Plant Diversity Surpasses Plant Functional Groups and Plant Productivity as Driver of Soil Biota in the Long Term
Figure 1
Plant species richness effects on soil microorganisms and mesofauna.
Variations in (A) soil microbial biomass [mg Cmic g−1 soil dry weight], and the density of (B) Collembola, and (C) Oribatida [all individuals m−2] as affected by plant species richness in different years. Regression lines indicate significant effects (P<0.05); brown lines indicate decomposers in the broader sense (including microbivores); means (lines) with standard error (boxes), standard deviation (error bars), extremes (dots) and outliers (asterisks).