for plant diversity resulted in 250% higher plant richness. Greater recovery of roots and more predictable recovery of the active microbial biomass across the high diversity management strategy chronosequence corresponded with faster recovery of soil structure. The high diversity grasslands also had greater nutrient conservation indicated by lower available inorganic nitrogen. Thus, mesic grasslands restored with more species and managed for high plant diversity with frequent burning enhances the rate of belowground ecosystem recovery from long-term disturbance at a scale relevant to conservation practices on the landscape

10aAggregates10aBiodiversity10acarbon10aEcosystem function10anitrogen10aphospholipid fatty acid10aprairie10aroot10asoil1 aKlopf, Ryan, P.1 aBaer, S.G.1 aBach, E.M.1 aSix, Johan uhttps://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/eap.1503