Abstract
Montane grasslands in Europe are exposed to increasing temperatures twice as fast as the global average. Changes in climatic conditions are possibly accompanied by an increase in land use intensity, caused by a prolongation of the vegetation period and the need to improve productivity. Therefore, the investigation of combined effects of climate change and land use intensity is needed to further implement agricultural management strategies. Here we present results from a study performed in the pre-alpine region of southern Germany, where intact plant-soil mesocosms from grasslands, were translocated along an altitudinal gradient, resulting in an increase in soil temperature (moderate treatment: +0.5 K; strong treatment: +1.9 K warming) during the experimental period. Additionally, we applied an extensive or intensive agricultural management (two vs. five times of mowing and slurry application) on the transplanted mesocosms. After an exposure of one year, we measured plant growth and soil properties and quantified abundances of soil microorganisms catalyzing key steps in the nitrogen (N) cycle. Our data indicate, significant interactions between climate change and management. For example, microbial biomass was significantly reduced (-47.7% and -49.8% for Cmic and Nmic respectively), which was further accompanied by lower abundances of N2-fixing bacteria (up to -89,3%), as well as ammonia oxidizing bacteria (-81.4%) under intensive management, whereas N-mineralizing bacteria increased in abundance (up to +139.8%) under extensive management. Surprisingly, the abundances of denitrifying bacteria as well as mean N2O emissions were not affected by the treatments. Overall, our data suggest pronounced shifts in the abundance of microbes driving the N cycle in soil as a result of combined climate change and land use intensification already after a short simulation period of one year.
Highlights
Montane grasslands in Europe are exposed to increasing temperatures twice as fast as the global average
While already significant effects of climate change on most of the measured soil/plant properties were found (Table 1), except for Bulk density (BD) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC):total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) ratio in soil, the abundance of microbes catalyzing major steps in N mineralization, nitrification, denitrification were not affected by the simulated climate change (Table S2; Fig. S2)
This study represents a first step in integrating potential short-term responses of microbial functions to changes in soil and plant properties as impacted by climate change and agricultural management in montane grasslands
Summary
Montane grasslands in Europe are exposed to increasing temperatures twice as fast as the global average. Our data suggest pronounced shifts in the abundance of microbes driving the N cycle in soil as a result of combined climate change and land use intensification already after a short simulation period of one year. We measured different N pools (plant, microbial, soil) and the abundance of microbiota, which catalyze major steps in the organic and inorganic N cycle including N-mineralization, N2- fixation, nitrification and denitrification to disentangle short-term effects of climate change and agricultural management after one year of transplantation on N turnover from a typical montane grassland
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
